The challenge of persuading a child to eat their vegetables can be a universal parental struggle, but a new study offers some genetic insight into this behavior.

Research from University College London, King’s College London, and the University of Leeds indicates that children's food preferences are largely influenced by their genes, not their upbringing or environment.

The study examined over 2,000 pairs of twins, both identical and fraternal, born in 2007 across the UK. By comparing the eating habits of these twins, the researchers could isolate the genetic and environmental factors contributing to picky eating.

Identical twins, who share all their genetic material, were found to be much more similar in their food preferences compared to fraternal twins, suggesting a strong genetic component.

The research revealed that while environmental factors like home food types and meal locations may play a role when children are toddlers, these factors become less significant as children grow older. Interestingly, food fussiness typically peaks at the age of 7 and tends to decline as children enter adolescence.

Moritz Herle, a lead author of the study from King’s College London, noted that the findings could help alleviate the stress and blame placed on parents for their child's picky eating. "Our research indicates that differences between children’s fussy eating can be largely attributed to genetic factors," Herle said.

The study also suggests that while genetics play a major role, environmental interventions during the toddler years might help reduce future pickiness. Abigail Pickard, a developmental child psychologist not involved in the study, advised maintaining a relaxed mealtime atmosphere and modeling healthy eating habits to support children in developing a diverse palate.

The findings, published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, provide a reminder that picky eating is often innate and not a reflection of parenting skills.