A Better Way to Change Child Eating Habits?

Getting kids to eat healthy can be a challenge, and parents have different ways of approaching this issue - but watch out. According to a new study, being too restrictive with what you allow your kids to eat can backfire and cause them to adopt poor eating habits in the long run.

Child Eating Habits and Parental Influence

Researchers at the University College in London questioned 213 moms of young, school-age kids about their kids food choices and their responses to food. They were particularly interested in whether kids avoided certain foods, ate very slowly or rapidly, and whether they were unwilling to eat certain foods.

The results were enlightening. Kids who had moms who were overly restrictive in what they allowed them to eat were more likely to be overindulgent eaters. Conversely, kids with moms who nag them to eat are more likely to be picky and fussy about food - and more prone to be underweight. Of course, these results dont necessarily show a cause and effect relationship. Moms are more likely to be nag kids to eat who are already underweight.

Are There Better Ways to Change Child Eating Habits?

There may be better ways to change poor eating habits in a child that dont involve being overly restrictive or nagging kids to eat more of the right foods.

One of the best ways to change poor eating habits in a child is to teach them early on about nutrition and get them involved in choosing healthy foods. Take them with you grocery shopping, and turn it into a game. Challenge them to show you which foods are healthy and which arent. Let them help with meal planning and allow them to pick out the items needed to prepare the evening meal.

To change a childs eating habits in a positive ways, dont use food as a reward or a punishment. One bad habit that many parents are guilty of is using sweet treats like cookies and candy as a reward for good behavior. This sends the message that sweet foods are a good thing. Likewise, dont punish a child for not finishing their veggies since this will give vegetables a negative connotation in a childs mind.

Getting Kids to Eat Healthy: The Bottom Line?

Teach kids to appreciate nutritious foods early on in life so theyll make the right choices later on - and be all the healthier for it.

References:

Medscape. "Moms Mealtime Tactics Tied to Kids Eating Habits"