Hidden vegetables 'could combat childhood obesity'
Hiding vegetables in children's food is an effective way of combating childhood obesity, new research suggests.A study conducted by researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that pre-school children consumed almost twice as many vegetables and 11 per cent fewer calories in a day when pureed vegetables were sneaked into their meals.
The report, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, surveyed 39 children aged between three and six, and found that increasing the vegetable content of children's meals had the added benefit of reducing calories in meals by 15 to 25 per cent.
Barbara Rolls, co-author of the study, said preparing dishes covertly enhanced with pureed vegetables is a technique that should be used with other strategies, such as providing vegetables as snacks and side dishes.
"Together these strategies can substantially increase children's vegetable intake while also teaching them to like vegetables," she said.
Recently released figures backed by the British Nutrition Foundation found that over half of parents in the UK believe their children have a better diet during term time.
