The Long-term Effects Of Healthy Eating In Children

Supplying your children with nutritious meals may take more planning than depending on fast food or convenience foods to satisfy your children, but the extra effort is worth it in the long term. The benefits of healthy eating can last for years, and may affect nearly all aspects of your child’s life.

Healthy Weight

Healthy eating means balancing calorie consumption with energy expenditure to maintain a healthy weight. Overweight children are more likely to become overweight or obese adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity increases the risk for chronic diseases including asthma, sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes. Children who exercise regularly, eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins and eat fewer sweets tend to have lower body weight.

Lower Cholesterol Levels

The habits you develop during childhood can last for years, and children who eat healthily may maintain lower cholesterol levels than children whose diets are less nutritious. A healthy diet helps lower your cholesterol levels because it is high in fiber that comes from fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains and nuts. Healthy eating means limiting your saturated fat, such as from fatty meats, full-fat dairy products and butter. Saturated fat raises your cholesterol levels and increases your risk for heart disease.

Strong Bones

Healthy eating during childhood is critical for your bone health in the long term. Your bone mass and bone mineral density increase until early adulthood, and then decline from their peak when you are about thirty years old. Adequate calcium and vitamin D, such as from fortified dairy products, allow children and young adults to maximize bone mineral density and reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, or weak bones, and a higher likelihood of fractures.

Psychological and Cognitive Effects

A healthy diet supplies the nutrients you need for a healthy immune system and a normal ability to fight off infections. Children with a strong immune system can have more consistent attendance in school, which can lead to higher grades, better work habits and more success in college or the workplace. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children who eat healthy and maintain a healthy lifestyle tend to have more friends and more self-confidence, which can last for years.