Hunger and satiety

 

It takes practice and time for a child to learn how to respond to the signals from the body telling us when it needs food, drink or has had enough to eat. An important part of this is letting the child be in charge of the amount of food on the plate and making independent choices. It is the adult's responsibility to provide food, create a suitable meal time schedule and make the food. The child can then choose what it would like to eat out of what is offered, and the amount of food. Avoid putting pressure on the child in saying that he/she must finish their plate before leaving the table. That often leads to the child ignoring the body's feedback. Respect the child's decision in saying that he/she is content and would like to leave the table, even if there is still food left.

 

Years of clinical experience, as well as a growing body of knowledge, show that children with obesity have trouble in recognising fullness. These children a from a very early age show an appetite level that is higher compared to children who have a lower body weight. They also experience satiety at a slower rate, making it more difficult to adjust food intakes. Parents/caregivers can support a child struggling with appropriate intake of food by using one or more of the following strategies

 

Eating with more leisure and spending time eating are effective ways of letting the child recognise signs of fullness. Chewing more slowly, eating foods that require cutlery and drinking water whilst eating helps the stomach/intestines in sending signals to the brain, where satiety hormones are produced. It takes about 15-20 minutes before we notice fullness. Eating more slowly and spending time at the table e.g talking is a skill that needs practice. Toddlers and pre-schoolers will not have the patience to sit for very long, but this is where healthier foods and appropriate portion sizes become more important in adjusting amounts.