Eating problems in preschoolers must bother many parents. Picky eating is one of the most common childhood eating disorders, and it is reported that about 20% of preschoolers have picky eating problems. However, just because it is common does not mean that it does not cause harm. Picky eating not only affects a child’s physical growth and development, but is also detrimental to the child’s mental health and social functioning, and therefore should receive adequate attention from clinicians and researchers. Picky eating has its own causes, including child growth and development characteristics, genetic predisposition, early feeding problems, premature birth, etc.; as well as family factors, insufficient breast milk, unreasonable feeding practices, improper weaning and complementary food addition; in addition, digestive system diseases affecting feeding, or nutrient deficiencies may also cause picky eating. Picky eating in babies means that children are picky about their diet or eat only a few foods that they like or are used to. Picky eating is a bad eating habit that is not conducive to both nutritional intake and healthy development. Because children are not interested in food to eat less, or only pick their favorite food, will cause weight loss, yellow muscle thin, dry skin bashful, and even anemia, hypoglycemia, body temperature drop, slow pulse, blood pressure drop, malnutrition. The hazards of baby picky eating 1, the obvious hazards (1) poor resistance, into the hospital “old patron” Some nutrient deficiencies will affect the baby’s immune function, colds and other “minor illnesses and diseases” prone to recurrence, serious may also occur anemia, rickets, recurrent respiratory infections and other diseases. (2) small size, intelligence is also “small” picky baby’s weight, height, and even intellectual development index may be lower than non-picky baby. In addition to the impact on growth and development, picky eaters also have an impact on the development of cognitive function in children. In a British study comparing the intellectual development of children who are picky eaters and those who are not, there was a difference of 14 points in their intellectual development index. 2, hidden harm Hidden harm is not easily detected by parents, picky eating baby’s mild nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, especially the baby’s stubborn picky eating behavior and mother’s anxious feeding behavior on the baby’s mental health, will bring potential risks to the baby’s long-term healthy growth. Children’s picky eating has its roots in the family for the following main reasons: 1. Influenced by parents’ dietary preferences If parents are picky about food themselves or say in front of their children that this food is not good and that food tastes bad, the child will be directly influenced. In addition, if the parents do not like to eat a certain food, the family often rarely buy this food, which will also make the child rarely eat this food, thus indirectly causing the child’s paranoia. 2, the daily diet is monotonous If parents do not pay attention to cooking methods, do not pay attention to color matching and shape diversity, or diet is relatively monotonous, it is also easy to make children form the habit of picky eating. For example, some parents give their children steamed eggs every day, rarely change the color variety, children naturally do not love to eat. 3, parents are too accommodating and indulgent children Some parents are afraid that their children do not have enough nutrition, the child’s dietary requirements, always respond to requests, so that the child’s taste is getting higher and higher, picking their favorite things to eat. 4, unpleasant eating experience If previously eat a certain food after stomach pain or sickness, or in a pleasant environment forced to eat a certain food, will make the child to this food to produce resistance to the psychological. Health experts point out that picky eating itself is both a bad eating behavior and a direct factor in the formation of some other bad eating behaviors, especially for children in the peak of growth and development, the harm caused by picky eating is very serious. Once the child is partial to eat, parents should pay enough attention to correct, if obedient, will affect the child’s healthy development. What about picky eating in babies? Picky eating in children should be individualized according to different causes and intervention plans should be made carefully according to the severity of the picky eating. Vitamin, mineral and nutrient supplementation will be beneficial in preventing and treating micronutrient and macronutrient deficiencies, but this is only a transitional measure to buy time for dietary and behavioral interventions. There are no medications available to improve eating disorders, so the choice of medication to correct picky eating behavior is not recommended. The first step is to choose appropriate foods for the age of the baby, make a healthy diet (vegetables, fruits, and other healthy snacks), involve the child in the food preparation plan and the preparation process together, and make the meals more delicious by yourself. Parents should eat with their children and try to eat together as a family around a fixed time and place. Strictly avoid forced diets, control excessive snacks, and reduce high-sugar diets. Parents should set a good example, develop good eating habits, pay