A small new study suggests pregnancy may be a prime time to influence toddlers' tastes. Researchers found that children exposed to specific vegetables through their mother's diet before birth were less likely to react negatively to the smell of those same foods at three years old.
Led by researchers at Durham University and Aston University in the UK, the study shows that likes and dislikes established during gestation can persist into early childhood. This could help reduce kids' aversion to vegetables before they're even aware of them.
A 3-year-old reacting more favorably to carrot than to kale after exposure to carrot capsules during pregnancy. (Durham University)
Before birth, at 32 and 36 weeks gestation, researchers used ultrasound to record fetal facial responses after mothers consumed high-potency capsules containing either kale or carrot powder. Evidence suggested the unborn babies reacted to those tastes and smells. At age three, children presented with odors of both vegetables showed fewer negative reactions to the one they were exposed to in utero.
While the study is small-only 12 children-and limited in scope, researchers say the findings are significant enough to merit further exploration. Larger studies could account for genetic, environmental, and cultural factors influencing dietary preferences.
The research published in Developmental Psychobiology adds to the growing body of evidence that maternal diet during pregnancy can have lasting impacts on a child's health and food preferences.