Neophobia-A Natural Developmental Stage or Feeding Difficulties for Children?

Nutrients

Department of Human Nutrition, Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, ul. Jordana 19, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland.

Published: April 2022

Food neophobia is the tendency to reject or be reluctant to try new and unfamiliar foods. Due to the period of its occurrence, which falls in the years of early childhood, it can significantly affect the child's food choices, shape taste preferences, and significantly influence the quality of the child's diet. The neophobic attitude has an important evolutionary significance because it protects the individual from ingesting potentially dangerous substances. On the other hand, it fosters avoidance behaviors that can also relate to the beneficial aspects of obtaining and consuming food. Currently, the strong emphasis placed on food safety means that neophobia may be less adaptive; nevertheless, a conservative attitude toward new foods still prevails. There is a strong association between food neophobia and the diversity of a person's diet and previous exposure to different foods. This review describes behaviors associated with food neophobia and analyzes other feeding and eating difficulties in children that should be differentiated from food neophobia. Management approaches affecting the reduction in food neophobia in children through various dietary and psychological interventions are also proposed.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9002550PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu14071521DOI Listing

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