Do you force your child to clean their plate at
dinnertime?
Does your child eat more than one serving?
What size plate do you serve with at dinner?
All of these things can play a role in overeating.
According to research, “one in three U.S. kids is now defined as overweight or
obese.” One way to solve this issue may
be portion control!
You may ask, “How can I control my child’s portions?” According
to the American Heart Association (AHA), the
following steps will make it easier to minimize the extra calorie intake that
you might not have noticed otherwise, including:
- Offering the proper “serving” to each member of your
family, and then putting the extra food away. You’ll then have leftovers for
another meal.
- Skipping the appetizers and splitting a large salad or
main dish with one of your family members when dining out.
- Ordering a small pizza instead of a medium pizza will
make it easier for your family to avoid overeating because the pieces are usually
smaller.
- Watching movies at home or
the theater while having a snack can distract you from noticing what you’re putting in your mouth and when. At the
movies, share a box of popcorn, and avoid the free-refill tubs … and skip
the candy!
- Eating straight from the bag or box is never a good idea. Measure out snacks, including fruits and veggies, into appropriate portion sizes before giving them to your kids.
Obesity can lead to many health
problems, such as heart
disease, Type 2 Diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. If you make a change in your child’s eating habits early on
in life, your child may end up living a longer and healthier life!
We
hope this information will help you become more aware of the portions your
child is eating at home and while dining out in the Ypsilanti area. At Little
Angels Preschool & Daycare Ypsilanti, we’re dedicated to our
students’ health and well-being. We want to ensure the safety of our students
and their families.
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