attention during meals, and never eat while playing. It is also important to give the child enough time to correct his or her diet. It is generally recommended that children be exclusively breastfed for six months after birth, and 6 – 12 months is the period of taste development for children, and complementary foods should be added in a timely and scientific manner. The addition of complementary foods should be in accordance with the principle of gradual progress, the variety of food from less to more, from fine to coarse, from soft to hard, low sugar and less salt, and try to let the child take the initiative to participate in eating, to increase the child’s interest in eating. Prevention of picky eating in babies 1, in the variety of meals, variety and reasonable mix, in the quality of cooking production, including color, aroma, taste and its shape, in the choice of some utensils, more efforts, so that children maintain a strong appetite for meals, each meal can be eaten with taste. 2, parents “set an example” not partial food, at least try not to show partial food in front of the child, to prevent improper induction of the child; avoid criticism and reprimand when the child is eating, resulting in the child’s emotional discomfort affect appetite; to the child Sheng rice persuasive dishes to a small number of times, so that the child increased confidence in eating; such as the child because of a momentary lack of enthusiasm for eating, not yet completely full, prefer to wait to eat some more than forced to eat. Carefully take care of the diet of the sick child. 3, the amount of snacks for children, the number of control, moderation, a small number of varieties of food both fine, but also “light meal” type such as raw vegetables and fruits and so on. 4, with the children are easy, happy to accept the form to teach children about knowledge, reasoning, children in the children’s garden meals, can be in the diet of some evaluation, competition activities, the use of children’s competitive spirit to prevent, correct the phenomenon of partial eating. Only by paying attention to feeding skills with a scientific attitude, mastering the quality and quantity of food intake, and actively correcting the phenomenon of partial eating, can we provide our children with adequate nutrition and ensure their healthy growth. What should mothers and fathers do? 1, ingenuity, change the pattern baby refuses to eat a certain food, do not force, more thought, change a pattern, a different approach, may receive unexpected results. 2, the mother eats well baby not picky baby’s eating habits are largely influenced by the mother’s taste, so mothers should not be free to comment on a certain food, and not only according to their own preferences to develop recipes, should be as diverse as possible to ensure that the three meals a day and balanced nutrition, and to set an example for the baby to set a good example of not picky eating. 3, control the supply of snacks and time to strictly control the supply of baby snacks and time, especially do not let them eat too much high sugar, high-calorie food or drink before meals; in addition, mothers should encourage babies to participate in physical exercise, move more appetite good. 4, do-it-yourself eating aroma Preparing meals, mothers may want to let babies to help cook, buy vegetables, wash vegetables, choose vegetables, do-it-yourself meals baby will eat up extra appetite, but need to pay attention to do not let babies use knives or close to the fire source to avoid danger. 5, “story + game” let the baby love to eat through the content of the story, let the baby follow the story of the main character to learn, and then let the baby love to eat. 6, to develop good eating habits Pay attention to the development of good habits of life of the baby, when eating to pay attention, do not play while eating or watching TV while eating. When dining, the whole family should sit around the table, their happiness, to create a relaxed and happy dining atmosphere, so that babies learn to enjoy every meal. 7, scientific addition of complementary food 6 to 12 months is the baby’s palate development period, mothers should seize this best time to add complementary food for them in a timely and scientific manner. The addition of complementary foods should follow the principle of gradual progress, the variety of food from less to more, the taste from light to heavy, and try not to let the baby too early exposure to sweets. 8, understand the baby’s diet characteristics 3 years old before the baby’s diet is more irregular, yesterday ate more, today ate less, is a normal phenomenon, mothers do not have to worry too much; In addition, the baby’s taste is constantly changing, today refused food, perhaps two days later will accept, so mothers do not give up gently”, persistent to change the baby’s picky eating problem. Warm tips 1.Parents set an example and evaluate food fairly; 2.Avoid psychological hints and interference from other people’s bad eating habits; 3.Relax your mind and avoid forcing; 4.Let your baby watch or participate in the food preparation process; 5.Make good use of games and short stories; 6.Provide special tableware and dining chairs for your baby; 7.Don’t give your baby too much food; 8.Carefully improve the way you cook food; 9.Be alert to the influence of snacks on your baby 9.Be alert to the influence of snacks on babies; 10.Food should not be “rewarded or punished”.