Healthy appetite: But babies who are fussy about their food are more likely to develop behaviour problems later, the new research shows

Fussy babies are likely to grow into tiny tyrants who rule the roost at home and are often in trouble at school, according to a major study.

Their bad behaviour seems to follow them into their early teens as they develop into children who disobey parents and cheat, lie, and bully at school, doctors said.

In research sure to be seized upon as support for a tough-love approach to parenting, researchers found children who are less moody and more predictable as infants are at 'very low risk' of future behaviour problems.

They define fussy babies as those who refuse, or take a long time, to feed; are hungry or tired at different times each day; are constantly demanding attention; or will not sleep in the evenings and through the night.

The U.S. study, which tracked nearly 2,000 children from birth to the age of 13, said genetics plays a part in a child's behaviour and this needs further study.

But parenting style in the first year of life has an important effect on how the child develops through infancy.

The report in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology will fuel the debate between followers of British baby experts Penelope Leach and Gina Ford.

Psychologist Dr Leach, the author of the two-million- selling Your Baby and Child: From Birth to Age Five, advocates a followthe- child approach, allowing babies to decide meal and nap times.

Former infant nurse Miss Ford, author of The Contented Little Baby Book, says a strict routine set by the parents is better.

This latest research seems to suggest that Miss Ford's regime  -  with parents not putting up with 'fussy' behaviour and imposing set food and sleep times  -  leads to betterbalanced children.

The U.S. report said that both early parenting style and infant temperament were strong predictors of future behaviour.

Lead researcher Dr Benjamin Lahey, of Chicago University, said: 'The findings also point to the potential benefits of teaching new parents the skills they need.'

Helping the parents, he added, 'would be beneficial in preventing future child conduct problems'.

The report added that no matter what the parenting style, children whose mothers gave them plenty of intellectual stimulation in the first year of life by reading to them, talking to them and taking them out of the house were less likely to have serious behaviour problems.

It said good behaviour might reflect how generally caring and affectionate parents are.

But stimulating activities during infancy could also aid children's language development, making it easier for them to communicate and socialise so they are less frustrated.