Effect of Sensory Play-Based Intervention on Food Fussiness in Preschool Children: A Pilot Study

Food fussiness is one of the most common feeding difficulties in early childhood and has been linked to both inadequate nutrient intake and risk of obesity. Traditional interventions often fail to address the sensory and behavioral roots of picky eating. Sensory play-based therapy, which incorporates food exploration through touch, smell, and playful interaction, has been proposed as a promising approach. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an ۸-week sensory play-based intervention on reducing food fussiness and improving eating behaviors among preschool children. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on ۳۰ children aged ۱۸-۳۶ months (mean age ۲۷.۴ ± ۵.۶ months), recruited from a community nutrition clinic. Inclusion criteria were: refusal of multiple food textures, limited dietary variety, and parental concern regarding picky eating. Exclusion criteria included medical or developmental disorders affecting feeding. The intervention lasted ۸ weeks and consisted of: Weekly in-person group workshops (۱ hour, play-based exposure to foods). Daily home-based sensory play activities, provided to parents through structured guidelines. Parental compliance was monitored by weekly logs. Outcome measure: The Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) was administered at baseline and after ۸ weeks. Subscales analyzed included Food Fussiness (FF), Food Responsiveness (FR), and Enjoyment of Food (EF). Anthropometric measures (weight-for-age, BMI-for-age percentile) were recorded. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests. Statistical significance was defined as p ۰.۰۵. Results: Of the ۳۰ enrolled participants, ۲۸ completed the study (dropout rate ۶.۶%). At baseline, mean Food Fussiness scores were ۴.۲ ± ۰.۶. After the intervention, Food Fussiness significantly decreased to ۲.۸ ± ۰.۷ (p ۰.۰۰۱). Enjoyment of Food increased from ۲.۹ ± ۰.۵ to ۳.۸ ± ۰.۶ (p = ۰.۰۰۲). Food Responsiveness showed a modest but significant improvement (۳.۱ ± ۰.۷ vs. ۳.۶ ± ۰.۸, p = ۰.۰۴). Parents reported reduced mealtime conflict and increased willingness of children to self-feed. Anthropometric data showed no significant changes in BMI-for-age percentile (baseline: ۷۵.۶ ± ۱۴.۲ vs. post-intervention: ۷۴.۸ ± ۱۳.۷, p = ۰.۳۲), suggesting behavioral improvements occurred without adverse growth effects. Conclusion: Discussion and Conclusion This pilot study demonstrates that an ۸-week sensory play-based intervention can significantly reduce food fussiness and improve positive eating behaviors in toddlers. While changes in BMI were not observed, improvements in food acceptance and mealtime interaction suggest sensory strategies may complement standard nutritional counseling. Larger randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these results and assess long-term effects.