The Best Diet for a Child With Anxiety
Generalized anxiety disorder is a mental health condition in which the individual spends a large amount of time worrying and experiences physical symptoms, such as a racing heart, trembling, difficulty breathing or jumpiness. A child with anxiety may feel nervous about schoolwork, peer relationships or perceived environmental dangers. Children with anxiety should receive ongoing mental health care 1. Treatment typically involves talk therapy and may include family therapy or medication. In some cases, following a healthy diet can help reduce symptoms.
Foods to Eat
Like all children, an anxious child should eat a nutritionally balanced diet containing fruits, vegetables, milk products, whole grains, healthy oils and protein-rich foods, such as:
- meat
- chicken
- seafood
- beans
Dr. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist, recommends that anxious individuals eat fish at least twice a week to improve omega-3 fatty acid levels, which are important for healthy brain function. Good fish choices include tuna, salmon, mackerel and herring. He also suggests eating protein for breakfast: good choices include eggs, milk, lean turkey sausage and lean ham.
- Like all children, an anxious child should eat a nutritionally balanced diet containing fruits, vegetables, milk products, whole grains, healthy oils and protein-rich foods, such as: * meat
* chicken
* seafood
* beans Dr. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist, recommends that anxious individuals eat fish at least twice a week to improve omega-3 fatty acid levels, which are important for healthy brain function. - He also suggests eating protein for breakfast: good choices include eggs, milk, lean turkey sausage and lean ham.
Foods to Avoid or Limit
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Anxious children should avoid caffeine as it can make anxiety worse and interfere with sleep. Limit simple carbohydrates, such as sugary snacks and sugared sodas. Monitor your child for food sensitivities or intolerances, but discuss them with your child's physician before eliminating them from the diet.
- Anxious children should avoid caffeine as it can make anxiety worse and interfere with sleep.
- Monitor your child for food sensitivities or intolerances, but discuss them with your child's physician before eliminating them from the diet.
Eating During Anxious Episodes
A child may not want to eat while anxious, and pressuring her to eat may lead to vomiting later. Offer a cold beverage or a light snack, such as berries or whole wheat crackers, during acute anxiety. Find out if your child has difficulty eating at school due to anxiety and try different foods if she isn't eating the school lunch or food you prepare her from home. A cold sandwich, cold pudding, gelatin or finger foods may be well-tolerated at this time. If your child complains of stomachaches and refuses to eat, seek a physician's guidance.
- A child may not want to eat while anxious, and pressuring her to eat may lead to vomiting later.
- Find out if your child has difficulty eating at school due to anxiety and try different foods if she isn't eating the school lunch or food you prepare her from home.
Mealtime Tips
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Keep mealtimes pleasant, and make it clear that mealtime is a time for family bonding as well as eating. See if your child will eat without encouragement and avoid threatening your child or bribing him to eat. Save conversations about the anxiety for a time other than when the child is trying to eat. Ask your child if he would like to help select the menu or prepare the family dinner.
- Keep mealtimes pleasant, and make it clear that mealtime is a time for family bonding as well as eating.
- See if your child will eat without encouragement and avoid threatening your child or bribing him to eat.
Overeating Issues
Occasionally, stress hormones cause a child to overeat. Similarly, a child may become an emotional eater or overeat out of habit. To limit total caloric intake, keep only healthy snacks in the house and allow your child to munch on fruit or raw veggies when she wants to eat between meals. Help your child develop healthy coping mechanisms, such as talking out her problems, engaging in sports or meditating instead of relying on food.
- Occasionally, stress hormones cause a child to overeat.
- Help your child develop healthy coping mechanisms, such as talking out her problems, engaging in sports or meditating instead of relying on food.
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References
- “Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: Concepts of Care in Evidence-Based Practice;” Mary C. Townsend, M.N., A.P.R.N.; 2006
- Middle Tennessee State University: Food, Mood and Neurotransmitters
- Beesdo K, Knappe S, Pine DS. Anxiety and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: Developmental issues and implications for DSM-V. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2009;32(3):483-524. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2009.06.002
- Wehry AM, Beesdo-Baum K, Hennelly MM, Connolly SD, Strawn JR. Assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2015;17(7):52. doi:10.1007/s11920-015-0591-z
- Gregory KD, Chelmow D, Nelson HD, et al. Screening for anxiety in adolescent and adult women: A recommendation from the Women's Preventive Services Initiative. Ann Intern Med. 2020. doi:10.7326/M20-0580
- Bandelow B, Boerner J R, Kasper S, Linden M, Wittchen HU, Möller HJ. The diagnosis and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(17):300–310. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0300
- Paus T, Keshavan M, Giedd JN. Why do many psychiatric disorders emerge during adolescence?. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2008;9(12):947–957. doi:10.1038/nrn2513
- Bushnell GA, Compton SN, Dusetzina SB, et al. Treating pediatric anxiety: Initial use of SSRIs and other antianxiety prescription medications. J Clin Psychiatry. 2018;79(1):16m11415. doi:10.4088/JCP.16m11415
- Cotton S, Kraemer KM, Sears RW, et al. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders at-risk for bipolar disorder: A psychoeducation waitlist controlled pilot trial. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2020 Apr;14(2):211-219. doi:10.1111/eip.12848
- Connolly SD, Bernstein GA. Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007 Feb;46(2):267-83. doi:10.1097/01.chi.0000246070.23695.06
- Thomas E. Brown, PhD. Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults. Yale University Press. 2005.
- Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Understanding Anxiety.
Writer Bio
J. Lucy Boyd, RN, BSN has written several nonfiction books including "The Complete Guide to Healthy Cooking and Nutrition for College Students." She is frequently called upon to provide career guidance to medical professionals and advice to parents of children with challenges. She also loves teaching others to cook for their families.