Eating Habits and Life Implications

June 2017

Robin Piggot & Vanessa Oliver

Ko tēnei te whakatipuranga o te tamaiti i roto itōna oranga nui, i runga hoki i tōna mana

motuhake, mana atuatanga.

The health and wellbeing of the child are protected and nurtured.

Te Whāriki p26 WELLBEING | MANA ATUA

What are your habits around eating? (– The how’s and whys )

What are your habits around eating? (– The how’s and whys )

Some things to reflect on

• Are these good or bad habits?• Are they habits you want your children/ or

those in your care to have as adults? • How can we encourage good habits in our

tamariki?

• The ‘how we eat’ is often more difficult to change than the ‘what we eat’

“How we eat?”Sarah Gerritsen and Clare Wall 2017

A systemic review that summarise evidence on food and eating behaviours related to diet and body size. Key behaviours focused included.

1. Breastfeeding 2. Parental feeding practices and parental

style 3. Adult role modelling 4. Responsive eating5. Mealtimes 6. Food literacy

• Need supportive partner/family /environment

• Eating a wide variety of foods/flavours while pregnant or breastfeeding can improve a child’s acceptance of vegetables

Breastfeeding

Parental feeding practices and parent style

• A nurturing and supportive parenting style • Have non-food related rewards • Freedom to chose what and when they eat -

restriction of intake or pressuring a child to eat are counterproductive

• Limits on energy-dense foods and drinks

Responsive eating

• Allowed to self select from a wide variety of foods

• Parents/caregivers who are aware and recognise hunger and satiety cues

• Limits on distractions Watching Tv while eating increases Food intake in everyoneeven in the absence of food advertising. This effect maybe present with other screens

• Eat together as a family

Role Modelling • Role model drinking water • Role model eating healthy • Enthusiastic , positive role modelling of

healthy eating by ECE teachers

Meal times and role modelling

Meal Times

Adults• Eat healthy breakfast • Be focused on energy intake over whole day rather than

eating frequently• Be mindful and pay attention while eating• Stop when full• Limit distractions • Involved in food preparation

How do we stop the habits developing?

How can we help in ECE Settings SUPPORTPREGNANTANDBREASTFEEDINGMUMS• Makemumsfeelcomfortable• Restfulenvironmenttohangout,refresh• Frozenbreastmilkandknowinghowtoheatit• Giftfornewbabies• Sharejoyandexcitementofpregnancies• Offeradrink(hotorcold)• ‘Teachersattitude’• Supportstaffasmuchasmother/parents• Welcomingstuff• Cellphonetotxtmumtocomeinandbreastfeed• Privateareaifmumprefersforbreastfeeding• Comfyseating

How can we help in ECE Settings cont:

INVOLVEMENTINFOODPREPARATION• Makelunchforthemselveseg sandwiches• Creativehealthysnackseg vegiesanimals• Processcooking• Community/centre gardens• Harvesting-growingownfood/vegies• Hygiene-washhandstoprepfood• Measuring,weighing,science• Offeringchoices• Peeling,spreading,grating• Supermarketshopping- includechildreninprocess

How can we help in ECE Settings cont:

LIMITDISTRACTIONSWHENEATING• Music,notechnology• Balancedsettingattables-mixedage• Notoysatthetable• TurnoffTV• Haveconversationsaboutday• Encouragepositivetalking• Sittingasafamily/centre• Setthetable• Makeplacemats• Rolemodeling‘how’toeat• Talkingaboutwhatyouareeating• Newknowledge

How can we help in ECE Settings cont

ALLOWTAMARIKITOSELFSELECTFROMAVARIETYOFFOODS• Rollingmorningtea• 2or3optionssnack• Platters• Breakfastavailableifchoose• Makeownsandwich,offeravarietyoffillings.• Healthychoicefirst,sandwich,fruit• Cookandpreparehealthyfoodeg humus,dips,salsa• Teachercookstoastandchildrenchosespread.

How can we help in ECE Settings contROLEMODELPOSITIVEHEALTHYEATINGHABITS• Usecorrectutensils-knife/fork/spoon• Drinkplentyofwater• Talkaboutwhen/howyoufeelfull• Talkaboutfoodtheyareeatingwhereitcamefromie

garden• Haveavegiegardencollectproduce• Discouragetreatfoodinlunchboxes• Includechildrenincookingprocess• Eatwiththem• Enjoyit• Portionsizes• Getplanting- watchfoodgrow

How can we help in ECE Settings cont:

ENCOURAGAGERESPONSIVEEATING• Balanceddietfromfoodpyramid• Nofoodrewards• Don’tusefoodforcomfort• Onlyeatwhenhungryandfinishwhenfill• Childrenmakingownfood• Flyersforwhanau• Eatingwithtamariki• Fruittrees• Makingitfun• Cookwithchildren• Childrenharvestfromowngarden• Usefamilyfooddonations-recognise andappreciate

How can we help in ECE Settings cont:ENCOURAGEMINDFULEATINGINYOUNGCHILDREN• Eatwithchildrenandrolemodel• Talk/thinkaboutfoodeg.texture,smell,taste• Encouragechildrentoeatslowlyandappreciateit.• Healthyportions• Limitdistraction• Onlyeatwhenhungryandstopwhenfull• Moderateintakebychildren• Offerhealthychoices• Sitwheneating• Talkaboutwhatandwhyweeat• Eattogetherwholewhanau• Growonproduce-children’schoice• Involvechildrenintheprocess• Growproduce,encourageharvest-childrenchooseownseedlings-promote

interest.

How can we help in ECE Settings cont:ENCOURAGEYOUNGCHILDRENTOSTOPEATINGWHENFULL• Encouragetamariki toleavetablewhenfull• Offersmallhealthysnacksmoreoften.Lessbigmeals.• Spacebetweenmorningteaandlunch• Drinkwaterfirst• Eathealthychoicesfirst• Shortenmorningteatime• Limitamountoffoodoffered/smallerportions• Wait20mins• Morephysicalactivity• Moreactivitiessetup

Thankstoyouforallyouramazingideasonwaysto

supportchildrentodevelopgoodfoodhabits.Alltheareaswebrainstormedwerewellcovered.

Afewmorewordson‘MindfulEating’whichisreallyimportantforkeepingweightdown particularlyforadults.

“Whenyoufirsttasteit,trytogiveityourfullattention.Tome,eatingmindfullymeans slowingdown,expressinggratitudeforthefoodweareeating,beingsatisfiedwithfood,andpayingattentiontowhyweeat.”QuoteIlikefrominternet

Wecanencouragethisinourcentres by:• Appreciatingwhatweeat,thetexture,flavour,smell,colour,• Eatingslowlysowesavour everymouthful• Appreciatingwherefoodcomesfromandhowitisprepared• Discussingwhyweneedfoodandwhathappensinourbodieswhenweeat• Blessingthefood• Knowingwhenfullandstopping

Some web sites that maybe useful http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/how-we-eat-reviews-evidence-food-and-eating-behaviours-related-diet-and-body-size

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1753-6405.12667/fullDo childcare menus meet nutrition guidelines? Quantity, variety and quality of food provided in New Zealand Early Childhood Education services

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/childcare-nutrition-environments-results-from-a-survey-of-policy-and-practice-in-new-zealand-early-childhood-education-services/1416C6753578CC1947AF7A96A5D54F50Some data on teaching food prep/cooking and gardening