Study of the Day: To Teach Kids to Eat Smart, Parents Should Show, Not Tell

New research from Michigan State University shows that leading by example promotes healthier diets among children than explicit food restrictions.

PROBLEM: How does parental behavior during mealtime influence children's food intake, weight, and obesity risk?

METHODOLOGY: To explore the possible consequences of directive (overt) and nondirective (covert and environmental) forms of parental feeding control, Michigan State University researchers led by Megumi Murashima collected data from 330 dyads of children, aged three to five, and mothers participating in a federal preschool program for low-income families. They assessed the moms' feeding practices, the kids' food consumption, and the height and weight of both the mothers and children.

Ingenious Label Design Ensures Food Safety

     Japanese design agency TO-GENKYO has designed an innovative hourglass shaped label for packaged meat which uses a special ink that changes color as ammonia is released inside the package. As the meat ages, it releases increasing amounts of the substance, obscuring the barcode at the bottom. Customers can quickly see if the meat is going bad – and when the barcode becomes completely covered, it can’t be scanned.