Research by Maastricht University
There are indications that children who are more flexible in their behavior are also more open to trying various types of food. For instance, if a child is used to eating broccoli only with applesauce and then is offered broccoli without applesauce, they may refuse to eat it. In this project, we aim to understand whether there is indeed a connection between children's flexibility and their eating habits.
In this study, we aim to understand whether hunger influences children to be more willing to try certain types of food. We are also investigating whether it matters if that food is already familiar or unfamiliar to the child. Additionally, we explore differences between children who are more easily accepting of various foods and those who find this more challenging.
In a study involving children aged 4-6 years old, we investigated how they categorize food and what they remember. We found that children often used color as a basis for categorizing and remembering food. Children who were better at categorizing the type of food also had a better memory of what kind of food it was. We didn't find a connection with picky eating behaviour. Other factors, such as how familiar the food is, seem to play a larger role in children's acceptance of food.
Motivating a child to eat vegetables is not always easy. How can you tempt them to take a bite? In this project, we studied the role of free choice of the child. The results of this study revealed that children who were given a choice, were more willing to taste a new vegetable.
In this project we track children from 3 to 5 years old.
We test what they like and how picky they are. We also look at how well they can taste, what they think about different textures and what they already know about different flavors. How do children develop and does this influence what they like?
In the NEMO science museum in Amsterdam, we conducted research into picky eating among children aged between 4-15 years. We looked at how well the children could taste a bitter taste. Not everyone has the same taste buds: for some a Brussels sprout tastes more bitter than for others. We also used a candy game to see whether children dared to take a gamble, and potentially had to eat a very distasteful candy, or whether they rather avoid this and prefer to take one less tasty candy. The results show that being able to taste a bitter taste does not have much influence on picky eating. However, it appears that children who have difficulty with new vegetables are also the ones who do not like to gamble in the candy game. So picky eaters seem to like to play it safe!
May 2023
The tests with the 3-year-olds of Project 1 are completed! We raffled some vegetable boxes among the participating childcare centers and children, which have been received with great enthusiasm! Currently, the preparations for the next tests are in full swing. When the children are 4 years old, we will pay them another visit.
March 2023
Rosalie Mourmans was interviewed by newspaper AD discussing the effect of letting children choose their vegetables on willingness to taste them.
https://www.ad.nl/gezond/bah-lust-ik-niet-deze-strategie-moedigt-kieskeurig-etertje-aan-tot-proeven~a2f51fd5/
Februari 2023
Rosalie Mourmans' study is nominated for the 'Klokhuis Wetenschapsprijs 2023' (science award): 'If you can choose yourself, will you enjoy eating vegetables more?' https://www.hetklokhuis.nl/dossier/153/klokhuis-wetenschapsprijs
2022we alinea
October 2022
Anouk van den Brand was Interviewed by UMagazine: 'Mmm... carrots! How to teach toddlers to love vegetables'.
https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/nl/nieuws-agenda/umagazine
April 2022
RTL EditieNL interviewed Anouk Hendriks, regarding the question 'why do we always seem to have room for dessert?'.
https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/editienl/artikel/5303147/altijd-ruimte-voor-toetje-zoet-na-avondeten-universiteit-maastricht
Furthermore, Sjaan Nederkoorn was invited as a guest at Eva Jinek (RTL 4) on the project 'learning to like vegetables'.
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The research described is funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research - NWO