Diet Starts At Home

A recent survey conducted in Canada says that the parents of obese kids are partly the cause for the growing obesity problem in the country. Parents are not eating healthily and taking exercise and this is allowing children to be influenced negatively in their own eating and exercise patterns. A senior nutrition and diet consultant in Vancouver was quoted as saying that children gain knowledge and ideas by example, and that the link between a childs' diet and its parents is directly evident.

The survey asked parents many questions relating to diet and nutrition and over half of the parents said that they wished their own kids had the diet they had, but at the same time they admitted to eating unhealthily and not eating healthy items like fruit very often.

Parents can only help children up to a point when it comes to eating, as soon the children will know how to get their own food and they will decide what to eat themselves. The importance of leading by example can't be underestimated in the eventual diet habits of children. Another important thing is to involve children in the food process by involving them in food choices at the supermarket and educating them on the health differences in food. Explain the negative consequences of eating badly and let them be involved in the choice of what they want to eat. Often children resent food being put on their plate that they have repeatedly said that they detest. Food rewards and treats are also important, but keep them healthy.

Forty percent of the parents who answered the questions said that they were not a good example to their children when it came to physical exercise and keeping fit. The surveys results showed that "Walk Is Better Than Talk", with the positive actions, good example and healthy living habits of parents contributing to childrens' healthiness levels by over 100%.