Inculcating healthy eating HABITS IN CHILDREN

Aruna Raghuram interviewed two nutrition experts to provide parents with advice on developing healthy eating habits in children, especially picky eaters

- Aruna Raghuram

For most parents, a top everyday worry is getting children to eat right and adequately. According to a recent survey conducted in the UK, eight in 10 parents (76 percent) are finding it harder to promote healthy eating habits in their children.

ParentsWorld spoke to two health and nutrition experts—Ryan Fernando, a Bengaluru-based celebrity nutritionist and founder of Qua Nutrition clinics, and Jyoti Pachisia, a nutritionist with Parentune, a Gurugram-based for-profit social enterprise dedicated to parenting matters—to share their opinions about children's healthy eating habits. Excerpts:

What are the norms for children's healthy eating habits?

Ryan Fernando (RF): Metabolism levels of children fluctuate as they grow. To grow and develop optimally children require higher nutrient intake of vitamins and minerals. When parents visit me for paediatric nutrition counselling, I recommend blood tests to identify nutrient deficiencies—mainly, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, magnesium and omega 3.

Children need to have frequent, small meals throughout the day. Snacks such as fruits and nuts, whole grains and dairy products are ideal. Also, children need 1.5 gm of protein per kg of body weight (adults: 1 gm). I recommend feeding children eggs, lean meat, soy, tofu and dairy products to ensure they get sufficient protein.

Among vegetables my favourites are beetroot and sweet potato, and among fruits, banana, papaya and chikoo. For brain health and development, parents should include omega 3-based foods such as chia seeds, walnuts, almonds, avocados, pistachios, pine nuts, fish and organic ghee in children's daily diets.