LONDON, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Simple, affordable and well balanced meal kit can help keep children healthier for a long time, according to a study released by the University of Edinburgh on Monday.

Some 285 families in Edinburgh and Colchester took part in the study, which was carried out by researchers from the University of Edinburgh and University of Bath.

They were asked to follow either of the related programs for 12 weeks or to carry on as usual. Researchers monitored their progress for three years afterwards.

One of the programs saw low-income families who were given simple recipe kits cook five healthy meals a week. Their children's body mass index (BMI) decreased compared with peers who continued their normal eating patterns, the study noted.

Another initiative that encouraged families to eat meals at regular times of day and cut out snacks for three months had a similar impact on children's BMI during the first year, but its benefits faded over time.

In general, researchers found that children in the families using the meal kit or set meal times fell in the BMI distribution by five to six percentage points, achieving a healthier weight in relation to their height.

"Our results suggest that dietary habits are more malleable early on in life than later," said Professor Michele Belot from the University of Edinburgh.