Parents may be ‘fuelling obesity’ by encouraging one eating habit in children

New data reveals that more than a third of parents insist their children finish their plates, with oversized portions likely boosting the nation’s obesity crisis.

A new poll, conducted for the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), found 37% of parents always or often make their children eat everything on their plate, with a further 23% sometimes insisting children finish their entire meal.

The YouGov poll of 1,065 parents of children also revealed that 7% of parents with children aged four and under and 11% of those with children aged five to 11 give their children the same portion sizes as they give to themselves.

Bridget Benelam, nutrition communications manager for the BNF, said: “In England, about a quarter of adults are living with obesity and 37.9% are classified as overweight, while over a fifth of 10 to 11-year-old children are classified as living with obesity.

“Research has shown that large portions of food encourage both adults and children to eat more, so getting portion sizes right is an important element of having a balanced diet that supports a healthy body weight.”

According to a Government Policy Paper, obesity doubles the risk of dying prematurely, with the NHS in England spending an average of £6.5 billion a year on overweight and obesity-related ill-health.

The poll also revealed that 77% of parents give their children pudding after their main meal at least once a week, of whom 18% have a dessert or pudding every day and 17% have one between four and six days a week.

Ms Benelam said: “As a rule, children need portion sizes that reflect their body size and calorie requirements, so we’re encouraging parents to check the portion sizes they are serving to their children.

“One way to get an idea of