Slow it down, smaller food portions and electronic plates for overweight kids

Do we need an electronic plate to help kids learn to eat healthy food portions?  According to a new study published in the British Medical Journal, a new computerized "plate" is more successful in helping overweight children and teens lose weight than standard treatments. Also see below for strategies to try at home that don't require an electronic plate!

Essentially, this new device is an electronic plate that weighs food and gives feedback on how fast or slow kids are eating.  It is teaching them at the table to eat slower and put less on their plate.  The device plots a graph showing the child, the rate at which food actually disappears from the plate, compared to the ideal graph programmed in by a food therapist.

The study found the overweight kids that were participating in this study tended to eat larger portions very quickly. There is a couple things we know.

• The body takes about 20 minutes to tell your brain, you are full.  So if you it too quickly, you may be full, but not really know it yet.  So you eat more.
• The more you put on your plate, the more you tend to eat.

Eating slower tips:

• Talk as a family during meal time.  When you are talking, you are not eating.  So it slows down the eating time.
• Teach kids to take a bite and then put their fork down.  This helps kids take a pause instead of eating one bite after another.
• Teach kids to take a sip of water in between bites.
• This might sound extreme, but announce the start of dinner (i.e. 5pm is dinner)  and let kids know that you will sit together and talk and eat for 20 minutes.  In other words, help kids realize that this is not a rush or race to "finish and then go do something".  This is part of family time.
• Teach kids that it is healthy for the body to eat slower so that your brain has time to know when you are really full.  Kids are smart and learn fast.
• Take a look at your own eating habits, lead by example.

• Use 6 inch plates or the "salad plate" for dinner.  Kids are less likely to put the same amount on a 6 inch plate versus an 8 inch plate.
• Place smaller serving utensils on the platters.  Instead of a large serving spoon, how about a spoon that is larger than a tablespoon.  Even a tablespoon can work.
• Ask kids to put only one serving on their plate to start.  If they are still hungry, they can always put a second serving afterward.
• Cut up meat (you can usually ask the butcher to do this for no extra charge) into 4 ounce servings.
• Place larger serving spoons for the vegetables and fruits.  We want the kids to eat more of this healthy, low calorie food!

Healthy Serving for Kids

Portion Size Reference Guide

Healthy Nutrition- Food Games for Kids