Toddler eating wisdom
In our Picture of Health live chat on weight loss last week, Concerned Mom asked:
My daughter is 2 years old and overweight. We try to feed her healthy food, but she refuses to eat anything that doesn't look like a chicken nugget. How can I instill healthy eating habits when she is so picky?
It's a perfect subject for our Monday Consult, particularly in light of the enduring controversy over how to properly feed our kids. (Witness the recent battles over the new chocolate formula.)
Dr. Lawrence Cheskin, director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center, answered the question this way:
"Most experts advise that kids will not starve themselves to death if we refuse to give them exactly what they want. This is a great age to give only good foods, and ignore the pleas for junk. We learn to like what we're used to eating, so get them in good habits early!"
