4 ways to get your child to eat healthier
By siliconindia   |   Wednesday, 03 August 2011, 22:21 IST
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4 ways to get your child to eat healthier
Bangalore: Childhood obesity has become a national health care crisis over years. The combination of fast food and fat food leads many children under performing unnecessary medication. Kids need nutritious foods to keep themselves strong and healthy. As a parent you start an interesting example, feed them the right food, eat them yourself and let your child develop a healthy habit that they can practice in the rest of their lives. Add creativity Allow Children to have a deeper understanding of the foods they are eating and make it exciting and colorful. Junk food companies attract children because their food is exciting, fun and colorful. Have snack items pre-chopped and readily available to eat or assemble. Here are some exciting tricks to get your child?s interest. Use colored tooth picks to pick up fruits, challenge them to a slurp on coconut popsicles which are nutritious and sweet. Give the fruits and vegetables funny names and fabricate elaborate stories. Some stories will end with these funny-named vegetables getting swallowed alive by the giant child. Allow your child to feel cool and exciting when they eat their lunch at school or snack at home Stop Fast Food The excess sugar in the fast foods and sodas lead to diabetes in children. Their bodies fail to produce the insulin that controls the sugar levels and metabolism. Fast food obesity is the root cause for major diseases that can develop in children. Research says 15-20% of American children in the age group of 12-18 years are overweight. These children spend little time in physical activities or sports. This will lead to a sedentary life style, from there to mental stress and other emotional disturbances. Instead of fast foods, try to prepare healthy meals during the weekend and be healthier. Get them involved Involving kids in the meal preparation is one of the best ways to get them eating healthier food. Discuss with them what they would like to eat for dinner and cook together. Take them to the supermarket and let them pick up their favorite vegetables and have them help set the table with special serving platters, place mats, napkins, serving platters and decorations that they helped choose. Encourage them to try new food items. Be a model for them 'Do as I say and not as I do' is not going to work here. Children notice everything their parents do and say in front of them. Positive and negative comments will influence your child?s attitude about foods. Adults pass on their own eating habits to their kids. Kids eating typically reflect what they are taught by their parents. Sit together and turn off the Television during meal time. Eat vegetables and let your child sees you eating your vegetables. If you improve your own eating habits, you will also be able to help your kids eating as well. Never skip meals, especially breakfast, drink water and milk instead of soda and avoid junk food.

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