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Are non-USian kids picky eaters?

Are non-USian kids picky eaters?

If you Google "Why are kids picky eaters?" there are a billion articles that say kids become picky eaters because they have a low body weight which makes them extra vulnerable to poisoning from strange plants, and most natural poisons are bitter tasting. So while under age 2 they eat whatever you put in front of them, because the adult is choosing all the food. As they get older, they start roaming around and need a physical incentive to keep them from eating the wrong thing. As they learn what is edible, they become more tolerant of bitter, sour and spicy foods.

But I'm having trouble buying it because it seems to only reference English speaking Westerners. Do kids in other cultures normally go through a phase from age 2 to 5 where they won't try anything new?

elenchos asked in Health & Fitness over 2 years ago | Report

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3 Answers

  • Kermitsex_small
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    l think all kids have their quirks, of course, but when l was growing up overseas, l was exposed to SO many different types of food (and often, forced to eat whatever that food was if l didn't want to starve) that as an adult, l'm picky about very little.

    l think that especially in the US, parents can be overindulgent, and if their kids don't like whatever their parents put in front of them, they'll get takeout, or pizza, or McDonald's, or whatever it is their kids' spoiled little hearts desire. ln a culture where that kind of indulgence may be a luxury, kids get used to eating what is put in front of them, and more especially if they're in a culture where food is scarce to begin with.

    That's my personal take on it, anyway.

    freikja answered in Health & Fitness over 2 years ago | Report
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  • Ozomahtli_small
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    I'm guessing that kids in other countries, especially developing countries, are generally less picky.

    Due to the diversity of our culture, I think Americans typically have more variety in their diets than people from other places. I am just one case study, and I live in a major city, but so far this week, I've eaten Mexican, Thai, Korean, Vietnamese, Italian, and some frozen fish sticks.

    Contrast that with someone in, say, Korea, who will eat rice and kimchee with virtually every meal. With the same staple foods always available, kids are less apt to reject them, even if they are bitter, sour, and spicy.

    I think sugar has something to do with it too. American kids consume lots of sugar, and it's like smoking crack. Once they get a taste, it's all they want.

    Mahtli69 answered in Health & Fitness over 2 years ago | Report
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    I have a pretty small sample size to work from, but I've noticed that other cultures feed their young children very specific foods, and will politely decline anything out of the norm for them. So I think it's fairly universal.

    Penny Lane answered in Health & Fitness over 2 years ago | Report
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