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It found that more than a quarter (26 per cent) of UK toddlers refuse meals at least once a day, compared to just one in seven (15 per cent) French toddlers.
One in ten mothers in the UK think they are bad parents when their child refuses food, compared to only 3 per cent of Dutch mothers.
The European Nutrition Index also found that UK parents are the most likely of the European countries to reward children with junk food for ‘eating well’ or good behaviour, with four in ten British mothers giving their child sweets, biscuits, fizzy drinks and chocolate.
Toddlers in the UK and the Netherlands are also least likely to get one home cooked meal a day, compared to children in Italy, Spain and Germany.
Only 22 per cent of UK mothers expressed worry about their toddler being or becoming overweight or obese, compared with 68 per cent of mothers in Italy and 72 per cent in Spain.
One in five mothers in the UK were also unaware whether or not their child is overweight, compared to 97 per cent of Spanish mothers.
Child nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton said, ‘Toddlers have distinct nutritional requirements that aren’t always easy to meet and, while it can be a struggle to provide them with all of the hard to get nutrients they need, mothers will be pleased to know that it isn’t impossible.
‘Fussy eating is a daily occurrence for most families and one that we now know is prevalent in the UK. Survey results reflect this behaviour is taking its toll on UK mums but it’s important to remember that shouting, bribing with sweet treats or TV only tends to make things worse. A calm approach to mealtimes, using encouragement, stickers, or special playtime as rewards, is more effective.’
- GrowingUpMilkInfo.com has been created by Cow & Gate as a resource for parents to support toddler nutrition.