A new research points that children may be enticed to eat healthy if they have a smile around them while they eat. A smiling stuffed animal comes to mind.
The research has been carried out by a school in Cincinnati, USA. The researchers set to find out ways to improve the eating habbits of children and students. They found out that a simple smile can really go a long way.
It turned out that students were more inclined to get healthy food when it was served to them with a smile, the American Academy of Pediatrics reports. In addition to that, it turned out that even a simlpe sticker with a smile on the healthy food can be enough.
Results showed that plain milk purchases increased from 7.4 percent to 48 percent of total milk purchases instead of all of the flavored variants – a 549 percent increase. The chocolate milk selection decreased from 86.5 percent of purchases to 44.6 percent, while the total amount of milk purchased remained constant.
Smiles helped increase fruit and vegetable selection too. “It looks like we found a very promising, low-cost and effective way of improving the nutrition of elementary school children,” said study author Robert Siegel, MD, FAAP, medical director of the Center for Better Health and Nutrition of the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. “This type of program may be a useful component in schools trying to improve the nutrition and health of their students.”
The study also showed that giving small prises, like a
So where does stuffed animals come in this? A smiling stuffie can be of help to entice a small child to eat their vegetables for example. Simply use the toy as a reward for a healthy food choice. Or use a smiling stuffed animal as a way to serve the food via play. Use your creativity and remember that the smile really goes a long way.
