Hello, my name is Moyez Ladhani. Over the course of my career, I’ve worn several professional ‘hats’. For a long time, I was a professor and academic, working out of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. There, I spent my days lecturing and giving guidance to students in the Pediatric Residency Program. When I became that institution’s Program Director of Pediatric Postgraduate Medical Education, an administrative element was added to my job, and I became the point person on program innovation. But at my core, I am a pediatrician first and foremost, and my main concern is with the day-to-day battle of keeping children healthy and well.
One of the simplest ways parents can best facilitate the overall health of their children is by encouraging the right eating habits. It’s long been known that a balanced diet helps to support both physical growth and mental development in kids, but in my experience, I’ve found that it can be tricky to instill these habits and get them to take. Children can be difficult, and with very few exceptions, they tend to crave unhealthy foods unless taught otherwise. That being said, here are a few strategies that I’ve found go a long way toward helping parents promote healthy eating in children.
Prioritize Fruits and Vegetables
A key part of any healthy diet is making sure that children eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. These foods are packed with essential vitamins and minerals that are crucial for growth, development, and the maintenance of a thriving immune system. Put another way, not only do fruits and veggies provide kids with the energy they need, they also protect against chronic diseases later in life, including serious and commonplace ones such as heart disease and diabetes. When speaking about this, I always tell parents to try to make half of your child’s plate fruits and veggies at each meal. And always remember: if it’s colorful, it’s usually packed with nutrients!
Cut Back on Processed Foods
Another important point is to limit processed foods, like sugary snacks, fast food, and soda pop. These foods are often high in calories and low in nutritional value, and if kids eat too much of them, it will invariably lead to weight gain and other health problems. More importantly, the routine consumption of processed foods can set the stage for unhealthy habits as children grow older. I recommend replacing these kind of snacks with organic whole foods like nuts, yogurt, or fresh fruit. This will keep their stomachs full and ensure they’re getting the nourishment they need to develop properly.
Model Healthy Eating Yourself
Finally, children learn by example. As a parent, your eating habits directly influence your kids. If they see you choosing healthy options, they’re more likely to do the same. In my own family, we try to eat meals together as often as possible, and when we do, nine-point-nine times out of ten, we make them with only healthy foods (obviously the odd unhealthy treat is fine in moderation). The point is this: when your kids watch you enjoy eating balanced meals, they’re more likely to follow suit, which will foster good decision-making on their part in the future. Plus, family mealtimes are a fantastic way to bond and talk about why making healthy choices is so important.
In the end, the responsibility for promoting healthy eating habits in young children falls to parents, at least until kids reach their teen years. Pediatricians such as I and others in my profession can make recommendations and explain the science at play, but there is only so much we can do as physicians and consultants. It is incumbent upon parents to set the foundation for good habits before a child is equipped to make well-informed and independent decisions for themselves.
Some useful links:
https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/healthy-living/healthy_eating_for_children
https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/nutrition
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/habits.html
https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/parents-and-children