Getting children to eat their vegetables may start in the womb, according to a new study. Rather than bribery or hiding vegetables under ketchup, the key could be exposing fetuses to healthy flavors.
Study Details
Researchers from Durham University gave pregnant women capsules containing kale or carrot powder. They then examined the facial reactions of the children to the smells of carrot and kale at three stages: before birth (via ultrasound), at about three weeks old, and at age three. The results showed that children exposed to a particular vegetable in the womb reacted more positively to its smell years later.
Prof Nadja Reissland, the lead author, said this could lead to a healthier population. The study involved 12 children observed at age three, and the same patterns were seen before birth, at three weeks, and at three years.
Implications
Reissland noted that the findings suggest long-lasting flavor memory from prenatal exposure. The team used powder capsules after some pregnant women found it difficult to drink large amounts of vegetable juice. The research, funded by Aston University, is small but promising.
Co-author Dr Beyza Ustun-Elayan from the University of Cambridge said the findings open new ways for early dietary interventions. Dr Benoist Schaal from CNRS in France added that the study confirms fetuses can sense flavors from the maternal diet, which may affect food preferences for years.
The paper, Do Human Fetuses Form Long-Lasting Chemosensory Memories?, is published in Developmental Psychobiology.
