Children don't like bitter melon the most. Eating together can replace partiality.

Picky eating and unbalanced diet are the two biggest killers that affect children’s dietary health! According to the latest "2015 Children's Eating Habits Survey", bitter melon topped the list of children's least favorite foods, accounting for 68.5%, followed by eggplant, yam, and special-flavored kale and green peppers. At the same time, unbalanced diet, partiality, fear of bitter food, dislike of vegetables, and eating snacks and drinks as meals are the biggest crises in China's children's eating habits.

Nearly 70% of children in China do not like to eat bitter melon, mainly because of the taste of the food. (Photo courtesy of Child Welfare Alliance)

The Child Welfare Alliance conducted a survey of 1,440 fifth and sixth grade elementary school students in counties and cities across the country and found that 72% of the children did not consume the five major food groups every day, and 10% of them had developed picky eating behaviors and completely refused to eat any one type of food. Among the most disliked foods, bitter melon ranked first, accounting for 68.5%, followed by eggplant, yam, and the special-flavored kale and green pepper.

74% of children don’t like the taste of food

Further analysis of the reasons why children do not like to eat these foods showed that 74% of the children do not like the taste of these foods, or 55% think they taste disgusting. When faced with food they don’t like, only 47% of children will force themselves to eat it, 38% will pick out the food they don’t like, and even 2.5% of children will not eat the entire portion of food.

In addition, the survey also found that children nowadays particularly like snacks and desserts, sugary drinks and fried foods that are high in calories, high in sugar and low in nutritional value. 23% of children eat snacks every day, and 20% drink beverages every day. What's more frightening is that children love snacks even at mealtimes, and 26% of children have taken snacks as meals. In the long run, consuming too much calories and sugar will cause children to be obese and have growth problems.

To solve children’s picky eating and unbalanced diet, it is important for family members to eat together.

Picky eating and imbalance threaten children's health

Huang Yunxuan, executive secretary of the Children's Alliance, said that picky eating refers to not consuming any one of the six major food groups, "beans, fish, meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and milk," every day. If at least one of the six major food groups (plus whole grains, root vegetables, oils, nuts, and seeds) is not consumed every day, it is an unbalanced diet.

For children in their growing period, a balanced diet is the key to their growth and development. However, we have found that a large proportion of children have long been picky eaters, do not like vegetables and fruits, and even take junk snacks and drinks as their main meals. If there is a lack of parental supervision and correct dietary concepts, it will pose a serious threat to children's health in the long run.

Parents should set a good example for children with picky eating habits

Regarding the issue of children eating out, the survey also found that 36% of children eat out three days a week, and nearly 10% eat out every day. Children who eat out frequently are 1.5 times more likely to have picky eating habits than most children who eat at home. In addition, children who eat less frequently with their parents are 1.8 times more likely to have picky eating habits than children who eat with their parents every day.

In particular, the more eating out, the less eating together with children, and the presence of strangers at the table will lead to a higher proportion of picky eating. Watching TV while eating, adults chatting about their own things, and asking about homework grades are all bad eating habits. Therefore, nutritionist Cheng Hanyu recommends that parents, when faced with children’s picky eating problems, can agree with their children on the “one bite rule”, that is, the child must eat at least one bite of the food in front of him, and the parents themselves should also set an example by eating with the children.

Nutritionist Cheng Hanyu (second from right) stressed that frequently changing dishes to increase the freshness of food can improve children's picky eating habits. (Photo courtesy of Child Welfare Alliance)

7 major concepts for healthy baby 333

Professional nutritionist Cheng Hanyu emphasized that in order for children to have a balanced diet and not be picky eaters, parents must first have seven correct concepts:

1. There is no need to force your child to eat all the food.

2. Don’t let your child’s meal time be repeatedly delayed.

3. Provide appropriate amounts and different types of food at each meal.

4. Change dishes frequently to increase the freshness of food.

5. Avoid using TV or other things to divert children's attention so that they can concentrate on eating.

6. Avoid using candy or snacks as rewards for eating.

7. Accept the mess or dirtiness of your child’s mealtimes.

At the same time, follow the "Healthy Baby 333" rules: "eat at home 3 days a week, 3 dishes and 1 soup for balanced nutrition, and eat together with your children for 30 minutes," to keep children away from bad eating habits such as picky eating and unbalanced diet.