The study was conducted on 332 children aged between four months and three years from Britain, Denmark and France. Each child was given between five and 10 servings of at least 100g of artichoke puree. The younger children consumed more of the artichoke than the older children. Professor Marion Hetherington said: "If they are under two, they will eat new vegetables because they tend to be willing and open to new experiences. After 24 months, children become reluctant to try new things and start to reject foods - even those they previously liked." She added: "If you want to encourage your children to eat vegetables, make sure you start early and often."