Parents, portions and potential distortions: Unpicking children's meal size

Abstract Parents and caregivers play a powerful role in shaping the food environment in which their children learn about appropriate portion sizes. Parents often report just ‘knowing’ the amount of food to serve to their children, but evidence indicates that these decisions are driven by the portions parents pick for themselves. This is potentially problematic because, like adults, young children are susceptible to overeating when served large portions, which raises questions about how and when children develop their own portion knowledge. Understanding the social, emotional and cultural factors that shape children's learning about appropriate portion sizes and self‐regulation will lead to a better understanding of the calories that end up on children's plates and in their mouths, and the eating behaviours that define them as adults.
Source: Nutrition Bulletin - Category: Nutrition Authors: Tags: News and Views Source Type: research