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How To Build Healthy Eating Habits Among Children ?

Eating behaviours evolve during the first years of life; children learn what, when, and how much to eat through direct experiences with food and by observing the eating behaviours of others. In light of the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among all age groups specifically young children, an understanding of the factors is very important that influence eating behaviours during childhood. There is a need to improve the dietary patterns and health status of this age group. The Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS), which provided data on the dietary patterns of 3022 infants and toddlers, revealed that 4 to 24-month-old children typically consumed significant amounts of inappropriate, energy-dense, nutrient poor food. Of particular concern was the finding that 18% to 33% of infants and toddlers consumed no distinct servings of vegetables on a typical day and when vegetables were consumed the most common choice was French fries. Additionally, reported energy intakes exceeded requirements by 10 to 30%. Unfortunately, there is also evidence that these patterns tend to persist throughout childhood and into adolescence.  

The first year of life is a period of rapid physical, social and emotional growth, during which eating patterns also develop. During this first year, infants transition from consuming a single food (i.e., breast milk or formula) to consuming a variety of food is very important. This transition allows infants to learn about food through direct experience, as well as through observation of others' eating behaviours. Breastfeeding is recommended as the optimal feeding method for the first 6 months for a child and also it has a positive impact on the development of a child's eating behaviour in later years.

Parents influence children's eating behaviour in a variety of ways: parents actively make food choices for the family, serve as a role model for dietary choices and patterns. Parenting practices are also influenced by the child's characteristics, including age, gender, weight status and eating behaviour. Thus, parent and child affect and react to one another's eating behaviour. Parents play an important role in helping their children in developing good eating habits. Healthy children eat well, live a physically active life and feel good about themselves and others.

Children’s eating patterns and food preferences are established early in life. When children refuse nutritious foods such as fruits or vegetables, mealtimes can become stressful or confrontational, and children may be denied both the nutrients they require and healthy, responsive interactions with caregivers. Caregivers who are inexperienced or stressed, and those who have poor eating habits themselves, may be most in need of assistance to facilitate healthy, nutritious mealtime behaviour with their children.

Tips for building healthy eating habits: -

Parents can help their child in building good eating habits early in life that will bring lifelong benefits. As a parent, we can encourage our kids to evaluate their food choice and physical activity habits. Here are some tips and guidelines which can help in starting new eating habbits.

1) Be a good role model - You don’t have to be perfect all the time, but if kids see you trying to eat right and getting physically active, they’ll take notice of your efforts. You’ll send a message that good health is impor¬tant to your family.

2) Keep things positive - Kid’s don’t like to hear what they can’t do, tell them what they can do instead. Keep it fun and positive. Everyone likes to be praised for a job well done. Celebrate successes and help children and teens develop a good self-image.

3) Get the whole family moving - Plan times for everyone to get moving together. Take walk, ride bikes, go swimming, garden or just play hide-and-seek outside. Everyone will benefit from the exercise and the time together. 

4) Be realistic - Setting realistic goals and limits are key to adopting any new behaviour. Small steps and gradual changes can make a big difference in your health over time, so start small and build up. 

5) Limit TV, video game and computer time - These habits lead to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive snacking, which increase risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Limit screen time to 2 hours per day. 

6) Encourage physical activities that they’ll really enjoy - Every child is unique. Let your child experiment with different activities until they find something that they really love doing. They’ll stick with it longer if they love it. check out these activities for kids. 

7) Pick truly rewarding rewards - Don’t reward children with tv, video games, candy or snacks for a job well done. Find other ways to celebrate good behaviour. 

8) Make dinnertime a family time - When everyone sits down together to eat, there’s less chance of children eating the wrong food or snacks too much. Get your kids involved in cooking and planning meals. Everyone develops good eating habits together and the quality time with the family will be an added bonus. 

9) Make a game of reading food labels - The whole family will learn what’s good for their health and be more conscious of what they eat. It’s a habbit that helps change behaviour for a lifetime.  

10) Stay involved - Be an advocate for healthier children. Insist on good food choices at school. Make sure your children’s healthcare providers are monitoring cardiovascular indicators like BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol. Contact public officials on matters of the heart. Make your voice heard. 

What type of food Kids should avoid?

It is important for parents to understand that all food is fine if provided in moderation. However, there are some foods that should be avoided as they are considered unsafe food.

As per the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP), the following foods should be avoided until 4 years of age because they are choking hazards:

Small, hard food such as nuts, popcorn, cough drops, hard candies, raisins, and other small dried fruit and seeds.

Hot dogs, whole grapes, whole olives, raw vegetables, meat chunks, cherry tomatoes, and fruit chunks (e.g., apples)

Sticky and soft foods such as chewing gum, marshmallows, chunks of peanut butter, and jelly candies etc.

To conclude, a healthy diet promotes success in life -- better concentration and alertness, better physical health that translates into good mental and emotional health. By providing healthy food for kids, we can help stabilize their moods and energy levels, sharpen their minds, and give them the best opportunity to grow into healthy and confident adults. A child's health care provider can evaluate child’s weight and growth and let the parents know if their child needs to lose or gain weight or if any dietary changes need to be made. Even if a mother is unsure about how to select and prepare variety of foods for a family, she can consult a dietitian for nutrition counselling any time.

Please note: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of mycity4kids. Any omissions or errors are the author's and mycity4kids does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.