Why junk food is bad for kids and how children may avoid junk food

Junk food, as known in slang language in today’s world is consumed by youngsters like ‘fast food’, desserts, pizza, etc. which has ingredients harmful for the one’s health. This is the main reason that it should be avoided especially for children who are at a tender age and their bodies are not developed enough to fight against the harmful effects of consumption of ‘junk food’. However, it is better to highlight the reasons in a broader prospective so that you can understand that whether the child whom you are taking care of or of whom you are concerned is consuming ‘junk food’ or not.

• 1.) Obesity, dental and other physical problems: The main cause of worry which arises due to consumption of junk food is that children become obese or overweight. Junk food like chips and wafers has preservatives like refined sugar. They maybe high in calories but not very nutritious. Therefore, excess calorie intake, especially with no corresponding energy spent would obviously lead to weight problems. In addition to that, excess sugar damages tooth in children when they are in a process of formation.
• 2.) Mental health – According to research and survey, the junk food negatively effects the development of brain and learning abilities of children for whom learning in school is a daily activity. Main cause of this is the deficiency of vitamins and minerals which improve brain power. On the contrary, they prohibit the nutrients to do their task in body which are useful for the brains.

If this junk food causes so many issues then why not avoid it?

• Improve daily habits: Children would find that their daily schedule is much more rewarding than the junk food if they are well-versed with their daily schedule like brushing their teeth.
• Make them used to healthy meals: Why they choose junk food at the first place? That is because it is more enjoyable than the boring regular healthy meals. So, to make them used to the regular healthy meal, you have to ‘create’ a situation so that they find it interesting.
  • Remember, teachers do crack jokes in class to make it lively but they do not go on doing it all the time so that entire period is wasted on that. In the same way, do not prohibit junk food completely at initial stage; allow them to have it with limited quantity.
  • Also, let them have the healthy food with style like tidy and clean bowl with playful pictures decorated in it so that even though food is not interesting, the style of eating is. Prepare home-made food in a way that they are nutritious and caloric too.
• Set an example: Do not eat junk food yourself or let the elder sibling of the child do so. The older child can well-understand to reasons so explain him/her in that context.