Impacts of poor diet on children health and development?

[LollyBella13]

Hi, I don't tend have any replies on my threads but its worth a try.

I am working on the following assignment:

Explain the impacts of poor diet on a child's health and well-being in the:

* Short term

* Long term

I have written about the impact on brain development, physical growth, the risks of childhood obesity & teeth and bones. I am in the middle of writing about the digestive system and how a poor diet can impact this, however I can only think of constipation for an outcome of a poor diet. Does anyone have any other info?

Is there any other points I can include in regards to a child's health being affected? I plan to write about the behavioral changes next.

Thanks in advance.

[Ruthierhyme]

Hi, I am sorry for that. Hoping this helps xx

Page 12 and 13 of this EYE handbook looks closely at the impact a poor diet has on children's health and development - use the 'look inside' feature of the amazon preview and search for 'impact of poor diet'.

Short term impact:

Anaemia - the mineral iron is very important in our diets. Iron is needed to make red blood cells, which in turn carry oxygen around the body. A lack of iron causes a medical condition called anaemia, which if left untreated can become very serious. The signs of anaemis include severe tiredness and lack of energy.

Iron is found in beans, brown rice and leafy green vegetables such as watercress. These high iron foods should be eaten with foods that are high in vitamin C as they help the body to absorb iron.

https://www.vegansociety.com/resourc...nutrients/iron

Eating well in the Early Years - menu plans, nutritional information


Behaviour and concentration
Children need to have a good, varied diet, but they also need to have food at regular intervals. It has been well researched that children who do not have breakfast are more likely to have difficulties in concentrating and managing their behaviour before lunch. This is because the brain needs energy to work well.

Activity levels
Where children do not have a good diet, they may be less inclined to be active. This could be because they do not have sufficient calories in their diet or their diet lacks certain minerals or vitamins.

Digestive problems
Children's ability to digest foods can be affected by what they eat. A lack of water as well as fruit and vegetables in a diet can cause constipation. Some diets may also cause diarrhoea, especially if children are not given foods the require chewing.

Long term impact of a poor diet on children

Bones and teeth
A diet lacking in calcium can cause long term problems with bones and teeth that can continue into adulthood. A lack of calcium can cause weaknesses in the teeth and bones. In later life, a disease called osteoporosis can cause older people's bones to fracture more easily.

Tooth decay
If a diet included too many sugary foods, including fruit juices, there is a danger of tooth decay. While young children's milk teeth might be affected, the adult teeth sitting under the gum can also become decayed. This can result in these teeth needing to be removed.

Obesity
There is a link between young children who become overweight and later obesity. This is partly due to eating habits, but also ecause fat cells in the body are avctivated. Being obese as an older child or adult can put strain on the joints, heart and other organs. It also makes it harder to exercise and be active. There are also other effects of obesity, which can include depression and low self-esteem.

Brain development
During childhood, children's brains are developing. A very poor diet can affect this brain development and in theory may lower children's academic attainment if they remain continually malnourished.
Healthy Start - Vitamin scheme


Best wishes xx

[LollyBella13]

Thank you so much for your reply, it's really helped :)