3 bad eating habits that are formed in childhood

Healthy eating behaviors help the growing body develop fully and protect against many future health problems, including obesity and anorexia. If parents want to raise a healthy child, they should avoid manipulative behaviors that spoil their child’s relationship with food. We tell you about three unhealthy eating habits that are formed in childhood.

President of the Association of Nutritionists and Health Coaches (ANCH).

Sow a habit – reap a character, as well as health problems in adulthood. A child’s dietary culture is an important component of his or her growth and development that requires close attention. Often parents are sure that the main thing – to shove in the child more food, which is fundamentally wrong and leads to the wrong attitude to food.

But this is not the main mistake that parents make. In an attempt to feed the child, they resort to various manipulations and tricks, which quickly instill in the baby a bad habit. I highlight three of the most dangerous ways that form negative attitudes and habits in the baby, which he takes with him into adulthood.

Eating before gadgets

In this situation, the distraction scheme works. Parents turn on cartoons so that the child’s attention is focused on the screen, and at this time they can at least send something to his mouth.

When parents feed the baby under the TV, they form a conditioned reflex in him: when watching any cartoon, the child will feel hunger and will want to have a snack.

Because of unregulated nutrition in the child’s metabolism is disturbed and the risk of obesity increases. When the child comes to kindergarten, the developed conditioned reflex is broken, because of which the preschooler often refuses to eat in the dining room, experiencing natural hunger while in kindergarten.

I recommend that parents do not turn on the TV or other gadgets while eating. This rule works for children as well as adults because such eating is unconscious and easily leads to the habit of munching in front of the TV.

Make a general rule for the whole family, such as: “We eat dinner without TV or phone, and we’ll all watch a movie together in the evening.”

Finish everything, even if you don’t want it anymore

The second mistake of parents and the cause of the formation of bad habits – ultimatums. Parents put a condition to the child: if he does not eat, he will lose something or be punished. For example, they do not let them go out with friends until the plate is empty.

Frequent repetition of the scenario provokes the development of the attitude: “I will eat and get what I need”. The child may not be hungry at all. This attitude often develops into a food habit, which manifests itself in the form of eating stress, because only in food a person sees the solution to all his problems.

Parents should not motivate the child with food and should never threaten him because he does not eat or is unable to finish a portion. Children a priori have the healthiest relationship with food because children’s bodies know exactly when and how much food they need to get. But because of the fear of being punished, the baby will overeat.

Do not scare the child, and try to explain to him the benefits of a nutritious diet. For example, tell him about vitamins or that the protein in chicken meat will help him be stronger and run faster on the soccer field. Do not force to finish soup or porridge, the body itself knows how much food is enough. If the child has a systematic lack of appetite, nausea or vomiting, you should consult a doctor.

Do not leave the table without dessert

This situation is more like blackmail, the harsh conditions of which accustom the child to eat a lot, even if he is not hungry. But for the sake of sweets will have to. This approach forms two problems at once: overeating and craving for sweets.

Growing up, a person will eat something sweet after every meal and wait for dessert as a reward. Adults who were fed on the principle of “trading relationships” as children often fail to eat normally, gorging themselves on sweets and lacking awareness in their food intake.

3 important rules for eating at home

The culture of eating at home is the foundation of the mental and physical health of children and adults. In order for your child to internalize healthy eating habits from childhood, I recommend setting rules for eating at home.

• Every meal – no gadgets or TV.

• Don’t force your child to finish a meal if he or she is full.

• Don’t force your toddler to eat if he or she is not hungry.

And of course, set an example for your child. Give up chips at the evening watching a TV show and from cakes for tea, and also introduce a ban on nighttime snacking. Instead, start cooking healthy and tasty meals, introduce your children to healthy foods and talk about the benefits of fruit and vegetables. Revise the usual menu and put it in order: eliminate convenience foods, excess sugar, trans fats. Fill your family’s diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

Once on the path to a nutritious diet, be careful not to go overboard – never divide foods into good and bad. This division can cause the development of one of the types of eating disorders – orthorexia, anorexia, bulimia nervosa.

If you forbid your child so-called bad foods, he will soon begin to uncontrollably consume them at the first opportunity – for example, when he will be visiting friends or go to school in another city. Let there be a place on your dinner table for cakes and even fast food, but of high quality (homemade) and infrequently, so as not to disrupt the overall picture of nutrition.