Promoting Healthy Food Habit

Many food habits are formed during youth and closely linked to the natural environment in which people live. In other words, the child learns food habits in the environment in which he is brought up, from parents, siblings and other children in the home and the school. The food habits we form as children can affect our health for the rest of our lives. For this reason, parents should encourage positive food habits for each family member.

It is our responsibility as parents, teachers, nutritionists and society as a whole to encourage healthy eating habits among kids. There are several important things we can do to encourage healthy eating habits in children.

• Be a role model - First of all, parents act as role models, modeling food choices and eating habits. Children watch what you are eating, so to be a good role model for them, try to give up some of the junk food you are used to having in your pantry such as packets of biscuits or bags of crisps.
• Regular family meals - Eating regular family meals helps the parents to catch up with their children and to figure out what children are actually eating.
• Eat breakfast - Make sure you and your children start the day right with a well-balanced meal.
• Provide healthy snacks - Snacks are an important part of your child's daily food intake. There are many healthy snack alternatives these days, so finding one that is both nutritious and tasty should not be a problem. Keep plenty of fruits and raw vegetables, yoghurt, celery, and crackers on hand.
  

Healthy eating for pregnancy

For all pregnant women, you should understand that what you eat during pregnancy can also profoundly affect the health of your baby when that baby becomes an adult--for better or for worse. In other words, by eating the right kinds of foods and gaining weight in pregnancy you can make a significant difference in your babies' health and well-being. For this reason, healthy eating patterns should be established before pregnancy.

Inadequate nutritional intake is associated with preterm birth, low birthweight, and congenital anomalies. Pregnant women should avoid too many high-fat or high-sugar foods and should focus on obtaining adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy sources. For prevention of iron deficiency anemia and protection of maternal iron stores in pregnant women, supplementation with 30 mg of elemental iron per day is recommended for all women during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.