As many parents would know, fussy eating is a bit of a puzzle – there’s a whole lot of moving parts, and they all need to work seamlessly together in order to achieve a positive result. In this podcast, dietitian Dr Amy Lovell discusses how and when picky eating manifests in children, some of the potential causes of fussy eating and when is there a need for intervention. We explore how fussy eating can be addressed using best clinical practice to promote healthy eating habits in young children.
Biography
Dr Amy Lovell completed her PhD research in Nutrition at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland, New Zealand in 2019. She is currently working there as a Lecturer, where she co-coordinates the Food Science and Nutrition course and lectures students from Science, Nursing and Dietetics. Amy is a New Zealand Registered Dietitian (NZRD) and Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) in Australia and has a particular interest in early childhood nutrition and ensuring children have the best start to a lifetime of eating.
During her PhD, her research was part of a broader project in collaboration with the University of Queensland called “The Growing Up Milk Lite Trial- The GUMLi Trial”. Amy’s focus was to study the effect of a Growing Up Milk in children aged 1 to 2 years, specifically the effects on dietary patterns, nutrient intake, overall diet quality and nutritional status. Amy also has a casual role at Starship Child Health, where she works in paediatric oncology. A particular interest of hers is “fussy eating ” during the toddler years and she has completed the SOS ( Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding Workshop.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Amy’s passion for child nutrition and fussy eating
- The complexities of fussy eating in children
- Defining and categorising fussy eating
- The dietitian’s and the parent’s/carers’ roles in fussy eating
- How dietitians can measure the effectiveness of their interventions in this patient group
- The effect of Growing Up Milks on dietary patterns and nutrient intake in toddlers
- Amy’s advice for dietitians wanting to pursue a career in research
This episode is supported by
