A recent poll conducted by the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital has revealed that a significant portion of parents harbor doubts about the healthiness of the standard American diet for their children.
In the survey, which included responses from 1,083 parents with at least one child aged between three and ten, findings indicated that approximately one-third of parents consider the standard American diet to be healthy for kids. This skepticism may stem from the recognition that the standard American diet is characterized by high levels of saturated fats, added sugars, sodium, and refined carbohydrates. These components often lead to excessive calorie intake beyond nutritional requirements, as highlighted in a report released alongside the Mott poll’s results.
Despite these concerns, the majority of parents are proactive in instilling healthy eating habits in their children. The poll found that a substantial number of parents take deliberate steps during grocery shopping and meal planning to limit certain foods, particularly those with added sugars or fat, to promote a healthier diet for their children. Specifically, 59% of parents reported limiting foods with added sugars, while 54% restricted processed foods. Additionally, 17% sought to control the amount of fatty foods purchased, and 8% imposed limitations on meat consumption.
Furthermore, almost all parents (94%) make efforts to ensure their child’s diet includes vegetables. Methods employed to encourage vegetable consumption varied, with nearly 60% of parents serving vegetables daily and 41% allowing their child to select vegetables at the store or assist in meal preparation.
However, a quarter of parents admitted resorting to covert tactics, such as hiding vegetables in food or offering rewards for consumption, to encourage their child to eat vegetables.
In terms of portion control, the majority of parents (69%) serve their child slightly smaller portions than adults in the family. Only a small percentage of parents (3%) provide their child with adult-sized portions, while the remaining parents either allow their child to choose their portion size or use predetermined portions from packages.
Family rules regarding mealtime behaviors also vary. While 15% of parents admit to enforcing strict rules about finishing all the food on the plate, the majority (54%) encourage their child to “try some of everything.” Additionally, 31% of parents withhold dessert if their child hasn’t finished dinner, while 71% permit their child to have seconds, with some conditions attached for 21% of parents.
Overall, the poll underscores parents’ efforts to promote healthier dietary habits for their children, despite concerns about the standard American diet’s nutritional adequacy.