WASHINGTON 鈥� You probably don鈥檛 remember why you liked the foods you did as a child. They were likely fed to you as a youngster, or you developed a connection through your parents鈥� eating habits.
But that’s not all: 鈥淲e know that genetics play a role and we鈥檙e learning more about that,鈥� Lean Plate Club blogger Sally Squires told 海角社区app.
A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at three-year-old twins and found there might be a genetic component to liking fruits and vegetables.
Still, parents have a heavy influence on聽eating habits. For one thing, Squires recommends breast-feeding and waiting until your baby is six聽months old before switching them to solid foods.
How do you know your baby is ready for solid food? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it鈥檚 when he or she has good head control and sits up with little support.
They try to grab food from your plate and turn their heads away from the bottle or breast when they鈥檙e not hungry.
Your child should be slowly introduced to fruits and vegetables. It takes children at least 10 times to taste food before accepting it, so if you eat these foods yourself, your baby models that behavior.
To aid food acceptance, Squires said, offer a well-balanced meal and let your child choose what they want to eat. Don鈥檛 try to force foods to them or make it a power struggle, she concluded.
Listen to Squires鈥� full interview with 海角社区app here.
