For healthy diets start them early

Parents have been told that they can shape their children's eating habits for a lifetime by serving fruit and vegetables while they are young. Researchers at Washington University in St Louis have been looking at ways of getting children to eat healthily to combat child obesity, and one way was to create an environment in the home where kids reach for a banana instead of crisps. A programme was tested by the researchers and Professor Debra Haire-Joshu of the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, where parents were taught how to provide preschool children with easy access to fruit and vegetables and tested whether children's food choices were affected by their parents'.

"We know that parents have tremendous influence over how many fruits and vegetables their children eat," said Professor Haire-Joshu.

"When parents eat more fruits and vegetables, so do their children."

She then warned: "When parents eat and give their children high fat snacks or soft drinks, children learn these eating patterns instead."

The study lasted five years and took place in southeast Missouri, with 1,306 parents and children aged between two and five taking part.

Participants were randomly split into two groups, with one set receiving advice and help on healthy nutrition.

Parents in this group were found to eat significantly more fruits and vegetables, and this change predicted a change in their child's diet too.