Parents Picky Eaters & Milk Drinkers Vs. Muscle Mass

[JBS]

​

As a Head Coach for many years now... I just wanted to start a conversation about one of the largest things that we see impact the ability of kids to move forwards into upper level gymnastics... eating habits.

I've been playing with ChatGPT a bit and decided to ask it a few questions about muscle mass and the way some kids eat.

Here is what I asked ChatGPT...

Are there any studies showing that picky eaters and people that don't drink milk struggle to build muscle mass?​

Here is the response from ChatGPT...

Picky Eating and Muscle Mass: What Do the Studies Say?

Recent research suggests that both picky eating and avoiding milk can have implications for muscle development. Here’s a breakdown of the evidence:

• Lower Muscle Mass in Picky Eaters
  • One study using body impedance analysis found that children identified as picky eaters were much more likely to have below-average skeletal muscle mass (76% of picky eaters vs. 27.5% in non-picky eaters) and were more often underweight, despite similar BMIs (researchgate.net).
  • A longitudinal study tracking growth also noted that picky eating may predict a lower lean mass index, particularly in boys, suggesting that persistent picky eating habits during childhood can impact muscle development over time (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).
• Milk Consumption and Muscle Support
  • Studies in adults have shown that regular milk consumption is associated with better muscle mass and strength. For example, research on Korean populations found that individuals who drank milk at least once a day had a significantly lower risk of developing low skeletal muscle mass and exhibited higher muscle strength (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).
  • Milk is a rich source of complete, high-quality protein along with essential nutrients (like calcium and vitamin D) that help stimulate muscle protein synthesis—a process critical for muscle growth and repair.

Takeaway:
If you or your child are picky eaters—or if milk is missing from your diet—you might be missing out on key nutrients that support muscle development. It’s a forward-thinking reminder that diversifying your diet or ensuring alternative protein sources are included can play a vital role in building and maintaining muscle mass.

By incorporating even a modest serving of milk (or a nutritionally equivalent alternative) into your daily routine, you could help support muscle growth and overall health.

 

[JBS]

By the way... I have both "search" and "reason" functions turned on in ChatGPT. Another question to ChatGPT...

How much protein do youth athletes need per day to build muscle?​

Here is the answer from ChatGPT...

Protein Needs for Youth Athletes: An Overview

Youth athletes require more protein than their less-active peers—not only to support normal growth and development but also to repair exercise-induced muscle damage and promote muscle building. While exact needs can vary based on factors like body weight, training intensity, and developmental stage, several authoritative sources offer similar guidelines:

• General Recommendation:
  Youth athletes typically need about 1.4 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (approximately 0.6–0.8 g per pound) to build and repair muscle tissue (elitedietitians.com), (jposna.org).
• Alternate Guideline:
  Some experts advise that for every pound of body weight, a young athlete should consume around 0.7 grams of protein daily (usalacrosse.com).

Key Points to Consider:

• Growth and Recovery:
  Protein is essential not just for muscle repair after exercise but also to support the rapid growth occurring during adolescence.
• Meal Timing and Distribution:
  Spreading protein intake evenly across 3–5 meals/snacks throughout the day can optimize muscle protein synthesis. For example, a 150-pound (68 kg) athlete would aim for roughly 95–115 grams of protein per day.
• Individual Variability:
  Depending on the sport, training load, and individual metabolism, some youth athletes might benefit from slightly higher intakes (up to about 1.7 g/kg/day), while others might do well on the lower end of the range.

In Summary:

For building muscle, youth athletes should target about 1.4–1.7 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This ensures they get enough amino acids to support muscle repair, growth, and overall recovery. Working with a sports dietitian can help tailor these recommendations to the individual athlete’s needs.

By keeping these guidelines in mind, young athletes can fuel their performance effectively while supporting healthy growth and muscle development.

 

[JBS]

My next question for ChatGPT was the following...

What is the top factor in eating habits of children?​

Here is the response I received from ChatGPT...

