The main conclusion to this study was that genetics definitely has an influence in the food pickiness of a child, however, the exact extent and the specific genes that contribute to this have yet to be identified. The researchers proposed the idea that while genes have a huge influence on this topic, they are not set in stone when it comes to what the child eats, or how they develop in the future. In most cases, the child's environment has an equally important role in what kinds of foods they like and dislike. Depending on factors such as location, food availability, and parental influence, children may change over time in their level of food pickiness despite the initial influence that their genes have on them. A significant factor of the study was that it was performed on toddlers, a time where development is still a major factor and change may occur. In adult populations, the results may be different. It would be interesting to see a follow up study for these 16 month old children at different stages in their lives to assess how much has changed since their initial assessment. This information poses an important question based on the foundation of our genes: just how much do they influence our likes and dislikes when it comes to food? And to what extent will our likes and dislikes be passed down to our children? I believe this study is important because with more research and future findings, we may be able to pinpoint the exact genes that are responsible for influencing our taste. This study opened the doors for much more research to be done in the field.
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/14/is-your-child-a-fussy-eater-the-reason-could-be-in-their-genes
No comments:
Post a Comment