Researchers studied over 1,400 children ages 3-6 to understand how their eating personalities affect what they eat. They found that kids who enjoy food tend to eat more fruits, vegetables, and fish, while picky eaters avoid these healthy foods and eat more sweets instead. The study shows that a child’s eating personality—whether they’re adventurous or cautious about food—plays a big role in their diet quality. These findings could help parents and doctors encourage healthier eating habits early on, before kids develop weight problems.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How children’s eating personalities (like enjoying food or being picky) connect to what they actually eat and drink
  • Who participated: 1,407 Spanish children between ages 3 and 6 years old (about half boys, half girls), followed as part of a long-term health study
  • Key finding: Kids who genuinely enjoy eating tend to eat more healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and fish. Kids who are picky eaters avoid these healthy foods and eat more candy and sweets instead. These eating personalities were strongly linked to diet quality.
  • What it means for you: Understanding your child’s eating personality might help you encourage healthier food choices early on. If your child is a picky eater, this study suggests it’s worth addressing because it may lead to eating too many sweets and unhealthy foods. However, eating personalities can change with patience and exposure to new foods.

The Research Details

This research followed children from Spain over time as part of a 10-year study called CORAL. The researchers asked parents to fill out a detailed questionnaire about their child’s eating behaviors—things like whether the child enjoys trying new foods, gets full quickly, or refuses to eat certain foods. They also asked parents to report everything their child ate and drank over several days using a food diary. The researchers then used statistical methods to find patterns in the data and see which eating personalities connected to eating certain types of foods.

The study measured eating behaviors using a well-established tool called the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, which has been tested and proven reliable by other scientists. Diet was measured using another validated tool specifically designed for children. The researchers carefully adjusted their analysis to account for other factors that might affect eating, like family income and parents’ education level.

This approach is strong because it follows real children in their everyday lives rather than testing them in a lab. The large number of children (over 1,400) and the careful measurement tools make the findings more trustworthy.

Understanding the connection between eating personalities and actual food choices is important because it shows that how kids feel about food isn’t just a preference—it actually shapes their nutrition. If we can identify picky eaters early and understand why they avoid healthy foods, we might be able to help them develop better eating habits before they get older. This is especially important because eating habits formed in childhood often stick with people into adulthood.

This study is fairly reliable because it used large numbers of children, validated measurement tools that other scientists have tested, and careful statistical analysis. The researchers adjusted for other factors that might affect results. However, the study only included Spanish children, so results might be slightly different in other countries with different food cultures. The study also relied on parents reporting what their children ate, which might not be perfectly accurate.

What the Results Show

Children who scored high on ‘Enjoyment of Food’—meaning they genuinely like eating and trying new things—consumed significantly more fish, fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains. These same children ate fewer sweets and sugary foods. This pattern was consistent in both boys and girls.

In contrast, children who were ‘Food Fussy’ (picky eaters who refuse many foods) ate much less of the healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, fish, and beans. Instead, they ate more sweets and sugary items. Again, this pattern showed up in both boys and girls, suggesting it’s a real and consistent finding.

When researchers looked at overall eating patterns using advanced statistical methods, they found five distinct dietary patterns in boys and five in girls. The eating personality traits—especially Enjoyment of Food and Food Fussiness—were the strongest predictors of which dietary pattern a child followed. This means eating personality was more important than many other factors in determining what kids actually ate.

The study identified five different eating patterns in each group of children. Some children followed a pattern heavy in healthy foods, while others followed patterns with more processed foods and sweets. The eating personality traits explained a significant portion of why children had different eating patterns—about 36% of the differences. Other eating behavior traits like eating speed and fullness sensitivity also showed connections to diet, though they were less important than Enjoyment of Food and Food Fussiness.

This research builds on earlier studies showing that eating behaviors matter for nutrition. Previous research suggested these connections existed, but this study is one of the larger and more detailed examinations in young children. The findings align with what nutrition experts have long suspected: that personality traits around food are major drivers of what children eat. This study provides stronger evidence for that connection.

The study only included children from Spain, so the results might be somewhat different in other countries where food cultures and available foods are different. The study relied on parents reporting their children’s eating behaviors and food intake, which might not be perfectly accurate—parents might forget things or estimate portions incorrectly. The study shows associations (connections) between eating personality and food choices, but doesn’t prove that one causes the other. It’s possible that other unmeasured factors influence both eating personality and food choices. Finally, the study measured eating behaviors at one point in time for most analyses, so we don’t know if these patterns stay the same as children grow older.

The Bottom Line

Parents should try to foster ‘Enjoyment of Food’ in their children by exposing them to a variety of healthy foods in a positive, pressure-free environment. For picky eaters, patience and repeated exposure to new foods (it may take 10-15 tries) can help expand their food preferences. These recommendations are supported by this research and align with guidance from nutrition experts. However, if a child’s pickiness is severe or causing nutritional concerns, consulting a pediatrician or dietitian is wise.

Parents of young children (ages 3-6) should pay attention to these findings, as this is a critical age for developing eating habits. Pediatricians and child nutrition specialists can use this information to identify children at risk for poor nutrition. Teachers and childcare providers might also find this useful for understanding children’s eating behaviors. This research is less directly relevant to parents of teenagers or adults, though the principles may still apply.

Changes in eating habits don’t happen overnight. Research suggests it takes several weeks to months of consistent exposure to new foods before children become more comfortable with them. Parents shouldn’t expect immediate results from encouraging healthier eating, but with patience and consistency, improvements in food acceptance typically appear within 2-3 months.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your child’s ‘Food Enjoyment Score’ weekly by noting how many different fruits, vegetables, and proteins they willingly eat. Create a simple chart showing variety of foods consumed rather than just calories. This helps identify whether eating personality is expanding or staying limited.
  • Use the app to set a goal of introducing one new healthy food per week in a low-pressure way (no requirement to eat it, just exposure). Log when your child tries new foods and their reaction. Celebrate attempts, not just successes, to build positive associations with food exploration.
  • Monitor your child’s dietary pattern over 4-week periods. Track the ratio of healthy foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, beans) to less healthy foods (sweets, processed snacks). Use the app to identify if your child’s eating personality is becoming more adventurous or remaining picky, and adjust strategies accordingly.

This research shows associations between eating personalities and food choices in young children but does not provide medical advice. Every child is unique, and eating behaviors can be influenced by many factors including allergies, sensory sensitivities, and medical conditions. If you have concerns about your child’s eating habits, nutrition, or growth, please consult with your pediatrician or a registered dietitian. This study was conducted in Spain and may not apply equally to all populations. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat any medical condition.