Should we teach kids about calories?

sengalissa

My daughters see me count calories. They know about it. I am homeschooling so we made macros etc a school project
They also saw me slim down and I told them that if they ever wanted or needed to know how to loose weight, I could tell them.

I have a treat once in a while and I am informed not obsessive. At the same time that is what I want to model.

courtneysmummy

My daughter is in Primary 3 at school here in Scotland, and she was taught this year about foods, calories, healthy foods, junk foods and things like protein, nutrition, dairy, fruit and grains, etc. I felt she learned a lot although she is skinny (some people think she is underweight sometimes) she still eats junk food. I try my best to make sure she has enough of what she really needs.

I don't think it is a bad image for them to learn from early on although I have saw her sometimes say to me when I am dieting (I'm using Slimfast at the moment) how many calories is in that mum, or can I start counting calories. Obviously I tell her no, she doesn't need to go on a diet, it's just because I am overweight and I'm older.

There is a good side and bad side to every situation, I feel it is each individual parent's choice in the matter, whether you believe it would be beneficial to your child(ren) or whether you believe it would reflect badly on your child(ren).

lewispwest

I tried to talk to my sister about healthy eating yesterday to stop her falling down the slippery slope our mum and I had. Unfortunately she wasn't interested in listening but she's quite active so hopefully she'll be fine.

martinel2099

Children should be taught about nutrition in general but maybe lax on the calorie counting till they get a little older. My friend's 8 year old girl eats what ever she wants but moves around like speedy gonzales and is as thin as a rail. She's growing and very active so I don't she needs to be concerned about calorie counting, nor would she be interested.

Parents can teach by example. If you frequently calorie count your kids will notice it and one day when weight loss is important to them they will follow suite.

When I was a teenager I started getting a little chucky and it really bothered me when I was 16. I think for me at that age it would have been a good time to be introduced to calorie counting.

ninerbuff

Probably don't need to before puberty. Unless there's an obesity/overweight issue with a child, most kids eat enough to sustain. I would institute whole foods into their diet though so they get used to eating it as they get older. Habits are what people learn and starting them off with good ones makes it easier to stick to.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

madhatter2013

We try to teach our children about good food choices and eating habits. Unfortunately, my step daughter's mother doesn't care and shoves sweats in her face all the time stating "well, she wanted them". Yeah, when you give a 7 and 4 yr old the choice, they'll usually choose donuts over an apple. Then the 7 yr old wonders why her siblings are happy, healthy and active, while she is chunky and lazy. We do what we can when we have her but her mother counteracts everything we try to teach.

skippygirlsmom

I don't think calories teaching is needed in most cases.

Stay active, eat when hungry not bored would cover most kids and adults for that matter.

This is more of our house. My 14 year old daughter is starting to read labels, she watches mostly for fat and sodium for some reason LOL she eats when hungry and if she's not sleeping she's outside bike riding, swimming, running or playing soccer. The woman across the street is concerned her daughter (same age) is gaining weight. I said well send her outside when my daughter is out there, but her kids are too hot, too cold, too tired or too I don't want to be outside. However, she does runs with us when we invite her.

ironanimal

As part of a broader nutrition, health and fitness class, absolutely yes. It would have to be part of a curriculum that has already emphasised the importance of eating properly, and exercising regularly, for it to be a positive experience.

dopeysmelly

Well, they have already taught my 8 year-old daughter calories etc at school as part of making healthy choices (which included exercise, applying sunscreen etc), so I don't get a choice on that one! She is interested in food labels, and reads them. I was a bit worried it would make her obsessive, and still am a little bit, but it actually allows us to open up a discussion about moderation for certain types of food, the importance of portion size and making sure your body is fueled for what you are asking it to do. And the importance of reading food labels BEFORE you buy food at the store so you understand what you are getting.

She has had a fair amount of healthy food messages from school, from me, from her swim coach etc. which all seems to be quite balanced IMO, although I did have to contradict a message she got from school that grains are "good" and you should make sure you eat them "a lot". I just said that foods aren't "good" or "bad", and that lots of grains aren't the best choice if they fill you up and stop you from leaving space for other foods your body needs. She thought about that one and argued with me a bit which is good.

KareninCanada

I think if you can teach it as information, without the emotional baggage, then yes. It is just a measuring tool to help gauge correct portion sizes.

KaelaLee88

Yes, I think that anything introduced early at age-appropriate levels of teaching is better in the long run.

If you equip a child with the tools to live, they then make their own choices as they go forwards. That doesn't mean to say that we don't need to remind or support people in their learning, we should be prepared to talk about it openly.

I didn't know anything about calories until I started on MFP other than that 'Counting calories is hard, strict, unfulfilling and time consuming'.

