Allowing kids to prepare healthy meals is a good way of encouraging them to eat healthy food.

Junk food vending machines are being blamed as major contributor to the increasing childhood obesity in America. Although several steps are being taken to combat the problem, officials and health experts continue to stress parents’ role in keeping children well-fed in the household. Of course, this is easy – until kids go to school or a friend’s home or dine out with friends.

A new study from the Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health reveals that parental influence on kids’ diet is not as heavy as we might like to think. The researchers looked at 30 years’ worth of studies and found that kids’ diets have become far different from their parents’, and they appear less healthy.

May A. Beydoun – co-author of the study – said many people assume that parents have a strong say in what their children eat. But outside forces might have more sway, particularly over older kids who eat out more, concluded Beydoun and Dr. Youfa Wang, lead author of the study and an associate professor in the department of international health.

The outside forces being referred to include friends, schools, area stores and advertisers, among others.

While parents are able to heavily influence children’s healthy eating habits there still needs to be a concerted effort outside the home. One of the positive things that happened before 2010 ended is the signing of the new legislation Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. This new law aims to set nutritional standards for all food offered in schools.

Prior Obama’s signing of Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, several states have been passing memorandums that orders school districts to review their existing nutritional guidelines. In the Baltimore area, many schools have been making menu and curriculum changes. In the spring, officials will launch an advertising campaign aimed at countering ads for unhealthy foods called Get Fresh Baltimore.

The epidemic of childhood obesity is hard to ignore. It impacts the lives of our younger generation and may deprive them with better opportunities if we fail to address the issue. Parental influence should not be taken lightly when it comes to kids’ diets. It is absolutely impossible to watch the kids every minute of the day. However, teaching them the value of nutrition and encouraging them to eat nutritious meals and snacks is an important step to give them a good framework.