We all know the daily struggle of trying to get your kids to eat the right stuff, it's not easy. And then there are the 'treat wars' – how many treats, what kind to give, bribing with treats and giving in for a bit of peace...
Well, we chatted to
Aileen McGloin, a public health nutritionist with a particular interest in food-related behaviour at
safefood, who has conducted a study with Irish parents on how they deal with giving treats to their kids.
"Parents said they find rearing children harder and harder. They want to do their best, they are aware of health risks like obesity, but there are a whole variety of barriers facing them when it comes to healthy eating, and limiting treats in particular:
- Unhealthy foods are so cheap; it makes it really difficult to say no. On the flip side, healthy food is more expensive and time-consuming
- Parents are confused about what is healthy today because there are so many conflicting messages. "What is a healthy snack?"
- Every parent can relate to being extremely busy and struggling to keep up energy levels. This impacts on our will power to say no.
- Some parents have complicated family and childcare situations and don’t have total control over how many treats their children have.
These are some of the things they have to say:
National surveys show that on average about a fifth of the calories a child eats comes from treat foods. The parents we spoke to knew they were giving too many treats.
Some parents said they give treats to bribe their children to behave, others just wanted them to enjoy themselves.
For a lot of parents, giving treats has simply become an everyday habit. "Sure, a few sweets won’t do them any harm."
The thing is, it’s not a few treats. For many, it’s a few treats every day. And that will increase their risk of becoming overweight and going on to develop diseases such as
cancer,
heart disease, and
type 2 diabetes.
Being tired and stressed, and under pressure, it’s easy to form bad habits over time. It’s no wonder we to give in. But, if you are a parent, maybe it’s time to stop and think about what’s happening in your own home. Ask yourself a few questions:
Did some of these quotes ring a bell? How many treats are your children eating daily? Is it time to break bad habits?"
For the next month, we are focusing on helping parents to #BreakBadHabits. Check out the safefood website for tips, tools, and ideas, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for info at your fingertips. We are right behind you.
