PARENTING: How to make sure your child get maintains a healthy diet

from: http://www.gloucestercitizen.co.uk/PARENTING-make-sure-child-maintains-healthy-diet/story-21212547-detail/story.html

 

PARENTING: How to make sure your child get maintains a healthy diet

By The Citizen  |  Posted: June 10, 2014

Fruit and veg

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LESS than half of parents in the UK are happy with the amount of fruit and veg that their child consumes, according to new research.

The survey of more than 1,000 parents, carried out by drinks company Vegesentials, also found parents spend the equivalent of three days a year coaxing their kids to eat fruit and veg.

Popular techniques among parents to try and encourage little ones to eat their greens include hiding the fruit and vegetables within other dishes, offering rewards and making up stories about the benefits of eating healthily.

Patience Arinaitwe-Mugadu, co-founder and managing director of Vegesentials, said: “We totally understand the struggles parents go through to get fruit and vegetables into their children, it’s a daily battle which any Mum and Dad is familiar with.”

Tesco are also trying to help children and customers to make healthier choices by stopping sweets and chocolates from being sold at checkouts at it’s smaller UK stores.

Julie Rudd, mother of two from Gloucester, said: “I used to make food fun when the kids were younger and they love fresh fruit and veggie. Given a choice of take away fast food they would prefer my healthier home made version.”

NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has eight pieces of advice to start a healthy diet.

Firstly, meals should be based on starchy foods such as cereals, pasta, rice and bread to help children to feel full for longer, and they should be getting their five portions on fruit and veg every day.

Fish is a good source of protein and contains vitamins and minerals, and the CCG says we should aim to have at least two portions a week.

Children aged between 7 to 10 years should eat no more than 5g of salt per day, and younger kids should eat even less. A healthy diet should also cut down on saturated fat and sugar found in cakes and biscuits.

Pip Levett, director of Play Gloucestershire which aims to help children become more active and eat healthily, said: “With the current financial pressures meaning that both parents have to go to work, it is tough for parents to provide a healthier diet.

“But if children have a poor diet it gives them a poor start in life and increases the likelihood that they develop more serious health problems, even before they reach adulthood.

“Copying behaviour is important so if parents eat healthily around their children they would be more encouraged to do the same."

It is important to keep children active so they maintain a healthy weight, so playing outside as much as possible can ensure they remain healthy.

A healthy breakfast is an important part of a balanced diet and can stop children from getting hungry earlier in the day. As the summer approaches, children will be taking on more fluids to stop them from becoming dehydrated. Try to avoid sugary and fizzy drinks which are high in sugars.

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