The Relationship Between Parenting Styles and Picky Eating in Children: A Systematic Review

Picky eating is a behavior of choosing food in preschool-aged children that is quite dangerous if not followed up.Picky eating behavior has an impact on the physical, cognitive, and social development of children.Picky eating is influenced by parental parenting styles.This systematic review aims to analyze 12 journals that identified the types of parenting styles applied and also see the relationship between each parenting style and picky eating behavior in children.The results of the systematic review show that permissive and authoritative parenting styles tend to make children behave picky eaters, while democratic parenting styles tend to make children less picky.Permissive parenting makes children more likely to experience picky eating because of the freedom they receive without rules and restrictions.Authoritarian parenting triggers picky eating due to the tension and discomfort caused by parents' strict rules and restrictions.Democratic parenting, on the other hand, fosters openness and a sense of security with established limits and regulations, which also reduce picky eating.