Food neophobia in childhood affects dietary variety

Objective To determine whether children with food neophobia (unwillingness to try new foods) have more restrictive diets than children without neophob ia. Subjects Seventy children were classified into 3 groups based on scores obt ained on the Food Neophobia Scale: neophobic group. score greater than 41; neophilic group, score less than 27; and average group, score of 28 to 40. Design Dietary data were collected and analyzed for 3 days selected randoml y. The dependent variables measured were energy and nutrient. intakes, serv ings of each Food Guide Pyramid group, and Health Eating Index (HEI) scores . Statistical analyses chi (2), 1-way analysis of covariance, and Scheffe. mu ltiple comparisons tests were conducted. Results The 3 groups were similar with respect to the number of children me eting two thirds of the RDA/DRI for energy and most nutrients. The exceptio n was vitamin E: fewer neophobic children met two thirds of the recommended value for this nutrient than average and neophilic children. The overall H EI score was significantly lower for the neophobic group compared with the average and neophilic groups. The HEI index showed that children with neoph obia had a higher intake of saturated fat and less food variety than childr en without food neophobia. Applications Dietitians should emphasize increased food variety for childre n within the context of a healthful diet. Research should be conducted to d etermine the effects of dietary variety on quality of diet and health of ch ildren.