American pediatricians warn that parents should not be forced to eat their entire portion from the plate without fail. Experts say that this behavior can unknowingly provoke obesity in children.
University of Minnesota nutritionists have come to this conclusion after observing 3,500 parents and 2,200 teenagers. Scientists have found that children at the risk of gaining unnecessary kilograms are those who were forced by their parents in childhood to eat all the food from the plate. Scientists are sure that getting used to such a scheme, the child loses susceptibility to saturation signals coming from the body. Children begin to overeat and are gaining excess weight. In addition, babies who are force-fed are much more likely to suffer from neurosis and fear in the future.
The study found some other rather interesting facts. As it turned out, over the past decade, children's portions have grown a little, and forcing children to eat through force is increasingly not done by mothers, but by fathers.
For young children, eating should be primarily a pleasure. Child psychologists believe that there is nothing wrong with telling a fairy tale or reading a book to a child at the table. This is better than forcing with a strap in your hand. Do not forget that young children are characterized by increased mobility and sometimes they are simply not able to sit in one position for a long time. A curious story or reading will help them calm down and focus their thoughts on food.
