Variation is necessary for healthy growth and development of the child. Toddlers develop a broader taste to determine their food preference during the rest of their lives. Lack of variety caused a shortage of nutrients, which result in one-sided diet and may delay the healthy development of the child.

Research shows that many taste preferences early, ie in infancy, formed and remarkably stable. Early exposure to many different tastes make children less picky, and ensures that they later accept more new flavors. From this perspective it is beneficial to give children very early large variations in taste.

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As many as 63 percent of children who have problems with vegetables, eating less than 100 grams of vegetables a day. For children aged four to twelve years, however, contains a healthy meal 150 grams. Older children should eat 200 grams of vegetables per day.

The tastiest vegetables to children: green beans, spinach, carrots and broccoli.

The most hated vegetables among toddlers are sprouts, endive, cabbage, leeks and beans. If toddlers do not like it, the parents give them something else. The educators often find it more important that the child eat enough food than the food is varied. They would also prefer the whining off.

Some vegetables you should learn to eat, therefore we should take some time. Courgettes are soft taste, that's a real baby vegetables. But the taste of tomato is quite pronounced for some children, perhaps too sharply. You must learn how to cook the tastiest vegetables so the true flavor is maintained and do not to much with sauces and spices. Kids love white.

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• Involve children in preparing meals;
  
  
• Give advance pieces of raw vegetable;
  
  
• Eat togehter with the children;
  
  
• Provide bowls and handy cutlery;
  
  
• Do not give too much at once;
  
  
• Teach a child to taste;
  
  
• Never use food as punishment or reward;
  
  
• Take time for meals;
  
  
• Do not eat too late and look for regularity.

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The number of overweight children in Europe nearly doubled in the last 20 years.

The causes of the thickness are known trend: children get too many sweets, they drink cola and eat chips and chocolate. They sit at the computer and the TV, on the street is barely played. Parents are busy and resort to fast food or ready-made meals.

80 percent of overweight children is overweight in old age, with all its consequences. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Old-age diabetes (diabetes type 2) was ten years ago with children, but now regularly pops in children younger than twelve years.

Furthermore, overweight children also have more to do with socio-emotional problems such as low self-esteem, loneliness, and behavioral network. Undesirable consequence is the body size and restriction in sports.

Obesity in children is the responsibility of parents, government and industry. Parents are responsible for what children put in their mouths. Schools, shops and restaurants have to offer lower calorie products. Desirable is a ban on TV of advertisements for candy and other unhealthy food.

The consequences of childhood obesity are frightening. Type 2 diabetes eventually makes serious cardiovascular problems.
The accumulation of fat in the liver phenomenon constitutes a major risk: it can cause liver cirrhosis (damage to liver cells is progressive) and even liver cancer occur.
Also, overweight and obesity in children lead to glucose intolerance and hypertension. If children whith sufficiently overweight lose weight, the risk of complications will be less immediately.

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Children have less overweight at age of 3, when the mother had a greater supply of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy. This is shown by an observational cohort study in the United States. There was no relationship between omega-6 fatty acids and obesity.

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Eating together at the diningtable is much nicer than the meal infront of the tv, that is clear. But the joint family dinner has many more advantages!

Because many children who eat meals at the dining table, are less likely to have overweight. The study, conducted by the University of Illinois, is based on an analysis of 17 previously completed studies. So they could combined data of 183,000 children between 3 and 17 years old.

The conclusions of the American investigators: Children who have dinner with the family 24 percent more likely to eat healthy and less likely to develop eating disorders. Also, the children who sit down together three times a week for dinner, 12 percent less likely to have overweight and 20 percent less likely to eat snacks like chips and popcorn.

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