Does picky eating affect weight-for-length measurements in young children?

Picky eating is a major source of parental concern, and children with picky eating habits are potentially at risk for nutritional deficits. This research aimed to determine whether picky eating is related to being underweight in young children.

Participants included 34 children with picky eating behavior who were referred to the Pediatric Feeding and Nutrition Clinic for evaluation and 136 healthy controls.Weight and height measurements were obtained, and weight-to-length data were calculated for each child.

In all, 7 of 34 children (20.6%) in the picky eaters group and 9 of 136 children (6.6%) in the control group were underweight (P = .02). Underweight was found in 15 children (14.2%) at or under 36 months and in 1 child (1.6%) older than 36 months (P = .002).

Children with picky eating habits, especially those younger than 3 years of age, are at increased risk of being underweight.