The widespread cultural belief that children are naturally inferior eaters is a form of discrimination. This myth underestimates their ability to learn to like new foods, causes family stress, limits pleasure, and contributes to health problems by justifying a separate, less nutritious diet.
Childhood dieting, even when following moderate advice from doctors or parents, is one of the strongest predictors of future eating disorders. Teenage girls who engaged in severe dieting were 18 times more likely to develop an eating disorder than non-dieters.
Contrary to modern fears, the 19th-century practice of expecting children to eat family meals without alternatives did not cause widespread eating disorders or obesity. These issues only became common in the 20th century, after mass pickiness and special 'kid food' emerged.
Historian Helen Zoe Veidt argues that widespread picky eating is a recent phenomenon. 150 years ago, American children ate diverse and strong-flavored foods like oysters and organ meats, suggesting pickiness isn't an innate, protective mechanism from our hunter-gatherer past.
Contrary to popular belief, research shows that individuals with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) often live longer than those with 'normal' or low BMI. Higher body weight can be protective against conditions like osteoporosis and cancer and can aid faster recovery from heart surgery.