Research paper
Johnson SL. Developmental and Environmental Influences on Young Children’s Vegetable Preferences and Consumption. Advances in Nutrition. 2016 Jan 15;7(1):220S-31S. doi:10.3945/an.115.008706. PMID: 26773030. PMCID: PMC4717879.
Why we cite it
Reviews developmental, environmental, and experimental evidence on young children’s vegetable preferences and consumption. Proposes a two-stage model — (1) willingness to try vegetables, (2) actual consumption — with different inputs at each stage. Synthesizes evidence on repeated exposure requirements, the role of parenting style/practices, socioeconomic barriers, and experimental manipulation of portion size, timing, flavor pairing, and rewards.
About the author
– Susan L. Johnson: Professor of Pediatrics (Nutrition Section), University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus. Director of the Children’s Eating Lab. PhD Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1993). MS Penn State (1988) — trained under Leann L. Birch. 200+ publications, ~15,800 citations. Oded Bar-Or Award for Excellence in Pediatric Obesity Research (2023). Research focus: child feeding practices, vegetable acceptance, childhood obesity prevention.