Association Between Picky Eating, Weight Status, Vegetable, and Fruit Intake in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Aim: Picky eating is a common appetitive trait reported among children and adolescents and may have detrimental effects on their weight, vegetable, and fruit intake, impacting health status. However, an updated systematic review of the literature and summary of effect estimates is required. This study aims to explore the association between picky eating with weight, vegetable and fruit intake, vegetable-only intake, and fruit-only intake. Methods: A systematic literature search of six electronic scientific databases and data extraction was performed between November 2022 and June 2023. Original articles that examined picky eating in association with weight, vegetable and/or fruit intake were included. PRISMA guidelines were followed and meta-analytical and meta-regression analyses were conducted to compute summary effect estimates and explore potential moderators. PROSPERO registration: CRD42022333043. Results: The systematic review included 59 studies of which 45 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, the summarized effect estimates indicated that picky eating was inversely associated with weight [Cohen’s d _z: -0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.41 to -0.14, p < 0.0001]; vegetable and fruit intakes (Cohen’s d _z: -0.35, 95% CI: -0.45, -0.25, p < 0.0001); vegetable-only intake (Cohen’s d _z: -0.41, 95% CI: -0.56, -0.26, p < 0.0001), and fruit-only intake (Cohen’s d _z: -0.32, 95% CI: -0.45, -0.20, p < 0.0001). Picky eating was positively associated with underweight (Cohen’s d _z: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.71 p = 0.0008). Conclusion: Although effect sizes were small, picky eating was inversely associated with weight, vegetable, and fruit intakes, and positively associated with underweight in children and adolescents aged birth to 17 years.