Eating habits form early. A healthy lifestyle from a young age informs healthy choices in the future. While these habits form in childhood, recent studies suggest that taste preferences are set even earlier. As early as infancy, taste preferences for healthy food may be determined.
This study shows that infants who infrequently consumed fruits and vegetables continued this habit of infrequent consumption of fruits and vegetables at age six.
Studies such as this one show the importance of forming healthy choices early on in a child’s development. That’s why at Childventures, we offer a nutrition program that ensures children are receiving a healthy, balanced diet.
The study also emphasizes the importance of liquids that are unsweetened, rather than sugar-sweetened drinks. Early exposure to sugar sweetened drinks, like soft drinks or even sweetened juices like cranberry cocktails, can lead to unhealthy habits in the future. This is why the nutrition program at Childventures emphasizes the importance of water.
The most influential factor of a child’s diet, however, is their parent’s example. A child is more likely to try new foods if they see their parents eating them first. Setting positive, healthy habits is a matter of exemplifying them as well!
