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After the
5-week experimental period, the children's positive comments about
the target food were significantly more frequent than their positive
comments about the control food, and they requested it more often
than they had before its availability had become restricted.
In the
second study, the control food was available to the subjects (37
children) throughout each 15-minute snack period, but the target
food was available to them for only five minutes per snack period.
Again, the children's positive comments about the target food were
more frequent. They opted for it more often than they opted for
the control food, and they consumed more of the target food per
snack period than of the control food.
Researchers
Fisher and Birch note that, according to recent surveys, the diets
of only a very small percentage of children in the United States
conform to government recommendations. In efforts to improve their
children's diets, parents may be contributing to this problem by
limiting the availability of foods they consider harmful or merely
unhealthful, such as convenience foods high in sugar and fat. Perhaps
also partly to blame are nutritionists who advocate dietary regimens
that center on the elimination of "bad" foods.
Findings
from the Fisher and Birch studies suggest that external restrictions
on children's food selections may be conducive to their preferring
forbidden or "limited-access" foods, especially when such foods
are commonly at hand. The researchers state that external dietary
restrictions do not promote learning moderation of the intake of
such foods.
"These
findings suggest that children who experience restriction on a long-term
basis will preferentially select and consume palatable, restricted
foods when given the opportunity to make their own choices," said
the researchers.
Dr. Gilbert
L. Ross, medical director of the American Council on Science and
Health, states: "Contrary to the simple-minded advisories issued
by a few self-styled consumer interest groups, studies such as this
suggest that unduly restricting all enjoyable foods merely because
they're not as healthful or nutritious as some others (fruits and
vegetables) may be counter-productive."
American
Council on Science and Health
http://www.acsh.org/
Date Published:
June 14, 1999
Date Reviewed:
June 14, 1999
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