Most picky eating harmless but it can signal emotional woes

CHICAGO (AP) — Parents of picky eaters take heart: New research suggests the problem is rarely worth fretting over, although in a small portion of kids it may signal emotional troubles that should be checked out.

Preschool-aged children who are extremely selective about what they eat and dislike even being near certain foods are more likely than others to have underlying anxiety or depression, the study found. But only 3 percent of young children studied were that picky.

Less severe pickiness, dubbed "moderate selected eating" in the study, was found in about 18 percent of kids. These are children who will only eat a narrow range of foods.