5 Tips to Promote Healthy Relationships with Food in Children

By Shu-Lin Pook, Paediatric Dietitian

Instilling positive relationships with food in children can reduce the risk of long term health issues including obesity, negative body image and type 2 diabetes. 
 
Here are some tips to help children build positive relationships with food:

1. Do not use food as bribes. Instead, use other positive reinforcements such as verbal praise or spending quality family time together (such as going to the park or playing a game) as motivation. 
2. Allow children to eat according to their hunger cues. This means allowing children to eat until they are full, but not stuffed. Encourage them to listen to their bodies.
3. It is better for children to learn about food as “everyday food” and “sometimes food” rather than “good food” and “bad food”.
4. Children tend to use parents as role models from a very young age. Having a variety of food available at family meals can help children to enjoy a wide range of food. 
5. Talk about food as food groups and the nutrients the food provides, rather than talking about the calorie, sugar and/or fat content. 

 
Ultimately, all food can be and should be enjoyed in moderation. The only time you should actively avoid a food is when you have a specific food allergy or food intolerance.

Shu-Lin Pook

​​Shu-Lin is a Paediatric Dietitian at Hopscotch & Harmony. She supports the nutritional needs for children, from infancy through adolescence. She understands that management of complex food allergies/food intolerances can often be difficult, and also works with young people who have prior negative feeding experiences, autism, or poor/negative body image.