TY  - JOUR
AU  - Ricci, Raquel
AU  - Nogueira, Luana Romão
AU  - Maximino, Priscila
AU  - de Miranda, William Cabral
AU  - Sella, Karina Rizzardo
AU  - de Paula, Nathalia Gioia
AU  - Fisberg, Mauro
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/29
TI  - Does Accepting a Wider Variety of Foods Mean Eating Better? The Food Paradox of Children and Adolescents with Feeding Difficulties
JO  - Recent Progress in Nutrition
SP  - 006
VL  - 06
IS  - 02
AB  - This study descriptively investigates the food acceptance patterns and dietary profiles of neurotypical infants, children, and adolescents with Feeding Difficulties (FD) at a Brazilian pediatric reference center. It further examines whether a broader food repertoire translates into improved nutritional quality. The research, an observational, analytical cross-sectional study, analyzed data from 237 patients aged 10 to 204 months with FD. Findings revealed a discrepancy between family perceptions and professional assessments, with families underestimating the variety of foods their children accept. While the average number of accepted foods increased with age (from 19.68 items in infants to 29.46 in adolescents), suggesting an expansion of food exposure, this did not necessarily lead to improved nutritional quality. Infants’ diets, despite being smaller in repertoire, showed a more favorable nutritional profile with more fruits and vegetables and fewer snacks and sweets. However, from preschool age onwards, the dietary profile worsened, marked by increased intake of ultra-processed foods, snacks, sweets, and sugary drinks. The study identified a predominance of sweet-tasting, light-colored, solid, and “dissolvable” hard-solid texture foods among accepted items, reflecting sensory preferences. Ultra-processed and hyperpalatable foods, particularly sweets, showed increased acceptance from preschool age onward, while less chewing-demanding consistencies and infant formulas were characteristic of younger ages. This highlights the critical role of parental attitudes and early interventions to promote healthy eating habits, emphasizing that sensory preferences often guide food choices in children with FD, leading to a diet rich in less nutritious options.
SN  - 2771-9871
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/rpn.2602006
DO  - 10.21926/rpn.2602006
ID  - Ricci2026
ER  -