Mom has plenty on her plate these days, including the high-ranking job as senior manager of her children's nutrition. In most fa...
Mom has plenty on her plate these days, including
the high-ranking job as senior manager of her children's nutrition.
In most families, "mom buys the food
that's in the house. Mom puts food on the table. Mom has the pivotal role in
what the kids eat," says Marilyn Tanner-Blasier, RD, LD, a spokeswoman for
the American Dietetic Association.
Dads influence their child's nutrition,
too, and it's not just what's cooking in the kitchen. Both parents set the
pattern for the family's lifestyle. If mom and dad are oatmeal-and-biking
types, their kids likely are, too. If parents are more the chips-and-TV type,
that's where you'll find the kids.
Your
Child's Nutrition: You're the Role Model
In one large survey of kids under age 12,
mom and dad ranked highest as their children's nutrition role models -- the persons
the kids most wanted to be like, reports Tanner-Blasier. Nearly 70% of children
reported they were likely to talk with mom or dad about nutrition and their
body size.
That survey -- conducted by the American
Dietetic Association Foundation -- also picked up on the families' activity
levels. Kids were more likely to eat a meal or watch TV with a parent, rather
than playing outside.
"If mom and dad spent most of their
time sitting around watching TV, leading an inactive lifestyle, kids did the
same," says Tanner-Blasier, who is also a pediatric dietitian at
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Trouble is, "many parents don't really
think of themselves as role models," says Ron Kleinman, MD, associate
chief of pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
"Parents expect their kids to do
things, like exercise, that they themselves don't do," he tells
WebMD. "You can't lie on the couch watching TV, snacking on potato chips
-- yet tell your child to go outside and get some exercise. It just
doesn't work that way."
How
to Model Good Nutrition for Your Child
Any parent can be a good role model for
children's nutrition. "Even if you're overweight and having
trouble losing it, it's still possible to role model a healthy lifestyle for
your child," Kleinman tells WebMD. Try these tips at home:
- Buy fruits and
vegetables rather than snacks. "Studies show that if parents emphasize how important
these are in the diet, children will eat them more often -- compared to
parents who are more about relaxed it," says Kleinman. "You
don't want to be rigid about it, but you must insist."
- Pass along the basics
of portion control. Kids also
must learn to stop eating -- what nutritionists
call portion control. "In our culture, we tend to lose sight of
the feeling of fullness," Kleinman explains. "The 'clean your
plate' club overrides the natural cues a child has to stop eating when
they are full. It prompts them to eat when there is no reason to
eat."
