With so many sources of nutrition information—many that aren’t reputable—myths about child nutrition run rampant. As a parent or caregiver, taking myths at face value may negatively impact your child’s health. Here’s the straight scoop on some potentially harmful myths.

Myth: To decrease risk of chronic diseases, low-fat foods are a good idea for children.
Truth: Very young children need fat for proper growth and brain development. For this reason, after a child is weaned from the breast or bottle, whole cow’s milk is recommended between ages 1 and 2 years. After that, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends most children drink reduced-fat (2%) or low-fat (1%) milk, but it’s important to talk with your child’s doctor to find out which type of cow’s milk is best for your child. Other than that, children should be offered a wide variety of food and given the choice about what and how much to eat. Children need a moderate amount of fat, so low-fat varieties of foods such as low-fat crackers, cookies or cheese aren’t necessary.

Myth: If a child’s weight for height is above the 95^th percentile, the child has a weight problem and intervention is needed.
Truth: Some children have weights that naturally track above the 95^th percentile (as my daughter’s did) and, at the other end of the spectrum of normal, some children are naturally thin. In order to accurately assess growth and weight, a qualified medical professional plots a child’s height and weight over months and years on a special graph (a growth chart) and looks at how a child’s height and weight have tracked over time (the child’s growth curve). A sharp increase or decrease in the child’s growth curve may indicate a feeding/eating or health issue.

Myth: Kids need to snack often so they don’t get too hungry.
Truth: To provide proper nutrition and foster trust, parents are responsible for offering their child three meals and approximately three snacks on a regular schedule each day. Only water should be provided between these eating occasions. This helps ensure that when it’s time to eat, the child comes to the table a little hungry, which helps the child be a better eater.

Myth: When a child eats more or less than usual, a parent needs to take control and either restrict food or strongly encourage the child to eat.
Truth: Since children naturally go through alternating periods of slow, steady, and fast growth, their appetite and the amount of food they eat will vary. Some days a child may be ravenously hungry, other days a child may not be interested in eating. Children’s appetites are marvelously accurate regulators of food intake for proper growth and health (as long as they are not restricted from eating or bribed or cajoled to eat) and they will eat what they need in order to grow well.

Myth: Children who don’t like to eat vegetables won’t get the nutrients they need.
Truth: Children can get the nutrients they need from fruit and other foods if a variety of foods are offered. However, don’t give up on a child who won’t touch vegetables. Keep offering a variety of raw and cooked vegetables without comment or pressure, and the child will most likely try vegetables eventually and may even learn to like them.