Doctor Shares 6 Ways Kids Can Love Food Again

Parents drowning in conflicting food advice finally have a lifeline from someone who's seen it all.

Dr. Nancy Bostock has a unique perspective on children's eating. She's worked in weight management clinics, inpatient mental health units, and helped design the food strategy for Cambridge Children's Hospital, giving her a front-row seat to how food choices affect both body and mind.

What she's seeing worries her. Parents receive so much contradictory advice from social media, blogs, and well-meaning relatives that they often end up making choices that hurt rather than help their children's relationship with food.

Bostock works at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, where she treats kids struggling with everything from eating disorders to obesity. The common thread? Many started with parents who meant well but got lost in the confusion of modern food culture.

That's why she recently shared six straightforward, research-backed approaches with New Scientist. These aren't trendy diet hacks or complicated meal plans. They're simple strategies that help children develop positive eating habits that last a lifetime.

The timing matters. Children today face unprecedented pressure around food and body image, often starting before they even enter school. Social media amplifies unrealistic standards while conflicting nutrition advice leaves parents second-guessing every grocery store decision.

Why This Inspires

Bostock's advice represents a refreshing shift in how medical professionals talk about children's nutrition. Instead of focusing on restrictions, weight, or "good" versus "bad" foods, she emphasizes building a healthy relationship with eating. It's an approach that recognizes food as more than fuel. It's comfort, culture, family connection, and joy.

Her work at the intersection of physical and mental health lets her see what others might miss. A child who learns to fear certain foods might develop anxiety. One who's constantly monitored at mealtimes might rebel. But children who grow up with balanced, pressure-free guidance around food? They're more likely to listen to their bodies, enjoy meals, and maintain both physical and emotional health.

Parents don't need another diet plan or superfood list. They need permission to simplify, to trust themselves, and to remember that raising healthy eaters is about the long game, not perfection at every meal.