Nutrition News & Views

January 31, 2000
Normal Eating Nurtures Wellness - January 2000/No.4

The New Year is here and this is the time many people start a diet craze. What many do not realize is that normal eating will help one lose weight and that dieting may hinder one more than help.

Normal eating is distinguished by regular eating habits, typically three meals a day and snacks to satisfy hunger. It is regulated mostly by internal signals of hunger, appetite, satiety - we eat when hungry and stop when satisfied.

Normal eating enhances our feelings of well-being. People eat for health and energy, also for pleasure and social reasons, and afterward, people feel good. Normal eating means that food choices more likely provide variety, moderation, and balanced nutrition.

Normal eating promotes clear thinking and mood stability. It fosters healthy relationships in family, work, school, and community. Thoughts of food, hunger, weight occupy only a small part of day (perhaps 10 to 15 percent).

Normal eating nurtures good health, vibrant energy, and the healthy growth and development of children. It promotes stable weights, within a wide range, expressing both genetic and environmental factors.

Dysfunctional or disordered eating patterns are irregular and chaotic (fasting, bingeing, dieting, skipping meals), or may mean usually overeating or undereating much more or less than the body wants or needs. Instead of feeling better after eating, the person is likely to feel worse.

Feeling fatigued, irritable, moody, chilled, less able to concentrate, and increasingly self-absorbed is common. Thoughts of food, hunger, and weight may occupy 20 to 65 percent of waking hours, or more. Potential health problems vary depending on the dysfunction. Risk of developing eating disorders is increased.

Here are some strategies for parents to use to encourage normal eating:

  • Offer a variety of nutritious food at regular intervals - planned meals and snacks.
  • Help the child identify hunger and fullness.
  • Be a good example of normal, healthy eating and lifestyle.
  • Follow Ellyn Satter's Golden Rule for Parenting with Food:
    a. Parents are responsible for what is presented to eat and the manner in which it is presented.
    b. Children are responsible for how much and even whether they eat.

Reprinted with permission from Healthy Weight Network, Frances M. Berg.

Submitted by Judy Wingert, MSU Graduate Assistant
Distributed by Barbara McLaurin, Ph.D.,R.D.,L.D., Human Nutrition Specialist, MSU Extension Service, January 2000

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