The habit of eating well – or poorly – may be determined early in life. Child psychologists have discovered that toddlers almost universally gravitate to “junk” food when given the choice between health food and sugary or salty snacks.

Their results appeared in a recent issue of the journal Appetite.

Researchers presented dozens of children with foods considered healthy, like bananas, tomatoes and green beans. They also offered participants cheese puffs, chips, chocolates and other items containing added salt, sugar and flavoring.

The children, who were all age 2 or 3, nearly always declared a preference for the unhealthy foods.

In a similar study published in the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, the same investigators asked toddlers to match brand-name foods with the logos of the companies that produce them. All the children were able to match some foods with their makers.

Researchers concluded that children develop a preference for junk food earlier than previously thought. They added that parents should serve their children healthy fruits and vegetables often, while avoiding sugary or fatty snacks.

More than 17 percent of youth between the ages of 2 and 17 are obese, according to the University of Michigan Health System.