Obesity-proofing our children 181 children’ s plate going to waste. I grew up having to clear my plate and to this day I have to work hard to allow both myself and my children to leave perfectly good food on a plate and stop when we are no longer hungry. If there is dessert to follow then the issue is a little more complex. Let’ s look at the bigger picture. By the time children become adults they need to learn to pace themselves and to not deny themselves nice food such as that found in their favorite desserts. Bingeing comes from denying desired foods until a breaking point is reached. Equally, they need to learn to not over-eat with their main course, so they can then‘ legitimately’ add further calories they just don’ t need with dessert. The first question to ask is: are the portion sizes you are serving your children too big – especially at the end of the day? Children are better at adults at eating throughout the day. As long as what you have been serving them or allowing them to eat through the day is reasonably healthy, then you want them to get in the habit of eating less in the evening. Sometimes however, for example when children are attending school, the only way you can be sure they are eating some healthy food, such as fibre and greens, is at breakfast and the evening meal. As adults they need to be able to have the right balance between healthy foods and more fattening savory or sweet foods. So I suggest that again you don’ t insist they eat everything on their plate. But as always with parenting you have to use your discretion and your knowledge of your child. If you sense they are just angling to get out of eating their vegetables so they can move onto dessert then require they eat more first. If you look at their plate and think,‘ Yes, that was a large serve, and generally he’ s pretty good’, then you can afford to be a little more lenient. I am surprised by the number of parents who give up so easily. They tell me they can’ t get their child to eat anything but meat and fries or cheese macaroni. I find this very disturbing. When I go into what has happened I generally find that parents have tried to use anger and persuasion rather than consequences. Sure kids can survive and grow on