4 reasons why parents should reconsider how much junk food their kids eat

Open a restaurant menu and you’ll find a “Kids 12 and under” section: macaroni and cheese, cheeseburger and fries, pepperoni pizza. It’s cheap; it tastes good; children smiling. Yet it is junk food. It is the unfortunate cornerstone of many American children’s diets. Eating it becomes a habit that they carry with them into adulthood.

A May 2024 study in JAMA network opened studied ultra-processed junk food and cardiometabolic factors in children. In 1,426 children aged 3 to 6 years old, higher junk food consumption was associated with greater body mass index, waist circumference and higher fasting glucose levels, which may be an early sign of diabetes. It was also linked to lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (that is, HDL, the good cholesterol).

Parents take note. Regular junk food consumption by children can have serious consequences for your children’s short-term health, even as toddlers. It can also reduce long-term health and longevity. Junk food is low in healthy nutrients, minerals and fiber and high in calories, salt and preservatives.

Here are five reasons why parents should reconsider children’s food choices: Minimizing or even trying to avoid the junk food that children usually consume.

1. Junk food is a leading cause of childhood obesity

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 5 American children is obese. The consumption of high-calorie junk food plays a crucial role in childhood obesity.

Eating more junk food means children consume more calories. Junk food is high in calories. It does not send signals to the brain of fullness. Children, in turn, eat too much and become obese. It should come as no surprise that foods do that contributions are sweets, sugar-sweetened drinks and fast food. Environmental factors play a role, just like housing closer to a fast food restaurant positively correlated with childhood obesity and weight status.

2. Eating junk food is linked to poorer academic performance

Children’s nutrition has a direct impact on cognitive function and academic performance. Junk food causes blood sugar levels to rise and fall. This affects their concentration, memory and ability to think clearly.

A study found that higher than average fast food consumption was associated with lower test scores in reading and math in the US 5^e graders. Another found that frequent fast food consumption predicted lower academic performance in reading, math, and science by 8^e degree, even controlling for confounding factors. A big, systematic one judgement That pooling of dozens of studies found that lower intake of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods — that is, less junk food — was linked to better academic outcomes.

3. Junk food consumption in children contributes to higher rates of chronic disease in adults

When children are fed junk food or watch their parents devour it regularly, these habits become deeply ingrained. The Standard American Diet – also called the “SAD” – sets the stage for more likely chronic diseases to occur, including heart disease, cancer and metabolic syndrome.

Research shows that unhealthy dietary patterns in children are associated with unfavorable cardiometabolic profiles later in life. This includes higher levels of obesity, elevated cholesterol and insulin resistance, which are precursors to coronary heart disease. Obesity in children is linked to type 2 diabetes and certain types of diabetes cancers in adulthood. Insulin resistance and chronic inflammation are exacerbated by poor dietary habits of childhood. When children remain obese as adults, this is the case is increasing the risk of a heart attack.

4. The high sugar and fat content in junk food can cause mood swings, anxiety, depression and even aggression

Children who consume a lot of junk food may experience significant swings in mood and energy. This contributes to irritability, makes it harder to manage stress and can worsen mental health.

A systematic one judgement found that junk food consumption increases the likelihood of psychological stress by 34%, depression by 62%, anxiety by 24% and sleep dissatisfaction by 17%. Junk food was also inversely related to happiness. Another study often linked eating junk food to symptoms of worry, depression, confusion, insomnia, anxiety and aggression, including fighting and bullying.

For parents interested in reducing their children’s junk food consumption, the first strategy is awareness of the dangers of junk food and the benefits of a healthy diet. Parents can make healthy foods more appealing by offering fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains as snacks. Limiting the accessibility of junk food by keeping it out of the home is a good strategy. Stock the pantry with healthy options to ensure kids have better choices when they get hungry.

Ultimately, parents must set a good example. When adults choose healthy food, their children choose it too.