When I started, I found it the easiest thing ever to keep track of. It's also much quicker than searching through any expensive log-book for how many points something might be. It fits into our lives so easily and it's become a routine now

Kaela x

sculli123

Just don't buy a lot of crap food for them and feed them balanced meals along with active sports participation. Teens and young adults should learn about calorie counting probably though. I didn't really know anything about calorie counting until I was in college and even then didn't really practice it until the last couple of years but I always ate balanced meals and worked out. I've been in shape my whole life. It definitely helps me more now that I am getting older though.

Francl27

My kids keep telling me that food x or y isn't healthy, apparently it's taught at schools these days!

Personally I think it's damn if you do, damn if you don't. Whether you teach your kids to eat what they want in moderation or you only rarely let them have treats, they will eat whatever they want once they are out of the house.

sculli123

My kids keep telling me that food x or y isn't healthy, apparently it's taught at schools these days!

Personally I think it's damn if you do, damn if you don't. Whether you teach your kids to eat what they want in moderation or you only rarely let them have treats, they will eat whatever they want once they are out of the house.

True but I think keeping the treats to special occasions or at least limiting them is the way to go. That's how it was growing up for me and all my siblings except one lead healthy lifestyles as adults.The one that is overweight has other health issues so the eating thing is the least of the problems.

bcattoes

I don't think it's necessary to teach children, especially small children, to count caloires, but I also don't see how it possible to teach them proper nutrition and eating habits without imparting some knowledge of calories.

cwolfman13

Teach them about calories? Sure. Counting calories, no way. Millions and millions of people live healthful lives which result in being healthy people without counting calories. Counting calories is for people who have broken themselves. I personally used it as a tool to get myself on a proper track...I've maintained easily for a year without logging and just focusing on proper nutrition, appropriate portions, and regular exercise...that's really what we should be teaching our kids.

Obsessing about every little calorie gets pretty old and really is overwhelmingly unnecessary when you're consistently living a healthful life.

Kita328

Nutrition education is pathetic in schools. Yes teach your kids about nutrition. No one taught be and here I am... here you are and here most americans are...with aditional unwanted weight.

Children could be taught diffrently than teens obviously. I dont know what the lesson plans should be but age appropriate. I know I was taught in schools about nutrition and by my parents. Problem was when I got out on my own I didn't really understnad the importance, or what was healthy really. OK fruits and veggies...um yeah but its a lot more complicated than that understanding my body is something that has not come natural to me and I am betting from the obesity epidemic it doesnt come as natural to others either.

People on this thread keep saying its easy to each your family healthy food...well I think the OP has a valid question, because childhood obesity is high. It cant be that easy to teach- everyone cant be getting it wrong. I think education is power and maybe reading labels should be saved for an older child but I think its important. I know I wouldnt be in this situation if I had proper education on the subject.

stealthq

I think it's a great idea to teach kids about calories - not in a 'count how many you eat or you will get fat' way - more introducing the idea that food provides energy, and different foods provide different amount of energy. From there you could introduce nutrients, the concept that energy can never be destroyed, yada, yada. You could give examples of how different types of athletes eat to support their sports activities, that sort of thing. Keep it in a 'wow, isn't it cool what your body can do?' tone. Tie it in with math, physics, physiology, branch out to as many different sciences as possible. Heck, you could even bring in the redesign of the nutritional labels as an example of marketing tactics. :laugh: Might as well get as much bang for your buck as you can.

You can do a lot with that topic, give the kid the knowledge that what they eat affects them physically while not getting into calorie counting, or labeling foods as good/bad/junk, or giving them the impression that they should be micromanaging their diet.

kdeaux1959

Probably don't need to before puberty. Unless there's an obesity/overweight issue with a child, most kids eat enough to sustain. I would institute whole foods into their diet though so they get used to eating it as they get older. Habits are what people learn and starting them off with good ones makes it easier to stick to.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Generally, this. I think teaching them about nutrition and fitness may prevent having to deal with calorie counting later in life in large part... Promote a healthy body image in your child... Teach them what a healthy look is and promote that. Too many of them have a body image concept that is created on a computer screen using photo-shop... They need to understand how to get a healthy looking body... Which is NOT anorexic... Too many kids have an unhealthy body image... That is more the issue IMHO at that age.

ValGogo

I say yes. It's science. They should know how the body works and how it gets fueled. But our parents never thought about that crap. And also considering cultural differences, a lot of people don't care or think about calories and that explains cultural obesity. (I'm spanish so my cultural bias goes there.)

Yes, kids should know about that but hopefully parents don't also attach thier own crazy obsessions about calorie counting if that's the case. Teach them, let them know what can happen with calorie abuse and then let them do the rest.