Childhood diet governs obesity risk in early adulthood Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2006 (EST)
The food that kids eat during early childhood determines their obesity risk in early adulthood, a new research has found.
Washington, Sept 7: The food that kids eat during early childhood determines their obesity risk in early adulthood, a new research has found.
Julie Lumeng, M.D., developmental and behavioral pediatrician with the University of Michigan Health System said that feeding your toddler with foods prepared from real fruits and vegetables, and loaded with vitamins and nutrients, could be the key to controlling their waistline.
“There is a tremendous problem today with childhood obesity in the United States, one that medical researchers and physicians are trying to address head-on by identifying the factors that are contributing to this epidemic,” Lumeng said.
“One area of focus has been the possible connection between early feeding practices and a child’s risk for overweight or obesity. Certain aspects of the way children are fed and what they eat very early in life may be related to their later risk for obesity,” the researchers added.
Already, years of research has shown that breast-feeding does protect against obesity risk later in life. With that in mind, Lumeng has encouraged new moms to make their best effort at breast-feeding.
When it comes to solid foods, though, there is still some debate over the relationship between the age at which solid foods are first introduced, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents begin to introduce their child to solid food no sooner than four to six months of age.
When your child is old enough for solid foods, Lumeng recommends starting with rice cereal, which is a great source of iron. After introducing rice cereal into their diet, it’s then time to move on to vegetables like pureed green beans or carrots.
“It’s really important for your child’s first flavor experience to be something that’s healthy. And the more a child tastes a particular food, the greater liking they’ll develop for it,” Lumeng said.
“Pudding or ice cream should not be the first foods your child experiences,” Lumeng cautions. The more kids eat sweets and sugar, the greater liking they’ll develop for them and the more they’ll want to consume them. Plus, there is some evidence that suggests that the type of food children eat early in life could contribute to their risk for obesity.”
Lumeng further said that the research has shown that women who drink carrot juice through pregnancy have infants who will enjoy pureed carrots more at four months of age than those children whose mothers did not drink carrot juice during pregnancy.
The researchers concluded by saying it’s important to teach your children healthy eating habits, especially between the ages of 3 and 5 when experts believe they begin to develop their food preferences, and ability to respond to hunger and satiety. (ANI)
Childhood Obesity into Adult Obesity
Linear Mode