Parental Influence: The Top Factor in Children's Eating Habits

Research shows that the eating habits of children are most strongly shaped by their parents. Here are the key ways parental influence manifests:

• Role Modeling:
  Parents serve as the primary role models—children often mimic what their parents eat. If parents consume a variety of healthy foods, children are more likely to do the same.
• Home Food Environment:
  What’s available at home plays a crucial role. When parents stock healthy foods and limit unhealthy options, it guides children’s choices without them even realizing it.
• Feeding Practices:
  How parents approach mealtimes—whether they are overly controlling, pressuring, or supportive—can significantly impact children’s food preferences and long-term eating habits.
• Cultural and Social Norms:
  Family traditions, attitudes toward food, and meal patterns (like shared family meals) help set the standard for what children consider “normal” eating behavior.

In summary, the most critical factor influencing a child's eating habits is the behavior and practices of their parents.

 

[JBS]

My question to all the parents out there (in the poll above)...

Does your gymnast eat enough protein to build / maintain the muscle required for top level gymnastics?

What other factors do you deal with that makes this harder? (allergies... schedule... beliefs... etc.)

I just think back to how I used to eat as a kid (which wasn't great... however... I had protein). I had 2 to 3 large bowls of cereal every morning... so there goes 2 cups of milk. Then I had 2 cartons of milk each day at school for morning milk and another 2 everyday for lunch. I remember always being hungry and loving milk. I was basically taking down 6 cups of milk 5 days per week during school by lunch... that's 48g of protein by lunch.

A 100 lbs. kid is going to need around 70g of protein daily... that's quite a bit.

 

[StephensMom]

After reading this information, I think it’s unlikely that either of my young gymnasts are getting enough protein. The oldest is 7 and trains 12 hours a week. She’s not terribly picky in general but she doesn’t like eggs, is allergic to dairy (can’t have anything containing whey), and is pretty picky about chicken. She loves steak but I can’t feed her that everyday. She likes nuts but both her gym and school do not allow them so I can’t pack them. All that being said, I’m guessing she’s not too far under on her protein consumption and she visually looks very muscular.

The second just entered the pre team program and is 5. She’s teeny at 36lbs. She is pickier about protein and looks like a stiff wind might knock her over. I’m very much hoping she starts to grow out of the picky phase before her training hours go up.

 

[JBS]

is allergic to dairy (can’t have anything containing whey)

That's a tough one. My son is allergic to peanuts... but that's it... it's pretty easy to avoid those nowadays.

 

[scb838]

Mine is a picky eater, but probably gets enough protein because she only weighs 20 kilos. She loves milk - has 2 cups a day plus 2 bowls of cereal. That's probably 24 grams there. She also likes hard boiled eggs, but only eats the white part and with the current price of eggs, I can't stomach the idea of wasting all those egg yolks!

 

[Chamomile]

My daughter was struggling with severs and our doctor recommended more protein. We upped it and the pain went away(not medical advice). We have tried to keep her protein at 60 grams a day since.

 

[GymCAMom]

Every now and then, I like to check in on where my daughter is at with her nutrition for the day(s) or even the week. She's 10/trains 11.5 hrs plus dances and does other sports when not in the competition season. At first, I was a bit stressed, but when I saw how her days played out, I realized she was getting adequate protein and saw the need to up her carbs.

 

[AlexandraU16]

My daughter just turned 7 and is very picky but fortunately likes protein shakes, milk, kefir and most chicken. She gets the 35-40 ish grams per day that her 22 kilo body needs most days though, with a lot of work.
She has been picky most of her life and has always been absurdly muscular, even as a toddler before starting gym. Trains 9 hours a week.
I’m sure statistically kids who are picky have less muscle mass but of course there will be those outliers.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

We’ve been working with a dietitian/ sports nutritionist for a little over a year now and my now 14 year old has grown several inches, and gained 20+ lbs and is the strongest she’s ever been. Shes finally catching back up to where she should be on the growth chart. Her pediatrician thought she had a growth hormone deficiency, nope, blood work was all normal, she just wasn’t eating enough. She now drinks 3 full glasses of whole milk a day, and for a while was even adding heavy cream to her milk. She’s semi picky, and takes ADHD meds, so if she didn’t like milk I have no idea how we’d get enough calories in her. It’s interesting that her dietitian doesn’t focus too much on protein, it’s more of a focus on total calories and enough carbs.

