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Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Your kid doesn't want to eat that because of your genes
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Parents, the Brussels Sprouts that your child refuses to try is not because it looks funny, but because she actually inherited a fear of it from you. That's right parents, a large study done with both identical and fraternal twin pairs, by Dr. Lucy J. Cooke of University College London, shows that “children's tendency to avoid unfamiliar foods was inherited.” The studies show that nearly 80% of children's tendencies to avoid unfamiliar foods was inherited!
Well parents, apparently the avoidance of certain food may have evolutionary beginnings. It seems that to avoid potential deadly foods, researchers believe our ancestors did not consume certain foods. This was then passed on to through generations, hence the birth of “food neophobia”.
In this study twins were used to help determine if environment or genetics was the cause of “food neophobia”. The research showed that inheritance accounted “for 78 percent of food tendencies”.
However, please remember it is possible to have your children try new foods even if they have a “phobia”. It starts by offering the food repeatedly, as they become more familiar with these foods, it will be easier for them to try it.
Michelle, DTR
Nutrition Specialist
"Present fears are less than horrible imaginings"
Labels: children, DNA and genes
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