In some cases, your doctor may recommend that your child follows a high calorie and high protein diet. According to the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, children with cancer have increased calorie and protein needs and may need to follow such a diet. However, children without health problems should usually not consume high calorie foods on a regular basis since it could put them at risk of issues associated with childhood obesity.
Overweight
According to Sharman Apt Russell, the author of "Hunger: An Unnatural History," human beings prefer foods that are high in calories, a preference that typically begins in early childhood and may lead to a child being overweight or obese. "Time" magazine reports that in 2004, 18.8 percent of children ages 6 to 11 were overweight and 17.4 percent of children ages 12 to 19 were considered obese.
Cardiovascular Disease
The Centers for Disease Control report that approximately 70 percent of obese youth have at least one risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease. These problems may include high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Later in life, the child may be more prone to heart attack and stroke.
Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, a condition associated with being overweight, is now being diagnosed in teens as young as 15 states, according to "Time" magazine. When children are overweight and obese, they are at a higher risk of developing this disease later in life as well. This lifelong condition affects the way your body produces insulin to maintain normal glucose levels. To prevent this condition, healthy eating and regular exercise should be started during childhood.
Asthma
If your child continues to consume high calorie foods, the extra weight he carries around could cause breathing problems, such as asthma, according to the Mayo Clinic. The child may require medications, such as steroids and inhalers, to control the symptoms associated with asthma.
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