How to help the picky eater have fun with food

MANILA, Philippines - If a child dislikes vegetables, is unwilling to try new food, has strong food preferences, and simply eats less than he should every meal time, he may be exhibiting the classic symptoms of a picky eater. According to dieticians and nutritionists, a picky eater is someone who runs the risk of serious underdevelopment due to aforesaid poor eating habits.

Children identified as picky eaters can be found all over the world, underscoring the urgency of this health issue. At the 60th Annual Convention of Nutritionists-Dietitians Association in the Philippines held last February at the Manila Hotel and co-sponsored by Wyeth’s Aqiva reformulated milk, the latest figures on picky eating-related problems here in the country were presented and examined.

Based on statistics from the 2013 National Nutrition Survey, Filipino children up to five years old tallied a stunting rate of 30.3 percent, and being underweight at 19.9 percent, both largely attributed to picky eating. Filipino kids under the same age bracket were found out to be thin as well at an increased rate of 7.9 percent, compared to 6.9 percent from 2008 figures.

Kate Di Prima, a leading Australian nutritionist and dietitian, reported about how picky eating can be properly identified and classified in her presentation, “The Picky Eater, Undernourished and Undetected.” Di Prima also shared her insights on how the problem can be addressed through various creative strategies.

Di Prima pointed out the six basic types of a picky eater. Those who only eat one food at a time are called “food jags.” Children who refuse to eat what is served before them are said to be on “food strike.” Kids who can only eat in front of a television are said to have a “TV Habit.” The “complainer” constantly whines about the food being served. Kids who have a “fear of new food” refuse to eat food they are not familiar with. Lastly, children who only eat white food like rice, pasta and white bread are said to be having “the great white diet.”

“Milk is still a fantastic source of protein and various vitamins as well, but people were replacing meals with it. What happens is there’s no fiber, there’s no iron, there’s no zinc, so you got all these minerals and roughage lost (from) the diet,” said Di Prima. The result? Children tend to be anemic, constipated, underweight and generally prone to illness. In more extreme cases, behavioral problems can even be observed. Underdevelopment, such as speech delay, can also be manifested.

But Filipino kids do enjoy eating some vegetables, such as string beans, squash, kangkong and pechay, as observed by Filipino nutritionists and dieticians. Di Prima said that Filipino parents can capitalize on these preferences. As to making up for the noticeable lack of dairy in the Filipino food diet, alternatives such as yogurt, cheese and milk supplements can be added to the daily diet.

Wyeth’s own milk supplement brand, Aqiva, aims to aid parents in providing the nutritional needs of picky eaters. While some children will naturally have tendencies to dislike certain foods, milk supplements like Aqiva can cover the nutrients missed out, ensuring a complete diet when it comes to the dairy group.

“Parents can even use milk supplements as a cooking ingredient,” Di Prima said. “This means milk supplements can be used for cooking food that kids prefer, such as pancakes or cookies.”