An article in today's NY Times about children's eating habits does
not mention breastfeeding. However, I think there are some highly
relevant parts. The article says that it isn't known why children
tend to become much pickier around age 2. One researcher speculates
that it is related to the child's mobility: being able to walk around
greatly increases the likelihood of finding and eating dangerous
things.
It seems obvious to me, however, that an increase in pickiness around
2 years ties in nicely with a minimum age of weaning of 2 years
throughout human history (minus the past 100 years or so). Children
would be able to eat a variety of food and try unfamiliar flavors in
relative safety as long as they still have the protection of
breastmilk. Once weaned it is much more dangerous to experiment with
foods and flavors, so it makes sense that children would become
averse to new things.
Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/dining/10pick.html
I did send an email to the researcher quoted in the article, Dr. Lucy
Cooke, pointing out the coincidence of the evolutionarily-normal
minimum weaning age and onset of pickiness.
Margaret
Longmont, CO
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