Study Finds 12 Children Favored Vegetables They Smelled in the Womb at Age 3

2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 13

Twelve children tracked to age 3 reacted more positively to the smell of the vegetable they had been exposed to before birth, suggesting prenatal flavor exposure can shape later food preferences.
Researchers gave pregnant women kale or carrot powder capsules, then compared fetal, three-week-old and three-year-old reactions; the same preference pattern appeared across all three stages.
Lead author Nadja Reissland said the findings point to long-lasting flavor or odor memory formed in late pregnancy and could support early dietary interventions to promote healthier eating.
The team said the sample was small and needs a larger follow-up study, but argued low-cost capsules could be adapted across diets and cultures, including foods such as fish.

Beyond food, what other preferences and traits are being secretly programmed in the womb before a child is even born?

Can a mother's diet truly program a child to eat their vegetables, or do family habits ultimately win out?

If a mother’s diet shapes her baby’s health, how can we address the food insecurity that denies millions this choice?