Healthy Food Tips
Tips for parents of the older child:
- appetite will fluctuate from day to day.
- tension in a family can lead to problems an children’s eating behaviour.
- peer pressure will begin to influence the food choices your child selects when away from home.
- teach children to plan and prepare meals.
- this common and natural for children to gain body fat as they approach puberty. It is important for adults to be reassuring and explain this is necessary for growth to occur. Girls will have a higher proportion of body fat than boys. This is normal. Discourage any dieting. Encourage healthy eating.
- respect your child’s sensitivity. Self-esteem at this age is very vurnelable and avoid negative comments about appearance.
- teach children to question the “truth” of what they see and read in the media and magazines/books.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders such as anoerexia can begin young children as young as 8 or 9 years of age. If you child restricts whole groups of foods, such as vital protein or fat, becomes expressively worried about appereance, becomes anxious at meals time, or exercises excessively, see a GPor a paediatrician.
