On Sept. 20, 2024, a study led by researchers from University College London (UCL), King’s College London and the University of Leeds reported that fussy eating is mainly influenced by genes and is a stable trait lasting from toddlerhood to early adolescence.

The study compared survey results of parents with identical or non-identical twins in England and Wales from the ages of 16 months to 13 years. The research team found that average levels of food fussiness were relatively stable during this period, peaking somewhat around the age of seven and declining slightly after that. They concluded that genetic differences in the population accounted for 60% of the variation in food fussiness at 16 months, rising to 74% and over between the ages of three and 13.

They found that non-identical twin pairs were much less similar in their fussy eating than identical twin pairs, indicating a large genetic influence. The study was published in the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry.