Children can be pretty resilient, but they’re up against a formidable foe. The effects of heavily processed foods on children’s nutrition and health are increasingly hard to ignore, and that’s led many parents to fret about what their kids are eating, both at school and at home, and the impact it’s having on their present and future well-being.
“If a child’s diet is made up of mostly ultra-processed food, it can lead to the potential displacement of important nutrients necessary for growth and development, which may impact both physical and cognitive development,” says pediatric registered dietitian Sarah Remmer, founder and president of The Centre for Family Nutrition . Adverse health outcomes, both in the short term and the long term, may occur.
What are the ultra-processed foods in children’s diets?
Most foods we eat are processed in some way. Think frozen berries and sliced whole-grain bread. Processed? Yes. Bad for a child’s health? Certainly not.
“Ultra-processed foods, however, undergo extensive processing and often contain additives and ingredients not commonly found in home cooking,” notes Remmer. They’re typically high in calories, salt, saturated fat, and sugar.
Unfortunately, these types of foods, including sugary drinks, processed meats, and sweetened boxed cereals, which are also frequently heavily marketed toward children, are increasingly dominating the food landscape of kids, both at home and at school.
The problems with ultra-processed foods
Children who consume too much sugar, a fixture of many ultra-processed foods, could be at greater risk of becoming obese, hyperactive, and cognitively impaired as adults, according to the results of a 2021 study.
An investigation reported in the journal Childhood Obesity determined that when children have a dietary pattern rich in obesogenic foods that include highly processed foods, like candies, refined grains, fast food, and sugary drinks, they’re at greater risk of becoming overweight, which places future health in jeopardy.
A 2021 study in found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to greater increases in adiposity (body fat) from ages 7 to 24. The findings, based on data from 9,025 children over a 10-year period, also showed that those in the high-consumption group increased their intake of ultra-processed foods at a faster rate, compared with those in the lower-consumption category.
Research even suggests that when too many daily calories hail from ultra-processed foods, it can have a detrimental impact on bone and locomotor development.
“It’s not about eliminating these foods but rather about taking an ‘additive’ approach,” says Remmer. “Instead of restricting or ‘banning’ these foods, let’s talk about ways children can get a variety of nutrients (and foods) throughout the day to get those important vitamins and minerals.”
Food flip
“Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in shaping their child’s eating habits as role models,” Remmer says. Here are some practical steps parents can take to help their kids eat better.
Go slow
Making changes slowly is often more effective and sustainable in the long run. Each week, try experimenting with a healthy eating strategy, then gradually implement more.
Model positive eating behavior
“Children are more likely to adopt healthy eating habits if they see their parents enjoying a variety of nutritious foods,” says Remmer. In other words, you are an important role model for eating a healthy diet.
Be sneaky with fruits and veg
To get your child to eat more of these nutritional heroes, try filling half their plate with options you know they’ll eat. And, yes, this can include frozen and canned options if they’re more pleasing to them.
Be creative
“Experiment with different recipes and cooking methods and just have fun in the process,” suggests Remmer. Eventually, you’ll find the healthy dishes prepared in certain ways that most appeal to your kids.
Label lingo
To spot an ultra-processed food, look at the ingredient list on packaged foods for sugars, flavor enhancers, and emulsifiers and look for healthier alternatives that may appeal just as much to children.
Push better drinks
Research suggests that sugary drinks like sodas and sports drinks have been a top source of empty calories for children. Offer better alternatives like sparking water or water infused with fresh fruit or herbs.
Make smart swaps
Pay attention to the foods your kids like to eat the most and have healthier versions in the same food category on hand (crispy fruit chips instead of potato chips, or whole grain spaghetti as opposed to refined white noodles).
Make an upgrade
When serving children more heavily processed meals like mac and cheese, look to this as an opportunity to upgrade with some whole-food nutrition, like mixing some baby spinach into the cheesy sauce.
Be patient
hat all the veggies you packed in a lunchbox return home untouched, keep at it. It can take several attempts before a child embraces a healthy eating habit.
Supplement savvy
Many children are picky eaters; meeting the nutrient needs of their growing bodies can be a challenge. While nutrition should be a food-first approach, a few supplements may help children get the nutrients they need to be at their best.
Multivitamins
A quality multivitamin can help fill some of the nutritional gaps and ease the minds of worried parents. Look for options that are designed for growing kids and are free of added sugars.
Greens powders
These supplement powders can be an efficient way to get nutritional value from vegetables and other ingredients a child might be lacking in their diet, and some are specifically formulated with kids’ specific needs in mind.
Probiotics
Probiotics may benefit children by supporting digestive and immune health or addressing specific concerns such as constipation.
All in the family
Today’s busy lifestyle can make eating as a family unit a challenge, but it’s worth the effort it takes. Research demonstrates there are nutrition, health, social, and mental health benefits for children when they eat meals as a family unit. Here’s how to get the most of your time together around the dinner table:
- Choose a mealtime that works best for your family and gives you the most time to talk and connect and commit to eating it together. Start by scheduling one meal per week and increase the number as you’re able.
- Try to schedule activities like sport practice or musical lessons so that they don’t always interfere with mealtimes.
- “Create a positive mealtime environment,” says Remmer. “Encourage open communication and positive interactions during meals, and no diet talk or pressuring.”
- Don’t rush. Research shows that more prolonged family meals can improve a child’s diet quality and eating habits, like consuming more fruits and vegetables.
- Turn off distractions like the TV, computer, tablets, and phones during mealtimes. Keep toys and books off the table. This will create an opportunity for more mindful eating.
- Serve family-style meals. “Lay out all of the dinner foods on the table or kitchen island with serving spoons or tongs,” says Remmer. “This can help kids feel more empowered with their food choices.” Remmer adds it may even reduce picky eating and mealtime battles, and can make for a more positive experience altogether.
- Involve kids of all ages in planning, shopping for, and preparing meals. These are important life skills that can help foster the next generation of healthy eaters. Children are more likely to eat the foods they help you make into meals.
- Take this time to introduce different healthy foods, and make this part of your regular family mealtime routine. Children often need to see, smell, and touch a food many times before trying it and ultimately enjoying it.
Fit food
As reported in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition, children with cardiovascular fitness levels categorized as “high risk” consumed approximately 200 calories more each day of ultra-processed foods than children in the “healthy fitness zone.”
This article was originally published in the August 2024 issue of delicious living magazine.
