Children Should Be Away From Fast Food Toy

Specialist Clinical Psychologist and Specialist Dietitian Merve Öz pointed out that designed toys such as hamburgers or pizza make children prone to fast food consumption.
Emphasizing that such toys cause children to use school canteens and outdoor food preferences for fast food such as pizza and hamburgers, Yeditepe University Hospitals  Specialist Clinical Psychologist and Specialist Dietitian,  Merve Öz children begin to be influenced by advertisements and toys by understanding the role of food in our lives from the age of 3-5. At this age, the effect of toys on children will determine their choices at an older age. Merve Öz: ''The child will start to prefer fast food products such as hamburgers, pizza, and french fries, which he plays only as a toy or sees on TV at first when the time comes."

Stating that many habits that will affect the behaviors of adulthood are acquired in the preschool period. Moreover, irregular eating habits acquired at this age will affect the physical, emotional, and social development of the child in other periods of his life.

Emphasizing that fast food consumption causes obesity and other metabolic diseases in the future, Öz also added: "Fast food-style foods contain too much-saturated fat and are poor in terms of vitamin and mineral content. They also contain colorants, preservatives, and a large amount of salt. Acidic beverages also contain plenty of corn syrup. While fast food consumption and acidic drinks pose a risk for obesity due to excessive calorie intake, obesity increases the risk of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular disease in the long term."

"Be an Example to Your Children"

Pointing out that fast food should not be used as a means of rewarding children in order to regulate children's eating habits, Öz stated that mothers and fathers should consume the foods they want to feed their children.
Emphasizing that children should be kept away from commercials encouraging fast food consumption, cartoon characters and actors produced to attract their attention, Öz said, "Although it does not put pressure on children to eat, it is very important to provide children with regular eating habits. By giving children the habit of breakfast, a habit of eating at least 3 meals should be formed. In addition, children should be encouraged to eat snacks, as small snacks play an important role in the preference for healthy main meals.”

The Three-Table Spoon Rule for Eating Vegetables

Expressing that it is also important to introduce fruits and vegetables to children at an early age in order to acquire healthy and balanced nutrition habits, Öz stated: "It is very important to play games to teach and introduce the names of fruits and vegetables. Sometimes children may want to avoid eating certain vegetables. In this case, it is important to cook these vegetables at home, but the rule of tasting 3 tablespoons can be developed. 

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