 

[GymCAMom]

For the longest time, my daughter was against drinking milk—neither her dad nor I drink milk. I personally never liked the taste of it. So she would drink soy milk (unsweetened or chocolate) or even Ripple milk. Now, she prefers whole milk, so I purchase it specially for her. I share this because regardless of whether it's dairy, soy, or even pea milk (Ripple), the protein in 1C is 8g.

 

[JBS]

I share this because regardless of whether it's dairy, soy, or even pea milk (Ripple), the protein in 1C is 8g.

I never knew this... haven't ever tried any of the other ones.

I love milk!

 

[Mr.Bishop]

she doesn’t like eggs, is allergic to dairy (can’t have anything containing whey), and is pretty picky about chicken.

I have empathy for you, my daughter is allergic to Eggs. Milk/Eggs are in freaking everything. It is very limiting to what you can give them.

Mine is picky about chicken as well, but she had a skewer from a local Greek restaurant and fell in love. Now I try to either order a ton of extra when we pick it up or work on my greek marinade/skewering chicken skills. All of a sudden she'll have a greek chicken wrap every single day and doesn't seem to get tired of it. Been a salvation for Protein.

Luck be with you. When you're restricted to such a tight category of foods I think all we can do is our best.

 

[JBS]

Milk/Eggs are in freaking everything. It is very limiting to what you can give them.

We have had a couple of gymnasts over the years with this restriction... very difficult.

Here is my next couple of questions for ChatGPT...

Is it possible to acquire a taste for food that you don't like?​

Yes, it is possible. Many of our food preferences aren’t hardwired at birth—they’re learned. Repeated exposure to a food you initially dislike can, over time, shift your brain’s associations and even change how you perceive its flavor.

How It Works​

• Mere Exposure & Conditioning:
  Studies show that the more you're exposed to a particular taste—even one that seems off at first—the more familiar and acceptable it becomes. This “mere exposure effect” is a basic learning process. Over time, your brain starts linking the flavor with positive experiences or simply grows accustomed to it. This is part of what researchers like Paul Rozin describe when they talk about “acquired tastes” (mentalfloss.com).
  
• Flavor-Flavour Learning:
  Sometimes, pairing a less-liked food with flavors you already enjoy can help you develop a taste for it. For example, mixing a small amount of a bitter food into a dish with sweet or savory elements may gradually change your overall perception of that ingredient.
• Cultural & Social Influences:
  Often, social context and cultural practices play a big role. Foods that seem unappealing at first can become desirable when shared with friends or enjoyed as part of a cultural tradition.

In Practice​

This process explains why many people eventually come to enjoy foods like coffee, spicy dishes, or even vegetables like Brussels sprouts and blue cheese—foods that are often considered “acquired tastes.” Starting with small amounts, experimenting with different preparations, and repeatedly trying them in positive settings can all help in developing a taste for food you once disliked.

In short, while your initial reaction might be one of aversion, your taste buds and brain are adaptable. With time and the right approach, you might find yourself enjoying flavors you once avoided.

 

[Gymfamily4]

This is great information! Thank you! My daughters are grown now but when they were gymnasts I was very dialed into understanding the nutrition they needed to be as healthy as possible. Currently as a coach of 10-17 year old girls, I have this conversation daily with gymnasts. It seems the understanding of fueling is very much missing.

 

[SupportingHerDreams]

My daughter doesn't like milk and is a very picky eater but even in her pickiness we are able to keep her on what I believe is a fairly balanced diet. I tend to watch her for cues that something is missing from her diet. I watch her energy levels, mood and growth. If everything is steady then I just try to follow her lead.

 

[JBS]

Here's the next question... remember... I am just asking these to ChatGPT... which is then searching the internet and "thinking" about the answer...

How many times do you have to try a food that you don't like before you may acquire a taste for it?​

There isn’t a magic number—it really depends on the food and the individual. Many studies, especially in children, have found that you may need to try a new or initially disliked food around 8 to 15 times before acceptance begins to develop. For adults, some people start to enjoy a food after roughly 10 exposures, though factors like preparation, context, and even genetics (such as taste sensitivity) can shift that number. So, while “10 times” is a common rule‐of‐thumb, it can vary from person to person and food to food.

