How can I help my child form healthier eating and exercise habits?

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  1.  Jodie Shield
     
    Jodie Shield of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:
    Here are some tips for making healthy eating and physical activity a habit for your child or teen:
    • Repetition is key. Just as you learned multiplication tables by going over them repeatedly, we learn healthy habits through daily repetition.
    • Practice! Encourage your child to regularly practice the behavior at the same time and place. For example, if you want a kid to eat more fruit, offer her an apple every day for an afterschool snack.
    • Set the pace early. Help your child follow through consistently with the new behavior, especially at the beginning. Your child can form a habit if he skips a day, but it will take longer to develop.
    More Related Answers from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
    Here are some tips for making healthy eating and physical activity a habit for your child or teen: Repetition is key. Just as you learned multiplication tables by going over them repeatedly, we learn healthy habits through daily repetition.... More