As graduates of the Clean Plate Clubs of the 1970s and 80s, several of us on the Van’s team were intrigued to read a recent
article from Reuters on how parents’ habits can affect their children’s weight. According to the study, mothers who push their toddlers to eat more may end up with slightly heavier toddlers over time than parents with a less insistent approach.
By studying more than 1,200 mothers and their toddlers at snack time, researchers found that mothers who pushed their children to eat – rather than offering a snack and letting the child control how much to eat – generally had slightly heavier children.
Researchers at the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition think the reason may be that parents encouraging “one more bite” or “you know you like it” are actually overriding their child’s ability to follow his or her body’s natural signals of fullness.
While their weight differences were not dramatic, study authors recommend that parents follow this advice: provide healthy options for kid meals and snacks, but let your kids control how much they eat at a time.
Talk about food for thought.