Parents may find it difficult to build a healthy lifestyle and eat a balanced diet. Attempting to control the nutritional intake of the whole family can throw up even more issues.

Nutritional supplements can be a great idea to achieve a little peace of mind, for both children and parents, although it’s also important to encourage healthy eating habits as well.

Alison Wyndham, physiotherapist and complementary health practitioner, and owner of The Wyndham Centres in London and Hertfordshire, claims that the best way to make sure kids are getting enough nutrition is to check they are eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

She suggests six to eight helpings a day, as well as "a daily protein, some slow working carbohydrates (low glycaemic) and to take a good natural multivitamin and mineral".

Kids can be notoriously fussy eaters, so one trick Ms Wyndham recommends is educating them about the benefits.

This could include describing what fruit and vegetables help with, so telling them that vitamin C can help keep colds at bay and vitamin D can keep their bones strong.

A little persuasion just might make all the difference.

Perhaps making a little wall chart to track their portions will also help them keep motivated as well?

Helping them to understand the negatives of high levels of salt, sugar and saturated fats could give them a clearer idea of what the body needs, although make sure to judge the level of detail on the age of the child.

Healthy eating can be a whole family change, encouraging everyone to get more involved in cooking, allowing kids to fully appreciate their food and the variety on offer.

Nutritional supplements can help cover the bases, although to get the most out of them they need to ideally accompany a healthy and balanced diet.

Posted by Matilda Jones