Infant Complementary Feeding Methods and Subsequent Occurrence of Food Neophobia—A Cross-Sectional Study of Polish Children Aged 2–7 Years

Abstract

Food neophobia is standard behaviour in child development. It is a complex process and occurs to varying degrees. The symptoms of neophobia can be variable depending on the individual. Food neophobia is a fear of new foods, whereby difficulties in eating and trying unfamiliar foods follow. It is one of the more vital determinants of the number of meals consumed at a young age. Such a process is not a disorder in itself but can lead to one. The highest severity of neophobia occurs between the ages of two and six, but in some children, it lasts beyond age 6. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of food neophobia among children aged 2–7 years, taking into account the method of complementary feeding, the length of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, the period of introduction of complementary foods, and the use of the BLW method during the period of dietary expansion. Materials and methods: The study used an anonymous survey questionnaire consisting of five parts as the research tool. The first part of the questionnaire was a metric and concerned the socio-demographic data of the parent/guardian and their child. A standardised questionnaire assessing food neophobia among children was used to assess food neophobia: the Food Neophobia Scale—Children (FNSC). Results: In the study group, 171 children (29.23%) had a low risk of food neophobia according to the FNSC, 182 children (31.11%) had a medium risk of neophobia, and 232 children (39.66%) had a high risk of neophobia. A correlation was observed between the age and the risk of food neophobia (p = 0.0002). Statistically significant differences were found between children aged 2 and 4 (p = 0.003) and children aged 2 and 5 years (p = 0.049). We observed no correlation between gagging (p = 0.88557), choking (p = 0.17597), and needing medical intervention (p = 0.61427) and the risk of associated neophobia. Conclusion: In the study group of children, the highest risk of food neophobia was characterized by children aged 4, 5, and 7 years. The length of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding did not affect the risk of food neophobia. In the month in which complementary feeding (CF) was introduced, the children were fed using the baby-led weaning method (BLW method), and introducing puree and puree with lump food into the children’s diet also did not affect the risk of food neophobia. It was shown, however, that children whose mothers observed difficulties during CF and whose children had a vomiting reflex and spat food out of their mouths during CF were more likely to develop food neophobia at the preschool age.

Complementary Feeding Methods, Feeding Problems, Food Neophobia, and Picky Eating among Polish Children

“…For the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) questionnaire, we used the 10 items of the original FNS developed by Pliner and Hobden [34,38], backtranslated. As the FNS referred to children, we used the Children Food Neophobia Scale (FNSC).…”

“…All food neophilia statements were reversed so that the above scores indicated food neophobia. The total FNSC score was used to assess a person's level of food neophobia and propensity to try unfamiliar foods [38]. Eating behaviors can be influenced by environmental, cultural, and social factors, so some statements were altered during translation of the scale to fit the appropriate cultural context and adapted to the Polish language [11,39].…”