Many parents are giving their toddlers too much food, putting them at risk of obesity, according to new research from the Infant and Toddler Forum (ITF).

The study found that 79 per cent of parents routinely offer portions bigger than the recommended size range for pre-schoolers, with one in 10 parents regularly offering meals close to the size of adult portions.

Some 73 per cent of parents are more concerned that their child does not eat enough, which is twice as likely as they are to be concerned that their child eats too much.

Judy More, paediatric dietitian and member of the ITF, commented: “Practical advice for parents on appropriate portion sizes for toddlers has been lacking, so it’s not surprising, our survey revealed a significant lack of understanding about how much to feed toddlers. With new evidence linking larger portion sizes to excess weight gain, it’s clear parents need practical advice now.”

In response to these findings the ITF is launching the #rethinktoddlerportionsizes campaign, which aims to encourage all families to rethink how much food they offer their young children.

The ITF has developed a user-friendly guide on the recommended portion size range for children aged one to four to help parents take the guesswork out of how much to offer.