Healthy eating habits comprise consuming the right quantity of food, which should include all the required macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

Why is diet important in early life?

Diet in the first 1,000 days of life including 9 months of intrauterine life to second birthday is very important as it affects overall growth, development, and immunity. Diet also reduces the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases like diabetes mellitus and hypertension later in life.

What type of food is good?

Healthy eating habits comprise consuming the right food at the right time, and consuming the right quantity of food, which should include all the required macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

Breast milk is best for the first 6 months (exclusive breastfeeding). After 6 months, breast milk is not sufficient, so the baby should be started on complementary food, which should include all the following. There are eight food groups for 6 months – 2 years:

• • Breastfeeding
• • Vitamin A, iron rich fruits and vegetables
• • Dairy products (milk, infant formula, yogurt, and cheese)
• • Eggs
• • Flesh foods (meat, fish, poultry & organ meats)
• • Grains, roots, tubers, plantains
• • Pulses (beans, peas, lentils), nuts & seeds

Here are some other things to keep in mind:

• • Added salt and sugar are not recommended in the initial complementary feeding.
• • Give a very small amount of any new food at the beginning and gradually increase the quantity over a period of 1-2 weeks.
• • Offer small-sized servings.
• • Use boiled and cooled water for drinking and avoid outside meals to prevent food-borne infections.
• • Do not give honey to infants under 1 year because of the risk of botulism.
• • Childhood obesity occurs because of excessive feeding and giving calorie dense foods.
• • When starting food items, consistency should be thin in the early months (6 to 12 months).
• • Choking can be caused by nuts, seeds, hard pieces of fruits/chapathi, etc., hence should be avoided in pieces form till 2 years of age.

10 tips for healthy eating habits

1. Try to prepare and give homemade healthy and tasty food.
2. Try to give a variety of food items that vary in taste and texture.
3. Make feeding fun and restrict feeding time to less than 30 minutes.
4. Encourage your child to eat by himself / herself.
5. Don’t force your child to eat. Respect their likes and dislikes.
6. Avoid snacks in between meals, try to maintain gap of 2 to 3 hours between meals.
7. Avoid junk food and food items containing preservatives.
8. Reduce the quantity of milk to once / twice per day in older children.
9. Include at least two types of fruits and two types of vegetables in daily diet.
10. Finally, avoid letting children use smart phones or watch TV during mealtimes.