Is your child obsessed with sugary food? Here’s how you can alter unhealthy eating habits

From replacing sugar with healthy alternatives to setting proper rules about sugar consumption, here are a few ways to address sugar obsession in children.

Often, children are obsessed with eating sweet and sugary food items. While a minimal amount is fine, too much of it can be very unhealthy for them. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Rohini Patil, MBBS and nutritionist, founder Of Nutracy Lifestyle, said, “It is very much challenging to manage a child’s sweet and sugar obsession, but it’s possible to promote healthier eating habits with a few practical strategies. Here are 5 tips with the help of which you can handle your child’s sweet and sugar obsession.”

“It is very much challenging to manage a child’s sweet and sugar obsession, but it’s possible to promote healthier eating habits with a few practical strategies," said Dr Rohini Patil.(Unsplash)

Consume sugary foods in small amounts

As we know, children usually mimic the behaviour of their parents, which also includes their eating habits; therefore, you should set a positive example by showing your child that sweets can be enjoyed even if we have them in small amounts as a part of a balanced diet. So one can opt for flavoured yoghurt or fruits and include it as a snack in their diet instead of consuming sugary foods by limiting their own consumption of sweets.

Replace sugar with healthy alternatives

Focus on the consumption of healthy alternatives by replacing sugary snacks with some healthy alternatives, which will help in providing satiety and curbing your sugar cravings at the same time. Try to keep a variety of fruits in the house. While preparing meals or baking, instead of using refined sugar, opt for natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey in moderation.

Educate children about balanced nutrition

It is important to teach the importance of nutrition to children.(Shutterstock)

Educate your child about nutrition by teaching them the importance of a balanced diet and how the consumption of excessive sugar affects their health. Tell them that even though sweets can be enjoyable as a part of a healthy diet, they should be consumed in moderation.

Set rules about sugar consumption

Build proper rules and regulations regarding sweets and sugar consumption. Set a particular time or occasion for them to have sweets, for example after meals or on weekends. This would create a mindset in your child that sweets are supposed to be eaten on special occasions, or as a special part of diet, instead of consuming them on an everyday basis.

Educate children about healthy ingredients

Encourage them to help you while planning and preparing the meals as this would help them to be independent and responsible in learning about the ingredients that are healthy and the various cooking methods as well.