When I began working with parents of overweight and obese children, they almost always shared that their children exhibit a frenzy to eat the food in front of them - even when they weren’t actually hungry.

If you are a parent with a similar experience, consider checking the labels on processed foods your children consume. When some children consume foods to which monosodium glutamate or MSG has been added in its various guises, the additive can cause them to keep eating more food than they need. This excess contributes to the growing obesity epidemic.

Keep in mind that a variety of factors - and food additives are only one factor - can contribute to the frantic feeding behavior of obese children.