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Children With Poor Nutrition
Poor nutrition results from poverty and a lack of education regarding healthy eating. Children who regularly consume foods that are low in nutrition suffer negative consequences that encompass many parts of their lives. Strides are being made in schools to provide more nutrition curriculum and to raise the standards for school lunches. In the meantime, parents who understand how important healthy foods are can give their children a head start in making a healthy life for themselves.
Foods That Offer Poor Nutrition
Foods that are considered to be of poor nutritional quality are those that are high in fat, calories, salt, sugar and cholesterol and contain little to no vitamins or minerals. If children are filling up on these low nutrient foods, they are at risk of being deficient in nutrients that help them grow and develop throughout childhood.
School and Performance
How Diet Affects Children's Behavior
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Children who don't fuel their bodies and brains with nutritious foods cannot focus and perform as well on school work. The Baylor College of Medicine reports that a healthy breakfast results in improved attention, quick recall, less errors and better concentration at school in the morning. It can be assumed that a healthy lunch provides these same benefits for the rest of the school day. A poor breakfast is one that is high in sugar, such as a doughnut or toaster pastry. Children need to eat whole grains, low-fat dairy, eggs and fresh fruit in the morning. A consistently poor diet robs children of the opportunity to learn to the best of their abilities.
- Children who don't fuel their bodies and brains with nutritious foods cannot focus and perform as well on school work.
Risks
The risks associated with poor nutrition are many and children face lifelong issues if they don't get healthy foods on a daily basis. Obesity is one of the major concerns that children face when they eat poor diets because they are too high in fat and calories, which results in a continued weight gain. Other health risks include heart disease, depression, high blood pressure and diabetes, all of which are exacerbated by being obese. Overweight and obesity affects more than one in three children, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2. A poor diet also contributes to tooth decay, anemia and osteoporosis.
- The risks associated with poor nutrition are many and children face lifelong issues if they don't get healthy foods on a daily basis.
- Other health risks include heart disease, depression, high blood pressure and diabetes, all of which are exacerbated by being obese.
Recommendations
Importance of Healthy Eating for Teens
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Overhauling a child's poor diet is the key to reducing the risk of health problems and poor school performance. These foods cover a child's needs for fiber, vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and heart healthy fats. In addition, children should be getting at least 30 minutes of daily exercise to supplement their healthy eating habits. Limiting poor nutritional foods leaves plenty of room in a child's stomach to fill up on nutrient dense foods.
- Overhauling a child's poor diet is the key to reducing the risk of health problems and poor school performance.
- These foods cover a child's needs for fiber, vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and heart healthy fats.
Related Articles
References
- United States Department of Agriculture: Survey Links Fast Food, Poor Nutrition Among U.S. Children; Rosalie Marion Bliss; January 5, 2004
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Childhood Obesity Facts
- Vikraman S, Fryar CD, Ogden CL. Caloric intake from fast food among children and adolescents in the United States, 2011 – 2012. NCHS Data Brief No. 213, September 2015.
- American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2015 Daily News. TriStar Publishing, Inc. November 9, 2015.
- Micali N, Field AE, Treasure JL, Evans DM. Are obesity risk genes associated with binge eating in adolescents? Obesity (Silver Spring) 2015;23:1729-36.
- Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011 – 2012. JAMA. 2014;311(8):806-814.
- Smemo S, Tena JJ, Kim KH, Gamazon ER, et al. Obesity-associated variants within FTO form long-range functional connections with IRX3. Nature 2014;507:371-5.
Writer Bio
Eliza Martinez has written for print and online publications. She covers a variety of topics, including parenting, nutrition, mental health, gardening, food and crafts. Martinez holds a master's degree in psychology.