the key to the development of healthy eating habits. As habits, whether good or bad, are picked up at home (not from the house next door), this means healthy eating must start with you! Children are great mimics so are strongly influenced by what their parents eat, if they observe you eating a food they will be more likely to try it! Naturally, parents become very concerned if their child is not eating as they expect; a child senses this concern and learns, at an early age, how to use food to manipulate his parents. Refusing to eat can get a child more attention than anything else he does. It is not unusual for a child to go on hunger strike -- particularly if it gets him what he wants. So try to avoid falling into that trap! As a parent, it is your responsibility to supply appropriate food for your child to eat, and it is your child's responsibility to determine how much he wants to eat or whether or not he wants to eat at all. Your child's appetite will vary from day to day. How much he eats will be influenced by his rate of growth, his activity and how he feels.

There are many ways to encourage food acceptance and build good eating habits in your child. Here are some ideas to help you set the stage.

Meal time should be a time for relaxation, pleasure and family interaction, so turn off the television so you share this time with your family. Remember a child's appetite can easily be ruined by an unpleasant atmosphere so do not reprimand, criticise or lecture during meal time.

Establish what you believe are acceptable standards of behaviour for your child at the dinner table, i.e. not talking with his mouth full.

Plan your child's meals and snacks so they provide a variety of foods from each of the four food groups each day.

Introduce new foods one at a time, in small amounts, along with other foods he likes. Most toddlers do not like new foods, so do not be discouraged! Present new foods frequently as continued exposure promotes acceptance. However, remember your child is entitled to dislike some food too! Gently encourage your child to eat. Do not bribe, blackmail, punish or deprive your child to try and force him to eat. Accept his right to refuse and continue mealtime as if nothing has happened. Do not offer him something else instead.

If your child refuses to eat try to determine why? Has he had a snack too close to mealtime? Is he asserting himself? Is he seeking attention? Or is he just not hungry? Remember, forcing a child to eat is counter productive, and can lead to negative attitudes about food in your child and frustration in yourself.

Snacks are a means of rounding out your child's diet, so should contribute to his total nutrient intake, offer foods such as fruit, cheese and crackers, yogurt etc. So as not to interfere with his appetite, a snack should be planned and offered at least two to one a half hours before mealtime.

Help your child develop a healthy attitude to "junk food'', healthy snacking does not mean never having fun foods such as chocolates, chips, and sodas, but rather saving them for special occasions. Be realistic, it is not fair to never let your child taste the latest popular snack foods, but understand that he will eat them given the opportunity, so make sure they are not readily available in your home.

Do not confuse him by telling him "junk food is bad for you'' and then give it to him as a reward or a treat.

Encourage your child to be physically active each day, this will help create a healthy appetite and maintain a healthy weight.

Establish realistic and healthy eating habits in your home by providing a well balanced diet for your child and letting him do the rest -- regulating his food intake based on his own internal cues of hunger, appetite and satiety.

Betsy Baillie Nutritionist Department of Health.