How Much? Eating & Choice

Sometimes getting very young children to eat enough is a concern of parents. In an article in the local news, Dr. Anthony Komaroff (Ask Dr. K: Let children choose how much to eat), advises letting your children choose how much to eat, starting very young.  He informs us about the normal eating "rhythms" of appetite, of which I wasn't aware, and underscores the amazing ability for self-regulation we are all born with.  

But his advice gives your child a great deal more than good food regulation. It lets your child stay in tune with his or her own body needs and sensations, and builds self-awareness and self-confidence. When this is allowed to continue to develop, rather than being overridden by our normal parental concerns (many of which originate in our own early childhoods), our child's ability to sense what his or her body needs becomes stronger.  This awareness can negate the impact junk food advertising and tendencies toward obesity, boulimia, diabetes, and who knows what else?  

Healthy food is tasty.  That can be discovered, if it is not pushed on children and is eaten as the norm in his or her family.  Appropriate amounts of nutritious food, clean air and water (determined by our own bodies rather than the media and misleading food labeling), along with love, support and appreciation, is a path to lifelong health you can put your child on now. This is especially easy to do when he or she is very young: just do it rather than "teach" it.  There is no extra teaching/lecturing needed, but be open to learning new things about food and health along with your child. (E.g., together, watch the documentary "Dirt!")

By the way, are you familiar with Komaroff's Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide?  If so, what do you think of it?