Do Finicky Eaters Have A Disorder?

We all know kids who won't eat their vegetables. But what about when that finicky eating carries on into adulthood?

Is it just a matter of personal taste -- or an actual eating disorder that needs treatment? CBS 2's Mary Kay Kleist reports that researchers are launching a new national finicky eating registry to find out.

When Stephanie Schwab was a child, she would only eat white food.

"Cream of wheat, cottage cheese and noodles, and anything that was bland and white," Schwab said. "That's what I would eat and I wouldn't eat anything else."

As an adult, she's added lots of new foods to her list. But there are still entire food groups she just won't touch, which can make things difficult when ordering a meal.

"I am kind of like Sally from 'When Harry Met Sally' when I'm very specific about how I order," Schwab said. "I want this and I don't want that, and that can get a little tiring sometimes."

Some researchers believe highly restricted diets may actually be a form of an eating disorder, even though the finicky eater isn't concerned about weight.

Dietician Lisa de Fazio says their limited food choices can interfere with their social lives.

"Many people avoid social interactions and dinners," said de Fazio. "They panic going to weddings. The main nutrients that are lacking are potassium, iron, B-12, vitamins A and C."

Dr. Nancy Zucker, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Duke Center for Eating Disorders, said, "They're not getting the vitamins and minerals they need. They're not getting the calcium they need, so it impacts growth."

Dr. Zucker says up until now, little research has been done on adult picky eating.

Now she, along with researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, are hoping to change that by launching the first ever national public registry for adult finicky
eaters.

"What we're trying to do is to learn more about what picky eating is like for adults," said Dr. Zucker. "What it persists, how it impacts their functioning, and so, hopefully soon, we'll have some answers in terms of the number of people it affects and how impactful it is."

In addition, they're hoping to open a dialogue for picky eaters to share coping strategies with one another.

Zucker said, "A lot of people manage it incredibly successfully. So the strategies that they've probably learned to not let it get in their way can be helpful to other people."

Like finding acceptable substitutions to foods you don't eat -- to make sure you're still getting proper nutrition.

And picky eating can have a big impact on getting enough vitamins and minerals.

"It's very important to supplement your diet if you're a finicky eater," said de Fazio.

Stephanie Schwab says now she enjoys going out to restaurants, even if she doesn't always love the food they serve.

"Just to try to go with the flow, and recognize there's always going to be something on the menu that you can order," she said. "You can always accommodate yourself in your own kitchen. So, in the worst case scenario, you're hungry for a couple of hours, you go home and eat something at home."

Researchers still don't know what drives finicky eaters. They hope the registry will be able to clear up some of the mystery, and offer solutions.

Click here to learn more about the registry.