The researchers said parents sometimes interpret food refusal as fussiness or disobedience rather than recognising it as a normal developmental behaviour. Synopsis: A Hyderabad study by ICMR-NIN found that nearly nine in 10 children aged 2–7 showed reluctance to try unfamiliar foods. Researchers linked food neophobia to wasting and maternal feeding practices, highlighting the need for pressure-free feeding, repeated food exposure and stronger behavioural nutrition counselling through government programmes.