Saturday, February 8, 2014

Healthy Monday Tip: Measure Portions, Parent Better

Kids Eat More When Parents Eat More

A new study released in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluated the eating habits of parents and children. Specifically, researchers wanted to see if the amount of food that children consumed was affected by the amount of food that parents served themselves. Not surprisingly, study authors found that kids were likely to eat larger portions if parents served themselves larger portions.



Raise Healthier Kids

If you've been a parent for more than a minute, the study findings won't surprise you.  Kids model their parents behavior.  But the research serves as a reminder that it's not just what we eat that we need to be mindful of, but also how much we eat that matters. If we want to raise healthy kids, we need to teach them how to exercise moderation when serving themselves food portions at mealtime and throughout the day.



Avoid Portion Size Mistakes


There are a few different ways to be more mindful of your own portion control habits in the home.  The first step is to understand serving size.  This handy reference can serve as a guide for how much food you should eat at each sitting.  There are also some foods we are more likely to overeat - like cereal.  Find out what they are and measure them if necessary so you don't eat too much.  And if your family is trying to lose weight, consider the Lifesize Portions system. I reviewed the product last year and really liked it because it's a great way to make sure you're not eating too much food during any meal or snack.



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