subject: Child Development Diet And Eating Habits [print this page] All parents want their children to be healthy. Yet, every parent faces the challenge of giving their child a balanced diet. Recent research shows that nourishing food not only makes a child healthier, but also makes him more emotionally stable, and helps in improving school performance.
Children who are fussy eaters often refuse to eat at mealtimes or insist on eating only a particular kind of food or snack before mealtimes. Yet, it is important to remember that a healthy, balanced diet is essential for the proper growth and development of your child. From the age of 1 year right up to adolescence, children grow an average of 2 1/2 inches per year, and their growing bones and muscles require proper nutrition to reach their full growth potential. A nutritious diet will go a long way towards ensuring your child stays healthy later on in life as well. So, here are some ways to effectively tackle eating problems in children:
"Make an effort to make mealtimes a pleasant experience. Avoid bickering and arguments at the dining table and be patient with your children as they learn table manners and etiquette.
"Do not ever threaten, bribe or force-feed your child or punish him for refusing to eat. It may be just attention-seeking behaviour on his part, which needs to be dealt with differently.
"If your child does not eat enough at mealtimes, offer him nutritious snacks periodically such as fresh fruits and vegetables or crackers.
"Keep away toys, books and avoid watching television which will distract him from the food.
"Maintain fixed meal times as far as possible and allow your child some time to prepare for it, settle down and get over the tiredness of the days activities, so he can eat peacefully.
Proper child nutrition ideally includes eating three meals along with at least two nutritious snacks during the day. A child's diet should be both good in quality as well as adequate in quantity. If his diet is deficient in nutrients, it will affect his energy levels and adversely affect his weight gain and body growth. The child's diet should supply him with proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in adequate quantities. It is best to limit the intake of high-sugar and high-fat foods which have low or zero nutritive, and replace these instead with fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low-fat dairy products, including 3 servings of milk, cheese or yogurt to meet your child's calcium needs.
Childhood is a time of constantly-changing eating behavior. There is a fine line between being thin and slender and being underweight. Some children have a naturally slight build even though they eat a well-balanced diet and engage in enough physical activity. This is normal and healthy. However, children who are underweight may be more prone to dietary, health, or emotional problems.
Adopting healthy eating practices for your child can prevent many medical problems, including becoming overweight, developing weak bones, and developing diabetes. It will also help ensure that your child physically grows to his full potential.
by: Peter Nicolson
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