Healthy Eating Habits In Children


 

Healthy eating habits in children are essential for their growth, development, maturity, and overall wellbeing. Teaching children healthy eating habits enables them to establish a strong foundation for a lifetime of wellness and optimal health. Here are some tips to promote healthy eating habits in children:

1. Parents and caregivers should show good examples to their children. Children often imitate their parents' eating habits; so parents and caregivers should model healthy eating habits for their children to emulate.

2. Expose your children to a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. 

3. Teach the children not to engage in overfeeding in order to avoid cases like constipation. They should stop eating once they feel full.

4. A positive atmosphere should be created for meals by turning off all screens, engaging in conversations, and conflicts. Note that meal time is not the right time to correct anybody who committed one offence or the other in the family!

5. Restrict or avoid foods which are high in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.

6. Encourage your children to participate in meal planning and grocery shopping to promote ownership and interest in healthy eating.

7. Parents and caregivers should offer three main meals and one or two snacks per day (if they can afford to do so) to maintain stable energy levels, and prevent overfeeding.

8. Encourage your children to drink plenty of clean water daily even when they are not thirsty.

Some benefits of healthy eating habits are:

1. A balanced diet provides essential nutrients for growth, development, and energy.

2. A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains helps build a strong immune system. It also helps protect brain from damage, and promotes cognitive functions.

3. It is important to encourage a healthy eating habit in order to maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risks of obesity, and other related diseases.

4. A balanced diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and other essential nutrients supports brain development and optimal functioning.

5. Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake supports strong bones formation, growth, and development.

6. A balanced diet that includes lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates can regulate energy levels, and supports physical activity.

The following are the age-specific feeding guidelines:

1. Infants (0-12 months old):

Children under this age should be fed with breast milk or certified formula, introducing solid foods at the sixth month is recommended.

2. Toddlerhood (1-3 years old):

Children at this age should be fed with whole milk, solid foods, and finger foods.

3. Preschoolers (4-5 years old):

They should be fed with balanced meals and snacks, and there should be no screentime during meals.

4. School-age children (6-12 years old):

Parents and caregivers should encourage independence in meal planning, preparation, and eating. 

5. Teenagers (13-18 years old):

Foster healthy eating, encourage mindful eating, and support physical activity.

International agencies have implemented various initiatives to promote healthy eating habits in children. For example, the World Health Organization's Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health (2016-2030) includes targets for improving nutrition and promoting healthy eating habits. The WHO's Nutrition Guidance for School-Age Children provides evidence-based guidance on healthy eating habits for school-age children. The UNICEF's Nutrition Strategy (2020-2030) aims at improving nutrition outcomes for children, including promoting healthy eating habits. The UNICEF's School-Based Nutrition Programmes supports promoting healthy eating habits and providing nutritious meals to children in schools. The Food and Agriculture Organization's Global School Meals Facility supports school meals programmes that promote healthy eating habits and provides nutritious meals for children. The FAO's Nutrition Education initiative also develops and implements nutrition education programmes to promote healthy eating habits among children and adolescents. The World Food Programmes' School-Based Nutrition Programmes supports programmes that provide nutritious meals and snacks to children in schools, promoting healthy eating habits. The WFP's Nutrition Education initiative also promotes healthy eating habits among children and adolescents. The European Union and US Food and Drug Agency (FDA) have made major efforts to promote healthy eating habits in children. For example, the European Union's School Fruit Scheme initiative promotes fruits and vegetables consumption among school children. Not only that, the EU's Nutrition Education initiative has emphasized the importance of nutrition education, encouraging Member-States to develop programmes that teach children about healthy eating habits. The EU's Food Labeling Regulation has implemented regulations on food labeling, making it easier for parents and caregivers to make informed choices about the foods they provide to their children. The EU's Council of Europe Resolution has adopted a resolution on healthy eating habits in schools, emphasizing the importance of providing healthy food options and promoting nutrition education. The US Food and Drug Agency (FDA) initiative called Nutrition Facts Label has updated the Nutrition Facts Label to make it easier for parents and caregivers to understand the nutritional content of foods. The US FDA Guidelines for School Meals has established guidelines for school meals requiring schools to provide healthier options and reduce the amount of added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats in meals. The US FDA's Food Safety Education provides resources and education on food safety, helping parents and caregivers to teach children about safe food handling practices. The FDA's Healthy Eating Initiative has launched an awareness creation campaigns to promote healthy eating habits, including the "Healthy Eating Patterns" campaign, which provides guidance on making healthy food choices. All these international agencies collaborate with Governments, civil societies, and other stakeholders to promote healthy eating habits in children and support the development of policies and programmes that address nutrition and health. With patience, persistence, and positive reinforcement, parents and caregivers can help their children develop healthy eating habits that will benefit them for years to come.

Please, kindly share with your friends and loved ones. Thank you very much.

 







 

 

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