Neophobia, sensory experience and child’s schemata contribute to food choices

Abstract

Purpose The aim of the present review is to analyze dynamic interactions between nutrigenomics, environmental cues, and parental influence, which can all lead to children’s neophobic reactions and its persistence in time. Methods We reviewed studies available on electronic databases, conducted on children aged from birth to 18 years. We also considered official websites of Italian Institutions, providing advice on healthy eating during infancy. Results Modern day societies are faced with an eating paradox, which has severe and ever-growing implications for health. In face of a wider availability of healthy foods, individuals instead often choose processed foods high in fat, salt and sugar content. Economic reasons surely influence consumers’ access to foods. However, there is mounting evidence that food choices depend on the interplay between social learning and genetic predispositions (e.g., individual eating traits and food schemata). Neophobia, the behavioral avoidance of new foods, represents an interesting trait, which can significantly influence children’s food refusal. Early sensory experiences and negative cognitive schemata, in the context of primary caregiver–child interactions, importantly contribute to the priming of children’s food rejection. Conclusions As neophobia strongly affects consumption of healthy foods, it will be relevant to rule definitively out its role in the genesis of maladaptive food choices and weight status in longitudinal studies tracking to adulthood and, in meanwhile, implement early in life effective social learning strategies, to reduce long-term effects of neophobia on dietary patterns and weight status. Level of evidence Level II, controlled trials without randomization.