Developing Mindful Eating in Early Childhood

Your love matters because your food matters

A long-standing concept of love in our lives as new parents weighs equal to one foremost thing: food. But the food choices that make their way to this prestigious list, do they include any healthy, low-calorie choices? In fact, more the calories, more the love.

Mindful eating, creating healthy food choices and avoiding over-consumption of sugary food should be the foremost principles inculcated to us. But how?

• Developing cues for hunger and fullness: Right from the age of six months, when a baby is introduced to semi-solid food, they should be tuned to the internal cues of hunger and fullness. This not only prevents over-eating as a long-term eating habit but also develops their senses.

  
  

• Teach the child to recognize their feelings: The focus of feeding the children should be making them grow not just physically but also mentally. Yes, when the child cannot say and only cry, we are able to recognize the hunger cues, but as they grow up eating food becomes a habit. As parents, it’s upon us to help them recognize when they are hungry, and when they are full by simply asking questions like, Do you feel something funny in your stomach? Or simply giving them options to eat, so that they understand what they are being asked to do.

  
  

• Respect their choices: Allowing children to focus on the food they are eating, savor each bite, and recognize when they feel satisfied. Let them to decide whether they want to continue eating or not. Respect their decisions.

  
  

• Avoid offering easy alternatives: Not offering sweet and candy alternatives to children as an easier and less fussy option. Snacking on sweets might make them crave sweets more, as it will change their glucose metabolism capacity, and mask the essential requirements of the body. Initially, their energy might feel up, but it slashes down quickly making them feel tired after just a few minutes of physical activity and they feel exhausted.

  
  

• Introduce diverse food options: Introduce them to traditional food, also food from different parts of the world after a few days. this keeps the child interested in food and discover various flavors.

  
  

• Portion control: Serving inappropriate portion sizes brings the child to stress when they see it, then we might tend to integrate the pressure of finishing the meal. These could override the basic sense of the meal, forcing the child to lose their feeling of satiety, develop over-eating, in other cases, they might not want to eat at all.

  
  

• Touch, smell and savor: Let them touch, see and feel the food. Families should avoid feeding the child themselves to avoid spilling, wasting of food. Studies shows that letting the child eat his food, and get messy, with his hands, develops cognitive and motor skills. They are great learners and will eventually learn to feed themselves.

  
  

• Encourage and prepare balanced meals: According to research, children need more protein and healthy fats than sugar and carbohydrates. Introduce a balanced meal with high proteins, fiber, and healthy fats, to keep the child full for longer, give enough energy to carry out everyday activities, and also reduce the craving for sugary food. Proteins and fiber-rich food slow the rate of digestion and help the child feel satisfied till the next meal.

  
  

• Physical activity as a part of life: Ignoring the importance of physical activities among children and more emphasis on academics overshadows the need of physical fitness among young children. The constant pressure to perform in academics, peer- pressure, and fear around studies, takes away from the child the most enjoyable days of their lives when they tend to develop key skills and values for the future. Creating a balance between both is indispensable for a child.

  
  

• Engage them in the cooking process: Another great opportunity to feed healthy food to kids is involving them in the cooking process. Making sure of safety for the child around sharp object and fire, this works wonders in the development of the child and recognizing their surroundings. We could involve them by asking for help in selecting colorful vegetables, introducing them to the benefits of ingredients used in the meal, and preparing the meal step by step in front of them, makes them excited and more interested in eating the food sensing that they prepared it. They feel the ownership of that meal and enjoy it to the last bite. Sharing the food with them and appreciating their efforts adds to the story. They are more likely to consume and enjoy the meals they created themselves. Sharing with them the benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables, like telling them about vitamins in the food and informing them specifically about the benefit the food has for their eyes, skin, brain, and muscles, empower them with knowledge and also improve their choices of food.

  
  
  
  

• Be your child's first Role Model: Ultimately, we should be role models for our children's habits be it the way we talk, behave, value, or eat. A child is more interested in your plate than his own when he can see and smell food effectively. Make sure you eat together, play together and eat healthier versions of food around them.

Fact check: From the age of 2 years, a child requires 1.1 grams of protein per kg body weight, minimum of 130 grams carbohydrates per day.  Their diet should include omega-3-rich fatty acids and unsaturated fats, along with at least 19 grams of fiber per day. Not to forget the micronutrients, which are calcium and vitamin D, help to build healthy bones around 700 mg/ day and 600 IU/ day, respectively. Followed by iron 7 mg/ day and vitamin A, about 300 micrograms. As the child grow and become more active, they need more energy and nutrients that empower their brains and the skeletal system. The key components of the diet should be improvised according to age and requirements.

After all, that is our goal as a parent, that the child becomes independent in every way, then why not the most important component of lives which is mindful eating?

References:

·       Bauer, K. W., et al. (2018). "The role of fiber and protein in promoting satiety and reducing consumption of unhealthy foods in children." Appetite, 120, 1-8.

·       Caldwell, M. A., et al. (2018). "Impact of family meals and food preparation on children's health behaviors." Eating Behaviors, 30, 37-43.

·       Dahl, L., et al. (2015). "Mindful eating as a tool to prevent overeating in children." Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(10), 1601-1606.

·       Finkelstein, E. A., et al. (2017). "Reduction of junk food availability at home and its impact on children's food choices." JAMA Pediatrics, 171(6), 542-549.

·       Hennessy, E. A., et al. (2017). "The effects of family cooking programs on children's food choices and attitudes toward healthy food." Public Health Nutrition, 20(9), 1557-1565.

·       Leroy, J. L., et al. (2017). "Protein and fiber as factors promoting satiety and reducing unhealthy food choices in children." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 105(3), 580-587.

·       Liu, J., et al. (2018). "Portion sizes, pressure to eat, and satiety in children." Appetite, 120, 225-233.

·       Schwartz, M. B., et al. (2015). "Home environment and childhood obesity: Reducing sugary snacks and promoting healthy alternatives." Pediatrics, 135(4), e924-e931.

·       Van Strien, T. (2016). "Portion sizes and overeating in children: The importance of appropriate servings." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103(5), 1330-1337.

·       Wang, Y., et al. (2018). "Parental influence on children's food choices: Healthy eating habits through role modeling." Appetite, 120, 274-279.

·       World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Obesity and overweight in children and adolescents in Asia-Pacific. WHO.

·       United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (2020). Children and obesity: A growing global concern. UNICEF.

·       The Lancet. (2020). Global Childhood Obesity: Emerging Trends and Policy Directions in Asia. The Lancet.

·       National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2022). Childhood Obesity in Asia: Causes, Prevention, and Public Health Interventions. NIH.

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board