Head Off Eating Issues Early
What do picky eaters and fast eaters have in common?
Both groups of kids may be at risk for suffering body-image issues down the road, according to a recent study. Researchers looked at kids’ food diaries and parent questionnaires at intervals from birth to age 11 and identified factors that increased the likelihood a child would be preoccupied with being thin as a teen. Regularly having tantrums over food and being a fast eater were two behaviors shown to boost that likelihood.
RealAge Projection: Getting into the habit of eating a diverse diet and being physically active will help kids maintain a healthy weight. If they maintain their weight and body mass index at desirable levels as adults, their RealAge could be more like 34 when they’re really 40.
Although body dissatisfaction is often blamed on models and superheroes, it can start much closer to home. There’s a strong link between parents’ attitudes about eating and body image and their child’s attitudes about those issues. In fact, this study also found that one of the most significant contributors to a child’s weight concerns was dad’s dissatisfaction with his own body. So be a good role model. Don’t put yourself down. Don’t try to enforce a rigid diet. If you need to control your own weight, do it in a safe, positive manner. Show your child that eating more fruits and vegetables and decreasing fats and sugars is healthier and more effective than the fad-diet-of-the-week.
kids, regular eating habits
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