Would you like more details on the research behind this?

Yes​

Research suggests that for young children, about 8–10 exposures to a food can start to increase acceptance, while some studies indicate that up to 15 exposures may be needed for certain foods or for older children. For adults, there’s less definitive research, but anecdotal evidence points to a similar range—often around 10–15 tries—though individual differences mean that some may never acquire a taste if their aversion is very strong.

These numbers come from studies on repeated exposure in early feeding, which show that consistent tasting over several days or weeks gradually shifts acceptance, likely due to increased familiarity and reduced neophobia. In practice, this means that if you (or your child) initially dislike a food, trying it regularly (even in small amounts) may eventually lead to developing a taste for it.

Would you like more details on how these studies were conducted?

Yes​

Studies with infants and toddlers have used controlled, repeated exposure trials to assess when acceptance of a previously disliked food begins to improve. In these experiments, children are typically offered the target food once per day over a period of about 8–10 days, and researchers measure changes in food intake (often by weighing the food consumed), feeding rate, and sometimes even facial expressions or caregiver reports of liking. The results of these studies generally show that many children begin to eat more of the food after about 8–10 exposures, although some children may need up to 15 tries to show a clear improvement. The idea is that repeated exposure gradually reduces neophobia (the fear of new foods) and increases familiarity, which can shift preferences even if the food initially tastes unpleasant.

For adults, the research is less extensive and more anecdotal, but many people report that around 10–15 repeated encounters are often needed to start noticing subtler flavors beyond the initial aversive notes—though individual variation is significant.

These studies are typically conducted in controlled settings (or sometimes at home) with pre- and post-exposure measurements, allowing researchers to quantify the change in acceptance due to repeated tasting. This approach has been a key component of early feeding research and is one reason why nutrition experts often advise parents not to give up on introducing a new food after just a few tries.

Would you like to dive into any specific study details or methodologies?

Yes... can you give me links to the studies?​

Below are a few key studies (and reviews) that you might find useful:

• Repeated Exposure to Foods and Early Food Acceptance: A Systematic Review
  This review summarizes many controlled trials on how 8–10 exposures can increase acceptance of vegetables and fruits in infants and toddlers.
  Read it here
• Infants’ Consumption of a New Food Enhances Acceptance of Similar Foods (Birch et al., 1998)
  This study found that after about 10 repeated exposures, infants increased their intake of a previously unfamiliar food.
  View the PubMed entry
• Repetition Counts: Repeated Exposure Increases Intake of a Novel Vegetable in UK Pre-school Children Compared to Flavour–Flavour and Flavour–Nutrient Learning (Caton et al., 2013)
  In this trial, preschoolers showed increased vegetable intake after around 10 exposures.
  View the PubMed entry
• Early Determinants of Fruit and Vegetable Acceptance (Forestell & Mennella, 2007)
  This study tracked how repeated exposure in early life can shift children’s acceptance of new produce.
  View the PubMed entry
• The Use of Repeated Exposure and Associative Conditioning to Increase Vegetable Acceptance in Children
  This Penn State study (available as a PDF) examines how pairing disliked vegetables with liked flavors can boost acceptance.
  Read the PDF

Each of these provides detailed insights into how and why repeated exposure (often around 8–10 tries, though up to 15 in some cases) can help increase acceptance of foods that are initially disliked.

 

[JBS]

Keep in mind that I am not asking the above question to try to push kids through allergies... I have a son that is allergic to peanuts... we are definitely not trying to get him to acquire a taste to them. Although we did go to the allergist to see if there was a chance that he would be able to "grow out of it" or "push through it" somehow. The test came back that there is a 99.9+% chance that he will always be allergic to peanuts.

We have seen many parents that don't even try to get their kids to eat anything new though. Travel meets seem to be the most telling when we have team dinners. Always one that always orders the same exact thing... or can't even come to team dinner just because they only eat certain things.

One of the best things to do on team dinner is to order things that some of the kids don't eat... like have a fun team dinner at a hibachi place and order some sushi to share too. We've had so many parents be very negative on the idea over the years... only to have their kids actually like it.

 

[JBS]

Here are more discussions from ChalkBucket about nutrition...

nutrition

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