Teaching good nutrition from young
by Dr. Janaki Srinath
Today, we are seeing how the onset of chronic diseases like diabetes,
hypertension and cardiovascular disease are related to nutrition and food habits
that an individual has developed even as a child. Teaching children to lead an active
and healthy lifestyle may help to reverse this trend.
It is important to teach healthy behaviors from a young age since behavior change
becomes more difficult with increasing age. Parents play an important role in instilling
good eating habits in children. Learning how to make healthy food choices for the
family is the first step towards helping their children form healthy habits for
life. It is important that healthy food is made a favorable option consistently
and also have them readily available to the child. Since young children learn by
imitating their parents, the parents must themselves adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Inculcating a healthy lifestyle from young Young children acquire knowledge and
assimilate concepts fast. It is an ideal time for providing nutrition information
and promoting positive attitudes about food. Teaching children on the benefit of
eating healthy foods can be informal and natural and parents can easily undertake
this task at home.
Before attempting to teach children nutrition concepts and information, one should
take into account their age and level of understanding. Teaching should be done
with the help of visual aids and concrete examples.
Activities that concentrate on children's day-to-day experiences with food are more
likely to yield positive results. Given below are some of the activities for children
of different age groups to help them learn more about healthy foods.
Because children of all ages benefit from a 'hands on' approach to learning, information
about food and nutrition can be included in meals and snacks, and during food preparation.
Importance of physical activity
More and more studies are showing the significant relationship between
a healthy lifestyle during childhood and development of chronic diseases later in
life. One of the leading conditions that has a definitive link and is a major risk
factor for developing chronic disease is childhood obesity. Childhood obesity tends
to lead to adult obesity. Adults who were obese as children have increased rates
of mortality irrespective of adult weight.
In addition to a healthy diet, it is also important to ensure that regular physical
activity is a regular part of your child's lifestyle.
Teaching the basics: The Food Guide Pyramid
The Food Guide Pyramid is a plan of what to eat each day. It is
not a rigid prescription, but a general guide that lets us choose a healthful diet
that’s right for us. The pyramid calls for eating a variety of foods to get the
required nutrients and also outlines portion sizes to help, maintain a healthy weight.
However, it is important to note that foods from one group can’t replace those of
another. Each of the food groups provide some, but not all, of the required nutrients.
That’s why everyone should select a variety of foods within each group and enjoy
at least the minimum number of servings.
Parents can use the food guide pyramid to teach the kids about the basic food groups
that will help them recharge for the day. It is the simplest education tool to introduce
the child to the concept that our bodies need different foods to grow and be energetic.
The food guide pyramid can enlighten kids on the quantities of various food groups
they need to eat.
Parental knowledge of nutrition influences child’s eating
habits
Children develop eating pattern and food habits similar to the parents.
Parental knowledge of healthy eating habits plays a crucial role in enhancing and
developing nutrition knowledge and food choice skills in the child.
Right from the selection and purchasing of the foods, preparation, and combination
of foods served all depend on the nutrition knowledge of the parent as they are
responsible for the preparation and serving of the food to their child.
Personal food preferences of the parent are transmitted to their child. Food habits
are formed in childhood and the parent’s attitude towards healthy eating has pronounced
effect on the child as they give the child the first hand experience of eating healthy.
Parents who are aware of the importance of healthy eating put all effort/ wisdom
in providing the right food, encouraging the knowledge and healthy eating habits
in their children.
Conclusion
Childhood is a period of learning and forming life-long habits.
Healthy habits learnt are retained throughout life. As children grow up, what they
eat will depend on the knowledge they have regarding healthy food choices. Educating
children can ensure a lifetime of good health for them. Behaviors involving physical
activity and nutrition are the cornerstone of preventing chronic diseases.