Tips to control FOOD PORTIONS

The Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics and Indian Academy of Pediatrics guidelines stress the importance of educating adolescents about appropriate food portion sizes to maintain healthy weight and ensure overall well-being

- DR. SNIGDHA SAMANTA

Adolescence is a time when children become overly obsessed with their physical attributes and tend to resort to fad diets to achieve the model body image. Therefore, it's important that parents encourage teenage children to develop a positive relationship with food for long-term good health and to prevent eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia.

This can be done by carefully planning their diets to meet nutritional needs and educating them about controlling meal portions to encourage healthy eating habits, particularly in urban environments where foods are often high in calories yet, but low in nutrition. The Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics and guidelines from the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) stress the importance of educating adolescents about appropriate food portions to maintain a healthy weight and ensure overall well-being. Here are some effective strategies:

NUTRITIONAL NEEDS

Growth spurts. Adolescents experience rapid growth during puberty and a spurt in nutritional needs. While they may feel more peckish during this period, it's important to differentiate between genuine hunger and emotional and habitual eating. For example, when a child is thirsty or bored, she may interpret it as a hunger signal.