I am curious. You say poor education leads to poor eating habits and poor eating habits cause medical issues later in life. I want to know more about these effects and medical issues. (Jenny)
The effects of poor eating habits depend on which nutrients are is lacking and which ones are in excess. The immediate effect of a poor diet would be stunted growth. However, often the effects of a poor diet do not show immediately, but many years later. Then the damage is done and there is no way to go back and start fresh.
Some effects of poor eating habits
The risk for children that don’t eat dairy is to be short of calcium, the mineral that makes bones and teeth. Children are growing new bone and if they don’t get enough calcium, this bone will be brittle. The effect could be fractures, even for minor accidents, and osteoporosis later in life. This is stating only the obvious as calcium also plays a role in muscle contraction and blood clotting. Things such as muscle cramps could be originated by lack of calcium. There are sources of calcium other than dairy, but the diet has to be managed to include them in the case of these children.
The effect of a diet poor in iron is anemia. Can you grant your child will develop brain and muscles to their full potential if they are not getting an adequate supply of oxygen? Low iron levels in blood also put a strain on the heart that has to work extra to ensure oxygen gets to all tissues.
A child hooked on pasta may not be getting enough vitamins and certainly not enough fiber. Low fiber diets have been associated with colon cancer later in life, but it may lead also to formation of these painful kidney stones. These nasty effects would be apparent as a child but as adult.
Children that only eat hot dogs would not be getting enough fiber and, worse, getting too much salt. An excessive intake of salt may lead to hypertension - high blood pressure – and heart disease. It has also been linked with osteoporosis and kidney and gall stones. Children are mot able to eliminate sodium and regulate body fluids as efficiently as adults, so there is extra risk for them.
Children too fond of sweet treats and that would not eat anything else may become obese. The immediate effect would be excessive weight gain, the belated one, diabetes.
Children love fast food because it is very tasty. Parents love it because it is convenient and not too expensive. That good taste is usually achieved with salt and fat – sometimes sugar too – so the effect of excess salt may be compounded with unhealthy fat increasing the risk of heart disease and excessive weight gain, with all their bad effects. Dose it mean children should not eat this kind of food at all? No, it does not. It means this kind of food should be balanced with the rest of the diet.
Children need a varied and balanced diet to grow properly. A diet that includes fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy in reasonable sized portions, with a healthy balance of fats is best to ensure they grow to develop their full potential. It is easier to concentrate in what they should eat.
To learn about the effects of getting an excess of a particular vitamin or mineral, or not getting enough of them, see vitamins and minerals.
Effects of poor eating habits
The effects of poor eating habits depend on which nutrients are is lacking and which ones are in excess. The immediate effect of a poor diet would be stunted growth. However, often the effects of a poor diet do not show immediately, but many years later. Then the damage is done and there is no way to go back and start fresh.
Some effects of poor eating habits
The risk for children that don’t eat dairy is to be short of calcium, the mineral that makes bones and teeth. Children are growing new bone and if they don’t get enough calcium, this bone will be brittle. The effect could be fractures, even for minor accidents, and osteoporosis later in life. This is stating only the obvious as calcium also plays a role in muscle contraction and blood clotting. Things such as muscle cramps could be originated by lack of calcium. There are sources of calcium other than dairy, but the diet has to be managed to include them in the case of these children.
The effect of a diet poor in iron is anemia. Can you grant your child will develop brain and muscles to their full potential if they are not getting an adequate supply of oxygen? Low iron levels in blood also put a strain on the heart that has to work extra to ensure oxygen gets to all tissues.
A child hooked on pasta may not be getting enough vitamins and certainly not enough fiber. Low fiber diets have been associated with colon cancer later in life, but it may lead also to formation of these painful kidney stones. These nasty effects would be apparent as a child but as adult.
Children that only eat hot dogs would not be getting enough fiber and, worse, getting too much salt. An excessive intake of salt may lead to hypertension - high blood pressure – and heart disease. It has also been linked with osteoporosis and kidney and gall stones. Children are mot able to eliminate sodium and regulate body fluids as efficiently as adults, so there is extra risk for them.
Children too fond of sweet treats and that would not eat anything else may become obese. The immediate effect would be excessive weight gain, the belated one, diabetes.
Children love fast food because it is very tasty. Parents love it because it is convenient and not too expensive. That good taste is usually achieved with salt and fat – sometimes sugar too – so the effect of excess salt may be compounded with unhealthy fat increasing the risk of heart disease and excessive weight gain, with all their bad effects. Dose it mean children should not eat this kind of food at all? No, it does not. It means this kind of food should be balanced with the rest of the diet.
Children need a varied and balanced diet to grow properly. A diet that includes fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy in reasonable sized portions, with a healthy balance of fats is best to ensure they grow to develop their full potential. It is easier to concentrate in what they should eat.
To learn about the effects of getting an excess of a particular vitamin or mineral, or not getting enough of them, see vitamins and minerals.