"reward" news and stories

At Blogging Baby, a blogger admitted to bribing her kids with food on occasion, to ensure good behavior. Many commenters supported this decision and said that they do the same thing. Most were rewarding their small children with something equally small, like a single M&M or a Pez, and a few used foods like french fries and ice cream. But a toddler can be more easily satisfied with a single small candy than a four or seven year old, so at some point, the system either must stop or escalate.

One commenter said that she relied on healthier treats, like pretzels and fruit, for her kids but giving kids healthy foods did not seem to be the most popular choice.

Is this reliance on treats, especially candies, hurting kids when it comes to developing healthy eating habits later in life? Isn't it establishing food as a reward, a system that has led to the often-cited "obesity epidemic" in kids? It is true that the 4.5 calories in one M&M won't make a huge difference over time, but if that turns into a pack a day habit at some point, it certainly could have an impact on the child's health and the way they perceive food in general.

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Previous studies about the tempting nature of foods have always assumed that the brain functions the same way in all people, but it turns out that some people are more affected by images of food than other people are. When someone's "reward center" was over-activated by temptations - say, a picture of a delicious chocolate cake - they were more likely to give in to those temptations. The study noted that such a reaction could make people more susceptible to forms of marketing and product advertisement, as well as even to other addictions, like drug use or alcoholism.

I know that I prefer to see images of tempting foods in cookbooks and on blogs, but I think it gives me a greater appreciation for the food, not necessarily tempting me to overeat. Indeed, something that is perfectly presented might make me less likely to tuck in, not wanting to disturb the art-like arrangement on my place.  Have you ever been driven to overeat by a picture? Does this mean that we need to add a disclaimer to our Food Porn category?

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Kids in the UK are going to have another reason for eating healthy besides pleasing their parents. Fuel Zone is a program rolled out in schools that keep track of what kids eat, and rewards them with points for eating healthy. They can then trade in these points for prizes like iPods, DVD players, and XBox's. Some of the healthy menu items include cereal, fruit, soups, sandwiches, and the valuable vital mix, a healthy combo that gives a whopping 40 points.

I know that it can be hard to get kids to eat healthy. But is the only way to get them to do it is to reward them with electronics? Will they continue to eat healthy even after they get the prizes?

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