Maybe. Basically yes. We all know we have a big problem with kids being overweight in the U.S. Our lifestyles are full of chaos meaning more fast food dinners on the run. To make matters worse, food prices have skyrocketed making it even harder for families to eat healthy, forced to stretch their dollar buying processed food. Now a new study has found that infants in daycare have a higher rate of being overweight. Just what parents want to hear when many families are forced to enroll infants as young as 6 weeks of age.
I was curious as to why this could be happening but not fully satisfied by the answers that left me wondering. Apparently, they have not pinpointed the exact reasons why these kids are overweight. Some of the reasons they feel might contribute are:
- Infants in daycare usually begin transitioning to solids earlier
- Meal times are not as consistent
- Childcare workers may feed children to soothe them
- Children may be overfed
- Childcare workers not having enough nutrition education
Regardless of the reasons of this issue, it raises a red flag parents need to address. If your infant or even an older child is in daycare start asking questions, start having more conversations about how, what and when your child is eating. Be specific on when you want them to eat and providing the exact foods. Let them know you do not want your baby being fed just to keep them quiet. We pay a lot of money to have our kids cared for each day and with that, our concerns should be heard and respected. The early years are crucial in creating good eating habits for kids and when you hear statistics like this it shows you many are not off to a good start.
