Children can often be notoriously fussy when it comes to food and many mums often worry about if their kids are getting a balanced diet.
We all know that children need a complete and balanced diet made up of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals in order to meet their growth potential.
Those mealtime battles…
As a mum, if your child seemingly only eats plain rice and chicken every day, it’s not surprising that you may be somewhat concerned about your child’s nutritional intake.
However, if you are the mum of a child who barely eats anything, i.e., is a picky eater, most of your worries about his/her eating habits most certainly revolve around his/her growth and development.
Are you worried about your child’s nutritional intake?
Watching your friend’s child eat without a problem, you may think that you are alone in your mealtime struggles with your child.
However, the issue of picky eating is actually quite common among kids here in Singapore.
In fact, a 2012 study conducted by the National University Hospital of Singapore found that nearly 1 in 2 Singaporean parents say their child is a picky eater1.
The study also revealed that picky eating behaviours cause much stress while feeding children, and may have a negative impact on family relationships.
Feeding difficulties in kids can be stressful for all involved.
What are the risks of picky eating?
Often, picky eating is just a phase. Having said that though, it’s important to note that not all feeding difficulties are the same.
The reality is that feeding difficulties can become a problem, especially if they continue over time.
If this happens, picky eating may put the child at risk of compromised growth, susceptibility to illness and even impact cognitive development. All of this may warrant a visit to the doctor.
While there are many aspects to the issue of picky eating, what is often difficult for parents to judge is if their child is getting enough nutrients from the little food he or she willingly eats.
This is exactly why Abbott has introduced PediaSure-NutriTrac™, an online tool to encourage healthy eating and balanced nutrition for children in Singapore.
If you are worried about your child’s eating habits, find out if his nutritional intake is on track by using the PediaSure-NutriTracTM tool.
PediaSure-NutriTracTM by Abbott
PediaSure-NutriTracTM , designed especially for Singaporean children, is an online tool that is designed with the local diet in mind.
How does it work?
The tool is intended to assess the diet of children aged 1 to 12 years old and it helps parents understand if their child is eating well.
PediaSure-NutriTracTM also helps to identify any potential dietary gaps in your child’s nutritional intake beyond just calorie counts.
Based on a child’s age, the tool calculates the calorie needs of the child and estimates the number of food servings required from the different food groups to meet the recommended calorie intake.
Calculations are based on data collected from the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) and Singapore’s Health Promotion Board (HPB).
Actually, this tool goes a step beyond just assessing your child’s nutritional intake. Once you’ve completed the assessment, you will also receive a personalised Nutrition Report Card for your child.
This report card will provide an overview of your child’s calorie intake, based on the different food groups needed for optimal growth and development.
For children who are not meeting their dietary goals, the tool will also give you tips on how you can improve your child’s diet. What’s more, you can even print out the evaluation for further consultation with your child’s doctor if necessary.
So parents, if you think this tool will be useful in assessing your child’s diet, why not give PediaSure-NutriTracTM a try today? This tool will also help you find out if your child is a picky eater.
As a bonus, if you are among the first 1,000 people to use this tool, you will be able to request for a free gift worth $50!
Here’s something more in store for you. Mums of kids identified with picky eating habits can also request for a free PediaSure sample.
Mums: get a free PediaSure sample!
Some useful tips to tackle feeding difficulties
- Avoid mealtime distractions.
- Feed to encourage hunger (e.g. eat at set times and avoid grazing).
- Limit the length of meals.
- Serve age-/texture- appropriate meals.
- Tolerate age-appropriate mess.
- Encourage self-feeding.
- Maintain a neutral attitude during meals.
- Constantly offer new foods.
Parents, do try out the PediaSure-NutriTracTM tool and let us know what you think about it by leaving a comment below!
Reference:
1. Goh DYT, Jacob A. Asia Pac Fam Med J 2012;11:5.
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