Parents who want their preschoolers to eat their vegetables may need to take a hard look at their own eating habits, new research suggests.

In a study of 120 young children who were allowed to "buy" food from a play grocery store, researchers found that even 2-year-olds tended to mirror their parents' usual food choices.

Children who stocked up on sweets, sugary drinks and salty snacks generally had parents whose typical grocery list featured such items. Similarly, children with the healthiest shopping habits seemed to be following their parents' lead as well.

The findings, reported in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, suggest that even very young children do not indiscriminately reach for candy when given the chance. Instead, they seem to already be forming food preferences -- potentially lasting ones -- based on their parents' shopping carts.

"The data suggest that children begin to assimilate and mimic their parents' food choices at a very young age, even before they are able to fully appreciate the implications of these choices," write the researchers, led by Dr. Lisa A. Sutherland of Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

That, the researchers say, means that the grocery store can be like a classroom, where parents teach their children that foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains take priority over snacks and desserts.

For the study, Sutherland's team had 120 children aged 2 to 6 years old each take a turn in a play grocery store. The children were told they could buy anything they wanted out of 133 items: "healthier" foods included fruits, vegetables, whole-grain cereals, bread and milk; "less healthy" items included desserts, candy, potato chips, soda and sugary cereals.

Parents completed questionnaires on how often they bought specific foods and beverages. All said they brought their children with them on grocery store trips.

Most of the children, the researchers found, bought some sugary, salty treats; on average, their carts were filled with equal parts healthy and unhealthy items.

However, 35 children bought significantly more healthy fare than junk food. In general, the study found, the health-consciousness of a child's shopping cart mirrored that of her parents' grocery list.

"Nutrition interventions for children most often begin with school-aged children," Sutherland and her colleagues write. "This study suggests that preschool children are already forming food preferences and are attentive to food choices made by their parents."

Giving preschoolers a taste for healthy foods, the researchers add, could ultimately make it easier for them to keep up a lifetime of smart eating.

SOURCE: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, November 2008.

What exactly is Kids diet:

Diet for kids should include a variety of foods in order to have all the essential nutrients of a balance diet. It is to be noted that the overall health and fitness of a child mostly depends upon the diet. At present, kid obesity and malnutrition are important issues around the world.

Carbohydrates should form a major part of the kid’s diet. In fact, they are the most common source of energy and are also important for the storage and transport of energy. Carbohydrates are responsible for proper functioning of the immune system and various other developmental processes. Some of the carbohydrate rich foods that should be included are rice, wheat, and maize. Bread and pasta can be included if they are what your kids really love.

The diet should contain adequate amount fresh fruits and vegetables as they are a very good source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients. Another advantage of fruits and vegetables is that they are low in fats and sodium. Studies have shown that having sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables can avoid certain diseases. It has been suggested that serving kids with 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day is good for the kid's health. Servings can be in form of salads, juices, puddings, etc. One can add fresh or dried fruits and vegetables while preparing muffins, smoothies and yogurts so that kids will enjoy eating them.

Dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter and yogurt must be included in the kid’s diet. Milk is rich in almost all the nutrients such as protein, fat, calcium, and vitamin and is also referred to as perfect food. Calcium is very important for healthy bones and dental health of the kids. The diet of kids should consist of protein-rich foods like fish, eggs, meat, and pulses. Proteins are necessary for the proper functioning of the body, for building muscles and are also a part of hemoglobin. It is to be noted that iron rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, liver and rice flakes are necessary for a kid's diet.

It is to be added that oily and fatty foods, fast foods, low-nutrient foods, soft drinks should be kept to a minimum. Parents should know about the interest of their kids and let them to participate while buying vegetables, fruits and other kitchen items. They should be familiar with the preferences of their kids, their likes and dislikes of foods. Kids can be involved while preparing meals and try to make their favorite dishes and recipes in a healthy, nutritious way. It is important that the kids enjoy their food; however, ensure what they eat is healthy and nutritious too.

 Some Diet Jokes

1.After my husband asked me to help him shed some unwanted pounds, I stopped serving fattening TV snacks and substituted crisp celery.

While he was unenthusiastically munching on a stalk one night, a commercial caught his attention. As he watched longingly, a woman spread gooey chocolate frosting over a freshly baked cake.

When it was over, my husband turned to me. "Did you ever notice," he asked, "that they never advertise celery on TV?"

2.Two blondes decided to share a can of diet soda. One blonde opened the can, poured half the contents into her own glass, and the other half into her friend's glass. Before throwing the can away, she stopped to read the nutritional information on the side.

"Wow, there's only one calorie per can," she commented.

"Hmmmm," replied her friend, "I wonder which glass has the calorie!"

3. Girl: I'd like a triple vanilla ice cream sundae with chocolate syrup, nuts, whipped cream, topped off with a slice of cucumber.

Waiter: Did I hear you right? Did ou say top it off with a slice of cucumber?

Girl: Good heavens, you're right! forget the cucumber – I'm on a diet.