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Good Food Bad Food
How do we encourage children to a good weight?
We shouldn’t encourage them to diet as this often leads to eating disorders. Encourage them to know and enjoy a wide range of foods that will allow them to grow and be healthy.
Parents can hinder more than help.
Often, the comment is "I don’t want you to have the problems that I have had with weight control". Parents may be restrained eaters and lead their children to be the same. Over weight parents often produce overweight children.
If children are set a good example and family rules are in place, there should be no real problem of obesity. Remember that children come in different shapes and sizes but they are all beautiful. If you have big thighs, heavy bones then it is likely that some of your children will as well.
Parents provide the genes and eating environment.
Too much restricted eating, leads to enhancing restricted foods. The more you say no to chocolates, lollies and crisp, the more the child will think they are special and want more. Allow a wide range of foods included in appropriate quantity. Children could love a homemade pizza, French lamb chops, a beautiful sweet mandarin or grapes more than lollies. My daughter has always thought Mangos are special. For times of study etc a special mango is a cherished treat. Cherries are so expensive that they have been treated like gold in our family. They are considered more special than a bag of crisps that may occasionally be available.
Using some foods as an award can be counter productive.
Saying you can’t eat dessert until you have eaten your vegetables down grades vegetables and elevates sweets. I like my vegetables more than my sweets. Fresh stir- fry, asparagus with cheese sauce, crunchy broccoli are all special. Some vegetables are crisps and crunchy like beans or carrots while rice or potato is soft . Chicken or fish may have a chewing texture. The colour variation is there too. If it looks good then it will be good for you. There isn’t much variation in a take-away hamburger or chicken nuggets. Make crumbed chicken breast pieces at home and combine with salad for a rewarding meal for children. Thin carrot sticks and other vegetable finger food are often hits.
Don’t restrict - but promote good eating habits.
The Golden Rules
- Everyone should sit at the table without TV.
- No eating in front of TV.
- A child may eat as much as they like of food offered in any order that they like.
- A child will not be restricted on quantity but when they leave the table they are finished.
- A child needs 3 meals a day and usually a snack in the am and pm.
- Children should avoid grazing and walking around with food.
- Children who are mindful of what they are eating will be more aware and satisfied with a given quantity of food.
- There are no good or bad foods but it is important to offer a selection of healthy foods on a daily basis.
- Children who are deprived or restricted will take the opportunity to eat extra when out or at school away from parental guidance. This could result in weight gain.
- Quantity is important in that no one should eat large quantities of high fat, sugar dense foods.
- Offer a healthy range of snacks and leave the children to choose. They usually have healthy tastes. Try cut up fruit, dried fruit, healthy biscuits, and sandwiches with milk and fruit drinks.
Remember, as parents we provide the genes and the eating environment. Help children to select and taste a wide variety of food.
Added to site on : Tuesday, 4 December 2001