Question 1

I have three boys, age 14, 12, and 8, and we mostly eat very healthy.  If I have a treat in the house, or something as simple as chocolate milk, they have no self control...I do want them to have a treat sometimes.

Jane Ogden · Accepted Answer

The choice is either to have it always in the house and then restrict it OR only have it in the house occasionally!  I always preferred bringing it into the house occasionally and then accepting that they would just eat all of it!  I still think this is the better way and it prevents food from being a battle ground.  But mostly we had ‘treats’ outside of the house as this seemed an easier way to limit them!

Question 2

What is your best advice for parents of toddlers and young children who are picky eaters?

Jane Ogden · Accepted Answer

Don’t make food into an issue, avoid battles, don’t make a fuss, use subtle covert and sneaky ways to get them to eat – use peer pressure and have their friends round who eat different foods; eat with them and eat the foods they won’t eat in front of them and say how tasty they are; keep trying with the same foods and don’t give up (they can’t eat it if it's not there!); put it on their plate and if they leave it that’s fine but eventually, they will eat it (8 times is supposed to be the magic number!); be patient and don’t argue; when they do eat something new praise them and say how good they are; don’t call then a picky eater; don’t tell others they are picky eaters when the child can hear you; send them to friend’s houses and let them eat everything; when you are on holiday try new foods; try new foods when you get back from holiday.  So keep going, be subtle and don’t make the situation worse!  Pretty much always it just passes!

Question 3

What are some short-term tricks parents can use to encourage healthy eating?

Jane Ogden · Accepted Answer

Buy healthier food, bring it into the house, cook the food, give it to your child and eat it with them in front of them saying how ‘crunchy’, tasty’, ‘lovely’ it is.  Get a fruit bowl and put it on the table where they can reach it.  Put a box of grapes into the back of the car or when they are watching the TV.  Invite other children around and feed them healthy food (peer pressure works wonders!).  When they go to friends’ houses ask the parents to feed them whatever they would usually feed their own child – not to cater for your child!  Again peer pressure works well!

Question 4

It’s hard encouraging healthy eating habits when kids are surrounded by unhealthy foods at school, shopping centres, grandma’s house and in friends’ lunchboxes. How can parents successfully influence eating habits when they're up against all this?

Jane Ogden · Accepted Answer

The aim is to get kids eating healthily most of the time but also to have a healthy relationship with food.  So I would concentrate on managing their home environment by buying and cooking the right foods, being seen to eat and enjoy them with your children and using the right words around food.  THEN I would be more relaxed about what they see and eat elsewhere!  If you make a fuss about food in the rest of their lives they will realise that food has power over you and may turn to use it!  If you are relaxed they can eat well at home and not so well at other times but this is fine and they will develop a good relationship with food!

Question 5

What do you do when children ask for food when you know that they aren't hungry (eg. they've already eaten a lot or they always eat while watching tv) but when you ask them if they are hungry they say yes because they know you will give them something?

Jane Ogden · Accepted Answer

I wouldn’t ask if they are hungry in between meals!  BUT if they say they are hungry in between meals give them a fruit bowl, chopped up veg or frozen peas! That way they are still eating the food you want them to eat!

Question 6

Do you think that parents who have a child with eating-related problems benefit from general parenting interventions or do they need interventions specifically targeting parenting around food and feeding their child?

Jane Ogden · Accepted Answer

It very much depends on the parent and the child!  Some eating relating problems are just eating too much, not eating enough, being picky and not eating a healthy diet.  These can be managed by simple changes in parenting such as managing their environment (buying and cooking the right foods, being a good role model, saying the right things about food).  Some eating problems are more entrenched and can lead to eating disorders (binging, vomiting, laxative use, excessive exercise).  These need specialised parenting support.

Question 7

What is the best way to intervene when a child is overweight and you are concerned about their future health?

Jane Ogden · Accepted Answer

Don’t make a fuss about it!  Be subtle.  Reduce their portion size slowly without them noticing, cook healthier foods, eat meals, not snacks, eat sitting at a table not on the go, don’t bring unhealthy foods into the house, have more active weekends, walk to school if possible, help them join an active club, take up an active hobby as a family.  Praise them for their good qualities (kind, clever, funny, hard working etc).  Don’t put them on a diet and don’t criticise them for being overweight.

Question 8

How much does food insecurity contribute to problem eating patterns in children?

Jane Ogden · Accepted Answer

Not knowing where the next meal is coming from can make children anxious around food and then eat all of it whenever food becomes available.  This can cause overeating, binge eating, weight gain and makes food an issue.

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