Caregivers’ Estimations of 4–7‐y‐old Children's Food Neophobia and Eating Temperament and Observations of Children's Food Refusals
Authors: Johnson Susan L , Gavin William J , Davies Patricia , Taylor Brittany , Boles Richard E , Bellows Laura L 
Published: June 2021

Background

Children enter a food neophobic phase around 2 y of age, with the anticipation that neophobia will wane after 5 y of age. The Colorado LEAP (Longitudinal Eating and Physical Activity) study was an intervention trial focused on improving the food acceptance patterns of young children at high risk for obesity.

Objective

To further understand the developmental trajectory of food neophobia during childhood (4 – 7 y of age), we investigated the associations between caregiver reports of children's: 1) food neophobia and 2) general eating temperament and compared them with observed measures of children's food refusals.

Methods

Four‐year‐old children and their families (N= 249) were recruited from Head Start settings in 5 rural communities in CO via an informational packet (in English & Spanish) that was sent home with their child. At baseline (T1), caregivers completed the Child Food Neophobia Scale (CFNS; Pliner, 1994), the Negative Reactions to Food scale (NRF; Rowe & Plomin, 1977) and demographic information. Children individually took part in a taste preference assessment (Sullivan & Birch, 1991) that consisted of 9 foods (including novel and familiar fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins) during which refusals to try the foods were noted. Next, children in the intervention group (n = 146) received the Food Friends program, a 12 week preschool program designed to improve young children's willingness to try new foods. Assessments were repeated for control and intervention groups at post‐intervention (T2), and at 1 y (T3) and 2 y (T4) post‐intervention. Statistical analyses performed included a 2 (Treatment Group: control, experimental) × 4 (Time: T1, T2, T3, T4) repeated measures ANOVAs to assess temperament and neophobia ratings. Refusal behaviors were assessed with Mann‐Whitney U and Kendall's W tests due to Poisson distributions.

Results

Caregiver reports of food neophobia and of eating temperament were stable over 4 – 7 years of age. Children (55.8%) were reported as neophobic (>35 on CFNS) at baseline with no significant reduction in reports of neophobia either by time, F(3, 174) = .99, p = .40, η2p = .02, or by treatment group, F(1, 58) = 1.26, p = .27, η2p = .02 (n=60 for T1–T4). Reported temperament (n=64 for T1–T4) showed no significant changes as a function of time F(3, 186) = 1.08, p = .36, η2p = .02, or treatment group F(1, 62) = .70, p = .41, η2p = .01. The observed number of children's food refusals decreased significantly over time in both the intervention group, χ2(3) = 31.87, p < .0005, W = .11, and the control group, χ2(3) = 38.38, p < .0005, W = .21 (n=174 for T1–T4). Additionally, there was a significant effect of the intervention at Time 2, where children in the experimental group (Mrank = 84. 7) showed significantly fewer refusals than children in the control group (Mrank = 75.3), U = 2593.50, p = .04.

Conclusions

Caregivers’ perceptions of children's neophobia and general eating temperament did not significantly change over the 4 – 7‐y‐old period. In contrast, observed measures of children's food refusals declined significantly. Caregiver expectations for child food acceptance patterns do not always align with children's behaviors and capacity during this developmental period.

Support or Funding Information

Supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA (Agriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grant 2010‐85215‐20648).