New app to help parents deal with children's picky eating habits

LONDON: Researchers have developed a new app that helps parents understand why children are 'fussy' eaters and gives suggestions on how to improve mealtimes.

Child feeding experts from Loughborough University in UK developed the app to help parents who report having a child who is a fussy eater.

The app - the first of its kind to be based on scientific research - helps those responsible for feeding children to understand why children are 'fussy' and what they can do to improve mealtimes.

The app comes with an accompanying website and both include an exposure monitor to enable parents to log what their children are eating and when, and provide tips and tools to help encourage children to eat a more varied and balanced diet.

The app was developed by Drs Emma Haycraft, Gemma Witcomb and Claire Farrow from the University's Centre for Research into Eating Disorders ( LUCRED).

"Our studies show as many as 50 per cent of parents report having fussy eaters and we understand how stressful parents and carers find this behaviour," said Haycraft.

"The Child Feeding Guide is a useful tool to help adults manage mealtimes better. By sharing our knowledge and providing practical tips we hope to give parents the support and confidence they need to promote healthy, happy mealtimes," Haycraft said.