Instead of coercive strategies like pressure and physical prompting, friendly, laid-back dining environments were shown to help develop less food-fussy children, the study said.

The findings will be presented at the Developmental Psychology Section Annual Conference in Newcastle this week, where researchers will provide more details.

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The goal of the study was to understand the factors linked with fussy eating habits among children -- a common complaint during pediatric visits that can also lead to unhealthy diets that persist into adulthood.

"The dietary habits and eating behaviors of young children are a top priority amongst governing bodies, healthcare professionals and parents alike," said lead author Faye Powell in a statement. "..."In order to prevent feeding problems and improve child diet, a thorough understanding is needed of the early life risk factors and how to modify them.."

The children will also be re-visited next year in a follow-up study.