Activity sheets may help children to eat their greens!

New research has shown that activity sheets may help children to eat their greens!

Research carried out by the University at Buffalo and Independent Health Foundation identified that children who are exposed to restaurant activity sheets depicting healthy food, alongside positive imagery and games, are significantly more likely to make a healthy meal choice.

The study focused on children aged four to eight years old who visited a restaurant with their parents and were given a voucher to revisit the restaurant within two weeks. On their second visit, half of the children were given activity sheets which contained healthier food options. The results found that 18% of children who were given the activity sheets chose healthier meals, compared to just 7% who were exposed to a normal dining setting without the activity sheet. The children who chose the healthier food options consumed less saturated fat across their total meal.

The study's lead author Stephanie Anzman-Frasca commented that "…research suggests children tend to consume less healthy foods in restaurant settings compared to home. In this study, our goal was to feature healthier children's meal options prominently to see whether this could affect children's orders and intake… These results suggest that restaurants can help promote healthier eating in children by featuring healthier items more prominently on materials that are viewed prior to ordering."

Making healthy options appealing and easy to choose will help to normalise healthy options in restaurants and nudge children toward healthier choices.

At Colour Heroes, we recognise the importance of teaching children new ideas and concepts in a fun and engaging way. Our rainbow food activity sheet, created by our in-house team of illustrators, focuses on healthy eating habits. The bright and engaging design encourages children to try all the colours of the rainbow, with food inspired by healthy eating. Designed exclusively for restaurant and café sites, it aims to teach children about the nutritional benefits of certain food types on their plate, portion size and to introduce new foods they may not have tried yet. This sheet costs only 10p each and is available to buy in our online shop.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-07-restaurant-placemats-healthy-children.html