Being a fussy eater could be in your genes, new research suggests.
Researchers from the University of North Carolina assessed 66 pairs of twins between the ages of four and seven. They found genes affected 72 per cent of the kids and their affinity to avoid new kinds of food
while the remaining children were affected by their environment.
"In some respects, food neophobia, or the aversion to trying new foods, is similar to child temperament or personality," said Myles Faith, lead author and associate professor of nutrition at the Gillings School of Public Health.
"Some children are more genetically susceptible than others to avoid new foods. However, that doesn't mean that they can't change their behaviors and become a little less picky."
A previous study observing food fears found 78 per cent of eight to 11-year-olds and 69 per cent of adults inherited their reluctance to try new foods.
