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4 ways to manage junk food

Written by Jill Castle, MS, RDN

Junk food is everywhere

Junk food seems like an unavoidable evil, but your child will develop his or her eating habits very early in life.

We all know junk food is a bad thing, but how and why is avoiding it worth the effort? Studies have shown that more than eight out of 10 toddlers consume soda, sweets, and processed foods. Studies have also shown that obesity is more prevalent among preschoolers than ever before.  Children learn which foods they like best and how to eat healthy early in life, and those habits continue to affect them for years to come. The choices you make for your child now can follow them into adulthood.

References

  1. 2008 FITS study.
  2. Castle & Jacobsen. Chapter 2. IN: Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School.
  3. American Academy of Pediatrics. Energy Drinks (caffeine) intake and children.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preschooler obesity rates.
  5. KidsHealth.org. Caffeine and Your Child.
  6. National Institutes of Health. Caffeine Use in Children: What we know, what we have left to learn, and why we should worry.
  7. MedScape. AAP Guidelines Nix Energy Drinks for Children, Teens.

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