“Mum, I don’t wanna eat this”.
Is that something you hear everyday? Research shows that more than half of children aged 1-6 are considered picky eaters by their mothers. Also, 48% of children aged 7-9 are classified picky eaters1,2.You don’t have to be too worried; there are ways to make eating easier for your child and you.
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How to spot a picky eater: |
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Tends to eat very little or only likes certain foods3 |
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Reacts strongly or avoid trying new foods.3 |
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Takes a long time to finish a meal. |
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| Why your child is picky: |
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Physical factors like appetite, genetics and growth4 |
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Wants control over the food he / she eats4 |
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Lack of affection or interaction between parents and child4, 5 |
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| The consequences of picky eating: |
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Growth complications6 |
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Increased risk of developing eating disorder and chronic illness later in life6 |
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Short-term nutrition insufficiency5 |
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Managing picky eaters: |
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Make mealtimes the main agenda(no TV,toys etc) and limit the duration of meals. |
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Pressuring and forcing your child to eat is not advisable. |
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Limit snacking so that your child will have better appetite during proper meals. |
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Slowly and regulary introduce new food to your child. Studies have suggested it may take up 10 attempts before a picky eater is willing to try a new type of food. |
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Let your child 'get messy' when eating and let them handle utensils when he / she is old enough. |
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Some doctors recommend a child nutrition supplement to ensure the child receive complete and balanced nutrition. |
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| Abbott PediaSure Complete |
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PediaSure Complete is scientifically proven for
picky eaters to catch-up on growth. It is the number
1 paediatrician recommended brand in the U.S.7.
Studies have shown that PediaSure Complete can help picky eaters
improve their weight and height status in 60 days and also
reduce number of sick days by 30%.
| PediaSure is beneficial for kids aged 1-10 for the purpose of: |
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Promoting catch-up growth if their growth pattern is slower than normal due to under-nourishment |
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Supporting growth and development in picky eaters who may miss out on sources of essential nutrients |
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Maintaining nutritional health for kids lacking in appetite because of medication, treatments or certain conditions, including feeding-behaviour problems.8 |
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REFERENCES:
| 1. |
Abbott Pediatric Nutrition and Harris Interactive, Europe Quantitative Report, May 5, 2006 |
| 2. |
Galloway, Amy T. et al. Parental Pressure, Dietary Patterns and Weight Status among Girls who are “Picky Eaters.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2005; 105:541-548. |
| 3. |
Carruth BR, Ziegler, P, Gordon, A, Barr S, Prevalence of Picky Eaters among Infants and Toddlers and Their Caregivers’ Decisions about Offering a New Food. J Am Diet Assoc. 2004; 104: S57-S64. |
| 4. |
Kerzner, Oral Feeding Resistance in Young Children. ANI's PediaSure Global Speakers Meeting, Wheeling, Illinois. November 2007. Slide 11. |
| 5. |
Feldman R, Keren M, Gross-Rozval O & Tyano S. Mother-Child Touch Patterns in Infant Feeding Disorders: Relation to Maternal , Child , and Environmental Factors. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2004;43(9) 1089-1097. |
| 6. |
Manikam R, Perman, JA. Pediatric feeding disorders. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2000;30:34-46. |
| 7. |
PediaSure Web site. www.PediaSure.com |
| 8. |
PediaSure Product Monograph, June 4, 2007. |
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