Start Healthy Eating Habits Early
November 8, 2006 by ruth
Filed under Food & Nutrition
I’ve been browsing this week’s Grand Rounds, a collection of medical blogs, and was pleased to see that there were a more then a handful on the Diet and Nutrition category. Disease Proof caught my attention, and shares a quote from Disease-Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right:
There is considerable evidence that the lipoprotein abnormalities (high LDL and low HDL) that are linked to heart attack deaths in adulthood begin to develop in early childhood and that higher cholesterol levels eventually get “set” by early food habits. What we eat during our childhood affects our lifetime cholesterol levels. For many, changing the diet to a plant-based, low-saturated-fat diet in later life does not result in the favorable cholesterol levels that would have been seen if the dietary improvements were started much earlier in life.
For parents, this is such a big responsibility… and a tedious one. It’s so satisfying to see the pleasure on our children’s faces as they snack on French fries and eat chips in front of the TV. Compare that to the dismay they show when you dish out spinach and lentils. It’s hard, I know. But like instilling discipline and manners, they’d probably hate us now for doing it, but will thank us later for the gift of health we’ve given them.
I am convinced that, contrary to the book title, no diet or food can ever keep anyone disease-free.However, I think we owe it to our children to give them a good, healthy start.
ahhh…easier said than done especially in a big household like mine. it was easier when it was just me and raine, anything that he should not eat i bring to the office and not the house.
But yes, I totally agree, eating healthy should be started early.
Good information and it confirms things I’ve read other places on the subject. Thanks for the post.
Ug - this is such a big one for me! Obstacle that is. My daughter is fantastic about eating - always has been. But my son is so picky! I’m just grateful if I can get him to actually eat a bit of chicken or hot dog that I haven’t really fought the battle of more nutrition more of the time. I’m probably too lax a about snacks but I worry when he doesn’t eat anything! However, nutrition is high on my list of priorities, especially given genetics and watching my dad struggle the past few years. Early intervention is so important!
Hugs,
Holly
Holly’s Corner
Here via the Carnival of Family Fun ;o)
I agree. That’s why I was so happy that when I asked my daughter what she wanted for a snack, she said cauliflower. I almost fell off my chair!
Here via Carnival of Family Life.
Great tip, being a busy mom (is there any other kind?) I have kind of slacked in that department. I do make sure that they have fruit or a veggie with dinner, but thats about it. Here from the CFL.