Parents struggle to understand labels and kids’ nutrition needs
POOR health habits aren’t solely down to lazy parents or fussy kids but confusing labels as processed and ‘treat’ food becomes the new norm. Here’s what your kids actually need.
National
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MOST Australian parents are confused over what constitutes healthy or unhealthy food, with treats now everyday snacks for toddlers and vegetables scarce on dinner plates.
The latest Royal Children’s Hospital National Child Health Poll, a quarterly survey of almost 2000 households, has found that with processed foods now the norm, parents are struggling to decipher labels and ingredients, understand how much sugar is added, and appreciate the harm of high-fat, high-sugar foods on the developing brain and body.
“It’s not all about parents being too lazy or kids being too fussy, this is showing us that it’s actually really challenging to form healthy habits,” said poll director and RCH paediatrician Dr Anthea Rhodes.
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The survey of 3700 children found that:
■ A quarter of parents think fruit drinks are healthier than water;
■ Almost half of pre-schoolers have treat foods almost every day;
■ Many parents have lost the ability to objectively assess their child’s weight, as overweight becomes the new normal. Only 1 in 8 children are considered overweight by their parents, when 1 in 4 actually carry excess weight;
■ More than nine out of 10 school-aged kids don’t eat the recommended daily serve of vegetables, while just a quarter of parents know what the daily nutrition advice is.
Dr Rhodes said with two-thirds of parents saying they find it hard to know how much sugar is added to foods, they needed help to better navigate ingredient lists and nutrition panels on behalf of their children.
“We have clear national guidelines around food, so we need to make sure parents are well educated around that,” she said.
“If treat foods are happening frequently, they often replace nutrients they should be getting from healthier options. Treats themselves also contain unhealthy amounts of calories that are directly linked to problems with weight and tooth decay.”
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And while four out of five primary school aged kids don’t know how to cook or prepare food, parents reported that while they typically felt tired and stressed at the end of the day, most still served their child a home-cooked meal most nights of the week.
“We know it’s more likely the food choices are healthier if the meal is prepared at home, the children are seeing the preparation happen or take part in making the meal, and they’re involved in a shared family experience at mealtimes,” she said.
Mother-of-three Cathie Beven gets her three daughters — aged 4, 7 and 8 — involved with cooking on the weekends, and aims to make their lunch box snacks to better control what her girls are eating.
“I find it more difficult as they get older and they become a bit more fussy in their choices, and subsequently I’ve become a bit more clever about how I disguise things, especially vegies,” Mrs Beven said.
“They have birthday parties every other weekend so they have treat foods more than I would like them to, and that’s with me putting in effort.”
RCH National Child Health Poll facts
■ Kids typically need five serves of vegetables daily and two serves of fruit.
■ While 70% of kids eat enough fruit (including 93% of toddlers and 56% of teenagers), just 12% of children get enough vegies.
■ Infants get the most vegies, with just over 1/3 getting the recommended amount. Just 5% of teenagers and primary school aged kids are served enough.
■ A third of parents say their child refuses to eat fruit or vegetables, 27% say their kids prefer other foods and 11% say fresh produce perishes too quickly.
■ Just over a third of kids regularly consume sugary drinks, mostly at home. These should be “sometimes” foods.
■ More than half of parent incorrectly believe that treats every day are fine as part of a balanced diet.
■ Just over 40 per cent of parents are unsure about, or incorrectly believe that, a child’s weight is mostly due to genetics, and can’t be changed by diet or activity.
Originally published as Parents struggle to understand labels and kids’ nutrition needs