Healthy Eating workshop Wendi Udosen, Senior Family Support and Outreach Worker Sabrina Kerr, Children’s Centre Health and Wellbeing Coordinator

Current diets of 1-5 years olds Toddlers require a healthy varied and well balanced diet to thrive and grow. Today, our children’s diets are :- – Low in energy – Low in Iron, Zinc and vitamin A & D – High in fats, sugar and salt Many children not receiving their 5 fruits and vegetables a day Not many children are receiving a variety of foods

Diet related health issues 1 in 5 children are overweight or obese by Reception age Type II diabetes in children Dental health from sugary foods and drinks (Fruit juices and fizzy drinks) 1/4 children at risk of iron deficiency Rickets from low Vitamin D

Convenience meals Until about 60 years ago - freshly prepared foods Increase in ready meals/convenience meals Some families eat almost only convenience foods due to a lack of: -time to prepare meals -cooking skills -access to shops selling fresh foods Many ready meals/convenience meals are less nutritious containing high amounts of salt, fat and sugar.

Summary of Eat Well for Children Under the age of 5 Breakfast Provide a starchy food each day Offer a variety of cereal & bread products (white & brown) Offer lower sugar cereals-avoid high sugar options Offer fruit and or vegetables each day (diluted fruit juice) Provide milk or a dairy food each day Healthy Snacks Avoid sweet foods between meals Offer fruit or vegetables as some snacks Avoid dried fruit Offer a starchy food at least once a day Healthy Drinks Between meals – only water or milk Children need 6-8 cups a day ( ml) With meals – milk, water or diluted fruit juice Encourage water if thirsty Avoid tea, coffee, fizzy, fruit and energy drinks, squash and flavoured water Lunch and Tea-time Provide a protein food (meat, fish, oily fish, egg, poultry or meat alternative) each day Provide a variety of starchy food each day Provide vegetables and/or fruit each day Provide a milk/cereal/fruit-based pudding Watch the amount of processed foods offered (once a week)

Questions… How many fruit and vegetables did YOU eat yesterday? Does your child like a cup of tea, coffee or coca cola? Are you adding sugar to cereals? Honey to tea?

How many portions of your 5-a-day? Glass of fruit juice = 1 of your 5-a-day How many of your child’s 5-a-day if they drink the above?

Sugar is a major risk factor for the development of tooth decay Tooth decay SugarsBacteriaAcidTooth decay

Protecting baby and adult teeth It is important to protect first (primary/baby) teeth as well as second (permanent/adult) teeth Disease affecting baby teeth risks also affecting permanent teeth developing underneath Good health behaviours learnt at a young age are more likely to continue throughout childhood into later life. If children lose baby teeth early they may have orthodontic problems later on. Image reproduced from - delayed-or-absent

Ways to combat fussy eating… Modelling Sit with children when eating Talk enthusiastically about taste and texture Exposure tasting attempts Repeated regular chances to taste Children have control (e.g. feeding themselves, spit into a tissue) Try raw vegetables and cooked ones Rewards Praise for eating new foods Do not use favourite foods as rewards ‘Pressure to eat’ Do not force children to finish everything on the their plate. Smaller servings to begin with as larger portions off putting

This can be a circular process: Parents anxious about their child’s weight Pressure on child to eat more at mealtimes Child then likely to refuse the food offered

Confused by Food labels…?

Understanding food labels

Which spread would you choose?