BEING a parent is hard work – especially when it comes to meal times.
If you've been working hard to get a decent meal on the table for your kids, it's only natural that you want them to clear their plate.
But one expert has revealed you should never ask your child to do this and added you should avoid branding foods 'healthy and unhealthy'.
Dietician Kate Regan said eating disorders can be triggered at a young age and well-meaning parents can inadvertently cause kids to develop unhealthy food relationships.
The 26-year-old said a lot of eating disorders and disordered eating begin in childhood.
It's for this reason she said she would never put her child on a diet.
Read more on children’s health
1 in 6 kids plagued by mental health issues – five signs you must not ignore
My little boy went blue and nearly died – all parents must know these signs
She explained: "Diets are inherently restrictive and teach you to follow a set of rules versus how we are born, where the instinct is to eat intuitively.
"Diets draw away from your natural ability to listen to your body telling you when it's hungry or full, which carries into adulthood."
Kate, who lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US said she would never make her child finish their food, or tell them they couldn't eat anymore if they hadn't finished their meal.
"When children are encouraged to finish all the food even if they say they're full, it teaches them to override their fullness cues.
Most read in Health
Amber heat warning extended as Met Office prediction of 35C raises health fears
NHS nurses 'ready to strike' for first time as they demand pay increase
I'm a doctor – here's 8 simple hacks to prevent silent killer from striking
I’m a nutritionist – what I tell all Prem players about diet & how you can copy it
"That can lead to them losing touch with those cues," she said.
Posting the video on TikTok, she highlighted that while she isn't a mum, she knows these are the things that 'mess with' children's relationship with food.
She added that from her experience, she also would never pursue intentional weight loss as a parent – as this can also influence children.
"A child would grow up believing there is a right and wrong way to be eating, and that the pursuit of intentional weight loss is more important than their health.
"Rather than dieting, I would prioritise health-promoting behaviours over looking at the number on the scales," she said.
As well as this, she said she would never body shame herself around a child.
"If my child comes to me one day and says 'I feel fat' I will not respond with 'you're not fat – you're beautiful', instead I'll respond with curiosity," she said.
"Wondering why they might think that, why they might feel that, and be supportive of their feelings, without insinuating being fat is a bad thing, which it's not," she added.
Also, instead of labelling foods like apples as healthy and chocolate as bad, she advised on calling them play foods or nutritious foods.
Kate said: "Using neutral language to describe food removes the morality and lets kids know that it's ok for all foods to fit into their diet.
Read More on The Sun
Gogglebox’s Amy Tapper looks slimmer than ever as she celebrates pal’s wedding
Three Ring Doorbell hacks you MUST know – or it could cost you
"When you attach morality to food, a lot of guilt and shame can come into play.
"They can internalise "bad" feelings about themselves when they eat "bad" foods and feel like a "bad" person," she added.
Source: Read Full Article