Mediterranean diet?
He only likes candy or she takes two hours to eat are common complaints in houses with children. Indeed, sitting down at the dining table can be a daily struggle for parents and children if the former try to make the latter eat properly and the latter refuse to try vegetables, lentils or soup.

Don't let desperation or a lack of patience cause you to fail to nourish your children properly. Recent polls back up the nutritionist Ana Sastre when she says only five percent of the children in the Madrid region follow the so-called Mediterranean diet. Other studies conducted among adolescents and young people in the Valencia region show the same trend. The Mediterranean diet, based on regular intake of fruit, vegetables, olive oil, pasta and legumes, has emerged as one of the healthiest because of its anti-cancer and heart-friendly properties. Dr. Sastre says children constitute a fundamental group when it comes to establishing healthy nutritional habits.�

Sastre says school and day-care menus have improved in nutritional quality. Ironically, the problem of child nutrition rests in the home. There, a lack of time and demands of work prevent families from setting meal times for children and from encouraging them to try eating everything. Customs like sharing breakfast or dinner as a family in the kitchen are doomed to disappear. Besides the loss of personal relations that develop around the table, this implies a lack of control over the food kids eat and how they eat it.

Pediatricians say they receive visits from many anxious parents who cannot get their kids to eat properly. The first measure to take is don't be in a hurry. For instance, dedicate at least 10 minutes to breakfast. It is also important for each dish to be as attractive as possible for the child: bright colors, fun mixes and textures adequate for the child's age. Another point is don't get upset if a kid goes into a period in which he or she doesn't want to eat. Everyone loses their appetite now and then, and forcing things is not going to help. It is best not to use candy as a prize for good behavior. The child receives a message that says this is the right kind of diet.

Childhood obesity is another problem that goes hand in hand with consuming the wrong diet. Today the habits of small children have changed so that their games are not as active as they used to be. Television and video games have taken the place of jump-rope and hopscotch. Therefore it is essential to stimulate children so they will take on some kind of sport which, besides helping in other walks of life, helps burn calories.

The idea of presenting children with food as something fun is not new. Juegos que nutren la mente, Los Nutris S.L. (Games that nourish the mind) has created a board game called Troglot�n en la Gran Espiral (www.trogloton.com). It seeks to stimulate children's interest in food, encourage learning of a balanced diet. This kind of entertainment helps children become familiar at an early age with the benefits of trying anything. There is also a television project related with this initiative. It will push the idea among children that a balanced diet is essential.
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