Toddler Feeding: Parents Who Give Adult-Sized Food Portions To Children Aggravate Childhood Obesity, Experts Say

Parents of toddlers are apparently overfeeding their kids and it has become a cause of concern. The adult-sized food portions given to children could actually worsen childhood obesity which has already become a global problem, and experts are raising the warning bells for this.

The Infant and Toddler Forum (ITF) conducted a survey of 1,000 parents on toddler feeding, where it was revealed that at least 79 percent admitted to giving their child more food than the recommended limit. Of these respondents, at least 10 percent give their toddler adult-sized portions of common kid's favorite dishes like spaghetti and chicken nuggets. The study also found out that the kids are given these types of rich foods or snacks at least two or three times a week.

Some 73 percent of the parents in the survey also admitted that their toddler feeding tend to go beyond the limits because of worries that their child isn't getting enough food. In contrast, only 25 percent of the parents have concerns that their toddler could become overweight or obese due to overfeeding, per Daily Mail.

The Infant and Toddler Forum research also found 80 per cent of children aged one to four are often given more food... https://t.co/vvnefKI5ZC

— World Health News (@WorldHealthNews) July 5, 2016

As a result, the experts are advising parents to re-evaluate their toddler feeding style and instead promote good eating habits early on. The experts also note one glaring fact that parents tend to overlook: toddlers are actually good at regulating what they eat compared to the adults. Toddler feeding problems worsen when parents continue to give their child adult-sized food portions. "We can inadvertently override children's self-regulation systems," said Gill Harris of the ITF, per Sky News.

A "Rethink Toddler Portion Sizes" campaign has been launched by ITF in response to what it has learned from the survey. The campaign also underscores good toddler feeding habits in parents, such as avoidance of giving snacks during car trips, limiting treats to at least once a week, and not using food as a pacifier for toddlers. The ITF has also put up a detailed portion size guide for toddler feeding on their site.