Fire the Food Police

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher Oct 10, 2007

I. Have. Had. It.

In the last 24 hours I've been bombarded by messages telling me to restrict my kids' food intake in order to prevent obesity.

First there were the two reality shows on TV. Fat families were magically transformed by limiting fatty foods and exercising more (forget the fact that they have 98% chance of re-gaining the weight).

Then came the email from the room mothers about the Halloween party: "The plan is to minimize sugar overload for the kids, so we will have healthier snacks."

And then there was my 6-year-old's check-up. The doctor gave me a pamphlet titled, Fat, Cholesterol and Kids. It scolded parents for forbidding foods, because the research shows that restricting foods has the opposite effect. That's true.

Unfortunately, it went on to say we should limit kids' fat intake or else they may grow up to have weight problems. Wrong!

In fact, limiting kids' fat intake, sugar intake or portion size makes them eat more. An article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition summarizing 2 studies puts it best:

"Restricting access focuses children's attention on restricted foods, while increasing their desire to obtain and consume those foods. Restricting children's access to palatable foods is not an effective means of promoting moderate intake of palatable foods."

It's How They Eat, Not What They Eat

You can't legislate what your kids eat. You can give them good meals on a predictable schedule. Indeed, it is this predictable schedule of sit-down meals that is the best way to instill healthy eating habits.

Ellyn Satter has some wonderful books that explain this. My favorite is Your Child's Weight: Helping without Harming.

Read it. Then make Philly cheese steak sandwichs or asparagus bacon and goat cheese tart. And let the food police have a night off.