A new and surprising study on the examples in the eating habits of the little ones has been released, a really worrying issue considering the high rates of childhood obesity in developed countries.
According to research conducted in the United States The eating habits of children are increasingly influenced by television and by the habits of their peers than by the example given by parents.
It makes us think that little parents can do in the face of the negative influence of TV and their friends, but I think it is not so. They have also proven that those children whose parents had a healthy diet were three times more likely to eat it than those whose parents ate unhealthy foods. So something we influence
Of course, television has a lot of guilt in promoting unhealthy lifestyle habits for children, but I still believe that the example of parents is essential to foster a healthy lifestyle for young children.
Parents should be present to monitor what they see on TV as well as to control what they eat and encourage exercise. The problem is that there are many parents who practically do not share with their children any meal of the day and that is also important when leading by example.
In addition to selecting the most suitable foods and cooking them in a healthy way, sharing the family table at least once a day (yes, with the TV turned off) favors good habits. Some research suggests that children who eat with parents consume healthier foods.
Preaching by example remains essential when it comes to educating our children, both in the field of food and in others. Ideally, if all parents instilled good eating habits in their children, being reflected in their peers would not be a bad influence for the children, but would contribute to improving them.
