Does your child eat healthily?
Childrens’ eating habits are causing worry amongst parents, as the majority claim their children are fussy eaters and therefore aren’t getting the right nutrition.
As expected, green vegetables were the most unpopular food, with more than 35% of parents commenting that they struggle to persuade their children to eat their greens.
Just one in 10 parents surveyed said that their child almost always eat the same food as they do, in fact, 71% of parents are regularly preparing a different meal for their children just to ensure that they’re eating regularly.
The research, which marks the launch of the new Haliborange Mr Men & Little Miss range of vitamin softies, found just one in 10 parents improve their children’s diets and mealtime routines in the lead up to cold and flu season.
Nutritionist Dr Sarah Schenker, who is working with Haliborange to stress the importance of nutrition for growing children, comments: “All parents want their child to be in the best health possible. However I am surprised that more parents don’t prioritise their kid’s diets, considering the awareness of the positive role diet can play in boosting immunity.
“Children need good nutrition to grow and develop, and providing adequate nutrients, vitamins and minerals is an essential part of this, both immediately to get through the day, and long-term for their future well-being. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, as well as dehydration, can lead to fatigue and poor health; tiredness resulting from poor nutrition can compromise concentration levels.
“Omega-3 is proven to increase brain function and concentration in kids so making sure they have their recommended intake can play a huge role in their overall performance. Whilst 56% of parents surveyed recognised the health benefits of Omega-3, just 20% of children surveyed regularly achieve the recommended intake.
“Vitamin C is essential for a healthy immune system and a key part of any child’s diet – particularly with viruses being rife during the colder months. Vitamin D helps promote healthy bone development and wards off health problems such as rickets, which recent studies show is on the rise in the UK.
“Supplementation is a useful way to help your children get the nutrients they need to shine through their school days and beyond.”
Dr Schenker continues: “All children have foods which they are reluctant to eat, and this can be incredibly frustrating to parents – particularly if this leads to concerns that kids aren’t getting the nutritional intake they should be.
“There are, however, some great ways to encourage your children to try new foods:
- Cooking together and allowing them to feel they’ve been involved in the meal preparation will make kids far more inclined to try new ingredients
- Ask your child to try small portions of foods they’re wary of. Suggesting a child eats a whole portion of a food they aren’t inclined to try can be a sure-fire route to refusal, so suggest they just try two mouthfuls of a new food
- Eating together and ensuring children see their parents eating a balanced diet is really important too, so set aside a few evenings a week to enjoy meals as a family”
Femalefirst Taryn Davies
Tagged in Nutrition Diet Healthy eating children's health