| Everywhere you look today there is food in some | | | | his parents do is right and has no understanding of |
| form or another. TV ads and chef shows, radio | | | | healthy or unhealthy foods. If he sees you eating |
| commercials, magazine ads, a plethora of recipe | | | | a packet of chocolate biscuits while watching TV |
| books in the book store and supermarket, | | | | he will think it is ok to do that and will follow your |
| billboards, supermarket brochures, numerous food | | | | example. If one person in the family is unhappy |
| outlets - the list goes on! | | | | then that will affect the others and may influence |
| As well as that we seem to plan our days around | | | | their food choices, thus affecting the whole |
| food events and food is frequently the centre of | | | | family's food and meal times. You need to have |
| any occasion or gathering. | | | | consistent rules and attitudes around food and |
| Just take a minute to think about your attitude to | | | | meal times and regardless of the "feelings" of |
| food, meal times, junk food, healthy food, fruit, | | | | parents these need to be adhered to. |
| vegetables, fatty foods. | | | | You will find your attitudes reflected in you own |
| What is the atmosphere you create around meal | | | | children whether these be positive or negative. |
| times? Do you have family meal times at all? | | | | When children link happiness and getting positive |
| Parents often wonder if their child being | | | | attention with making healthy eating choices and |
| overweight or obese is due to genetic factors or | | | | being active this will encourage them to do it again |
| a medical condition. In fact these cases are very | | | | - exactly what you want them to do! You need |
| rare. In most cases obesity or overweight is due | | | | to thinking about how you can form healthy |
| to an unhealthy, inactive lifestyle. It is these habits | | | | habits for life. |
| that create such a lifestyle that can be passed on | | | | Link a healthy lifestyle to fun, happiness, |
| from generation to generation so the kids do not | | | | closeness and belonging, love and positive feelings |
| know there is another way of doing things. Kids | | | | and acceptance. |
| also pick up on their parents attitudes about food | | | | Focus on healthy food being nourishing, |
| and weight. Do you have a love/hate or love/love | | | | interesting, very tasty, energising, health giving. |
| relationship with food? He/she will pick up on | | | | Unhealthy food is energy-draining, boring, dull, |
| attitudes and also learn by seeing you doing and | | | | tasting bad, health-depriving. |
| hearing you say things about food, exercise and | | | | Build a positive relationship to food, exercise |
| weight. I was in the queue at the checkout of a | | | | and mealtimes |
| sports store recently and the parents behind me | | | | Be adventurous - try new foods and |
| were buying some soccer boots for their young | | | | activities often |
| son, his first pair. The parents were commenting | | | | What if you don't make changes now? What |
| rather loudly how they were hoping he wasn't | | | | does the future look like for you and your family? |
| going to like it so they did not have to spend their | | | | "Children get bigger and start watching TV |
| weekends standing on the sideline cheering him on! | | | | ads....they go shopping with you and see all the |
| How do you think comments like that can | | | | junk stacked up as you approach the check |
| influence the son's attitude to sports and | | | | out....they see the fast food places with their |
| exercise? | | | | colourful displays and playgrounds...they start telling |
| A child cannot learn healthy habits unless his | | | | you what they want to eat.... Their food habits |
| parents teach him. If you truly want to make | | | | are ingrained for life. Whether children love you or |
| changes to your child's weight and health then it is | | | | don't love you they watch you and they copy." |
| never too late to turn things around. By changing | | | | Dr John Tickell The Great Australian Diet Recipe |
| things now you are giving your child a healthier, | | | | book. |
| happier future and preventing weight-related | | | | In closing- this is what kids have to say. |
| illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. When | | | | "Don't be a food cop." Comments like "You've had |
| a child develops a relationship with food that goes | | | | enough" and "You don't need that bowl of ice |
| a long way past basic nourishment then an eating | | | | cream" will backfire. |
| disorder can be the result. We all know that | | | | "Don't make overweight kids feel singled out at |
| emotions can affect our attitude to food. Stress, | | | | the dinner table, like by having meals that are |
| depression, disappointment, loneliness can cause us | | | | different from everyone else's. Use your child as |
| to eat more so we are comforted by the food | | | | an opportunity for the whole family to eat |
| even though we are not hungry so weight gain is | | | | better." - Aaron T. |
| often the end result. | | | | "If tempting foods are around, you feel like your |
| You might think that these are adult issues but in | | | | family's not supporting your ambitions. When you |
| actual fact they are not. These issues can affect | | | | are home, you want to relax and not have to |
| kids in several ways. A child assumes whatever | | | | worry about being tempted." - Felicia S. |