September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. One program at SRHD that is making a positive impact on childhood obesity is our Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program (WIC). WIC is a reliable resource with a participant-centered approach. It provides nutrition education, nutritious foods, breastfeeding support, and healthcare referrals for income-eligible women who are pregnant or have infants and children up to age five.

It's important for all children to have healthy eating habits. To encourage this, WIC representatives work with families on goals that would be appropriate and achievable with each unique participant. If you’re needing some ideas to encourage healthy eating habits here are some suggestions from WIC Program Manager and Registered Dietitian Mary Wood.

It’s important for families to establish their circles of control. This defines what a mom, dad, or caregiver can control versus what a child can control. In this case, the parent’s job is to decide what, when and where the child will eat. The child’s job is to decide how much and whether or not they are going to eat what is offered.

Once the family has a goal and understands their roles, it is important to maintain a schedule for meal and snack times since routine is so important for kids. Try not to give in to requests in between these times. Parents should choose meals they enjoy and keep meals pleasant by talking and listening to one another. This means turning off the TV, tablets, and phones and not stressing too much about messes as kids explore their food.

After parents understand their job, they can work on teaching their child what his or her job is. This will include helping the child learn to eat only at family meal and snack times and having them come to the table hungry. Parents will need to allow them to pick what they will eat from the choices in front of them and hold the power to decide when they are full. Caregivers can also set an expectation to behave nicely at the table.

Helping families set and maintain goals is just one example of how our WIC representatives can encourage healthy eating habits in children. But you can also pick up maps of Spokane’s walking and hiking trails, creative recipes to sneak fruits and vegetables into meals, age appropriate eating plans and suggestions, and tips for picky eating at any WIC office location. We also give out children books filled with fruits and veggies to encourage children to try new, healthy foods.

If you are currently a WIC participant and were not aware we provide this service or if are you a mom or mom-to-be who’s wondering if she qualifies for WIC, visit the WIC website or reach out to one of our offices by calling 509.324.1620 and speak to one of our team members.