Mother's feeding practices, knowledge influence children's willingness to try new foods, highlighting the need for strengthened caregiver nutrition counselling. ICMR-NIN study in Hyderabad finds 77% of kids aged 2-7 show moderate food neophobia; links to mothers’ feeding practices and wasting risk. National Institute of Nutrition has found a significant association between maternal knowledge, attitudes and feeding practices and food neophobia among children aged 2-7 years.