Children and Food!

Ronald D. Weiss, MD,

Medical Director, The Doctor is In, 6701 Bergenline Avenue

201-758-9100

www.ilovemydoctor.org

On Sunday, June 1^st The Parents Committee sponsored the first in a series of breakfast discussions with Dr. Berestrand Williams, a pediatric specialist at The Doctor Is In. The second lecture is scheduled for September to usher in the new school year.  The first topic the parents committee tackled, over bagels, cream cheese and fruit, was:  Children and Food!  Parents of children ranging from 2 months to 8 years shot rapid fire questions at Dr. Williams, who aptly answered each one providing historical, medical and popular culture perspectives.  Parents agreed that the next lecture will focus on discipline and behavior.

As a father of two young children, I attended the discussion and have highlighted some of the many issues addressed over the two hours. 

My child only wants bread or cheerios.  How can I diversify his diet?

Especially in the early years of a child's life, parents have a direct role in providing experiences that encourage their child's control of food intake. Around preschool age, when children particularly dislike new foods, it is important for parents to model healthful eating habits and to offer a variety of healthful foods to their children. When parents provide early exposure to nutritious foods, even fruits and vegetables, children like and eat more of such foods. It is important to model eating behavior by sharing meals together with your children because they will be inspired to copy your eating habits.

How much should I feed my child? How do I avoid obesity?

Trust your children. They have an internal mechanism that tells them how much to eat. A parent’s job is to keep this mechanism intact by carefully watching a child’s signs and providing them with a healthy array of foods. We should be tuned into their signals at all stages of development, from an infant who turns her head away from food, to a toddler who jumps up an down saying “I’m finished,” even though it appears that they ate almost nothing, to a pre-adolescent who may mimic his/her parent’s poor eating habits.

Should I give my child whole or low fat milk?

At a year old, formula-fed babies can switch to whole cow's milk. It is important to use "whole" milk, because children under two years old need fat for brain development. One-year-old breastfed babies will benefit from continuing to nurse, for as long as both mother and baby are happy with the arrangement.  After age two, give your child reduced fat milk (skim or 1% milk fat).

Even kid's arteries can clog up if they eat too much saturated fat. In fact, studies show that some children, three, four and five years of age have streaks in their aorta and physicians are positing that it may be due to an excess of bad fats in the diet. Preschoolers should not drink more than a maximum of 16-24 ounces (2-3 cups) of milk each day.

What about juice? Is it healthy in small amounts?

For children ages 1 to 6, intake of fruit juice should be limited to 4 to 6 ounces per day (about a half to three-quarters of a cup). Or better yet, just feed them fruit.  There is a study that shows that adults who consumed fruit juice on a daily basis are more at risk to develop diabetes than adults who consumed one to two servings of fruit per day instead.

Although this may seem obvious kids should never have soda because they have a predisposition to sweet and salty foods and once exposed will keep asking for it. That also goes for all junk food.

Is soy healthy or harmful? My son is allergic to milk and only drinks soy. I hear that even if you are not allergic to milk, it is healthy to incorporate soy, is this true?

Soy is an ideal protein laden whole food with health benefits far beyond what corn might offer.  It is recommended that soymilk be organic and be made from whole soybeans, not soy isolate. Conversely, many soy derivatives, including partially hydrogenated soybean oil that has been chemically derived from genetically modified  is found in heavily processed foods and should be avoided.

Will Fish make my child smarter? What about the dangers of mercury?

Studies have, indeed, shown that omega-3 fatty acids do foster brain development. The best source of fatty acids is from oily fish. The larger the fish the more likely it is to have high levels of mercury. Sardines are a safe bet – skinless and boneless sardines are something that infants and toddlers can be introduced to. 

The Doctor is In, open 7 days a week, is located on 6701 Bergenline Avenue in West New York, New Jersey.  It serves as an alternative to the Emergency Room with walk-in care, as well as full service internal and pediatric medicine, obgyn and multi-speciality. All doctors are board certified, many Ivy League trained and three have been included on the best doctors list of New York magazine. The medical director, Dr. Weiss, is on staff at Palisades Hospital and Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.