Episode #22 – How To Raise Children With A Healthy Relationship With Food with Dr Anna Colton

The Truth About Sugar, Restriction And Children’s Eating Habits

In this episode, Becca is joined by clinical psychologist, eating disorder specialist and author Dr Anna Colton to discuss how parents can support children to develop a healthy, balanced and shame-free relationship with food.

Together they explore why food restriction often backfires, how parental anxiety influences children’s eating behaviours, the hidden impact of diet culture, and why helping children trust their own hunger and fullness cues may be one of the most important life skills we can teach them.

This conversation offers a refreshing and practical perspective on raising confident eaters without fear, guilt or food rules.

This episode is for:

Parents who want to raise children with a healthy relationship with food
Anyone worried about sugar, treats and ultra-processed foods
Parents navigating food with grandparents, schools and social situations
Women who recognise their own history of dieting or disordered eating influencing how they approach food at home
Anyone wanting to break free from diet culture and food anxiety

If you’ve been feeling exhausted, inflamed, anxious, disconnected from yourself or like your body suddenly “changed overnight”, this episode will help you understand why.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:00] Clip & Intro

[01:25] Meet Dr Anna Colton

[02:46] Why Food Labels Backfire

[05:59] Setting Neutral Boundaries

[07:34] Sweet Tooth Stories

[10:21] Grandparents, Sweets & Treats

[14:37] Moving Beyond Black-And-White Thinking

[18:15] The Problem With Diet Culture

[20:30] Hunger Cues From Birth

[23:13] Food Rewards & Restrictions

[28:02] Reintroducing Sweets At Home

[30:25] Food Availability & Nutrition

[31:36] Hunger, Snacks & Meal Timing

[33:03] Appetite Changes During Growth

[34:37] Why Food Bans Backfire

[38:02] Reintroducing Treats Without Fear

[41:06] Parental Anxiety And Modeling

[43:49] Repairing Food Conversations

[50:10] Diet Culture & Children’s Body Image

[54:09] Building Self-Worth Beyond Appearance

[55:33] Where To Find Dr Anna Colton

CONNECT & LEARN MORE:

Becca & Health with Holland:

You can connect with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube – ⁠@healthwithholland⁠, where I share practical education on nervous system regulation, women’s health, and sustainable behaviour change.

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really appreciate you subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with someone who might find it helpful.

You’ll also find courses, resources, and more podcast episodes at: ⁠https://healthwithholland.com⁠

Dr Anna Colton

Dr Anna Colton is a UK Clinical Psychologist, eating disorder specialist, speaker and author who helps families build healthier relationships with food and body image. You can connect with her here:

Instagram: @drannacolton
Podcast: Chew On This with Dr Anna Colton
Book: How To Talk To Children About Food
Website: https://drannacolton.com

Music b LiQWYD Free download: hypeddit.com/link/xxtopb [http://hypeddit.com/link/xxtopb] Promoted by FreeMusicPromo [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbycji-eySnM3WD8mbxPUSQ] / @freemusicpromo

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