10 Harmful Effects of Junk Food on Toddlers by Dr. Chetan Ginigeri

So many attractions surrounding junk food can make the situation quite challenging to manage for parents. The first three years of age for any baby lay the foundation for everything they will be when they grow up, including their taste buds. It is vital to keep an eye on what influences your toddler and how to nip the bud if you feel they are on the wrong path. We shall discuss what kind of junk eating leads to these behavior and mood changes in toddlers.

What Contents of the Food Make it Junk?

Here are the contents of the food that makes it junk:

• Food that is processed completely without leaving a single nutrient in it alive makes it junk.
• Taste enhancers like salt, added sugar, added flavors, and some harmful preservatives increase shelf life.
• Layers of fat, like different kinds of cheese
• Excessive usage of butter and creamy sauces.
• Deep frying the already excessive carbohydrate-containing foods.

Any food that is creamy in appearance, easy in availability, pocket friendly, fast in cooking, and gives extreme satisfaction falls under the category of junk foods.

Harmful Effects of Junk Food on Toddlers

Eating junk comes with numerous problems that are going to sit like a rock and seem impossible to move out of your way. This article discusses 10 harmful effects of junk food on toddlers:

1. Fast Food Deprives Your Toddler of a Healthy Meal

In these three years of toddlerhood, your preschooler starts to develop a taste for anything that you give them. The developing stages of a child, from a baby to a toddler, lay the strong foundation for their future. It might not be possible to shield your toddler from all the sweet arrows of marketing. But, having fast food almost every day can deprive your toddler of having a good meal. A healthy meal is not as tasty as junk and might not be appetising. It is your responsibility to flip through the way you cook so that your toddler is not completely drawn towards junk. Junk catches the craving of taste buds and does not leave easily. Consuming it every day can make your preschooler suffer from physical and psychological growth.

2. It Can Arrest Brain Development

Nutrition plays a crucial role in brain development in growing children. The brain needs proper nutrition from omega-3 fatty acids that help to lead a productive and active life. Frequent junk intake can arrest abilities like learning, memory, and productivity. As we all know, junk food comes with high fat and sugar content and, the body needs more time to digest it. The slow digestion process can cause fatigue and decrease concentration and memory levels in toddlers.

Studies reveal that having junk food for just a week can decrease the power to remember things. Extreme calorie intake can affect learning capabilities in preschoolers. A protein called BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) that helps maintain memory and differentiation can get affected due to excess intake of junk. Brain functioning entirely depends on the quality of the food. Food containing significant vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids helps better brain synapses.

3. Junk Food Can Cause Aggression

Since toddlers are too tender and still at the developing stage, they might see more effects on their brain development as they start growing. Junk food is an addiction, as the sugars and other additives make them crave more. Over intake of sugars can increase the chances of being momentarily hyperactive and lethargic. This type of behavior can be aggressive and uncontrollable. They will slowly develop an aversion to healthy food like fruits and vegetables.

Over intake of junk can affect an area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is a part of the brain that majorly helps maintain the motivation, focus, and controlled behavior of a human being. Changes such as aggression and other uncontrollable behaviors can become hurdles and impossible to get over in the future.

4. Dental Issues

Sugar and cavities are always best friends. A dentist always asks a toddler to stop eating sugary foods such as sweets, chocolates, and cakes that can lead to dental issues like cavities and tooth decay. Consuming aerated drinks and other junk that contain an excess of sugars can affect both teeth and bones. Calcium is an essential component in developing strong teeth and bones. Sugar can increase the acidity in the blood, and acidic blood cannot absorb the necessary calcium. Improper calcium absorption leads to fragile bones and frequent injuries and fractures.

[Read : Top 10 Foods That Cause Cavities In Children]

5. Allergies

Junk food causes allergies, as we do not know how end-to-end processed the food is. With so much sugar and fat content, junk food increases existing allergies like eczema, respiratory conditions like asthma, etc. But a study shows that the main reason for the allergies caused in toddlers who consume more junk is the AGEs present in it. AGEs are Advanced Glycation End products – proteins that glycate when combined with sugar. Glycation is a process where the sugar combines with a protein. AGEs are present in highly processed foods. These AGEs can cause respiratory allergies in toddlers.

6. Constipation and Other Digestive Problems

Food that contains a good amount of fiber can help with better digestion and a better bowel movement, resulting in a happy stomach. Junk food barely contains any fiber, and since the food is highly processed, processing frees the food from nutrients and fibre, resulting in slow digestion and constipation. Excess fat present in the junk demands the release of more acid for digestion since it tends to line up the stomach walls. This leads to burning sensations, acid reflux and gastric troubles.

[Read : 10 Most Important Nutrients Needed For Strong Immune System in Kids]

7. Poor Growth and Lower Immunity

The first three years of a child are a critical growth time. They need nutritious food for their developing brain and organs. This stage lays the foundation for the future food habits and better health of a growing kid. Eating junk food can often lower their brain and other organ development and lead to obesity. Obesity may cause several health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and other heart-related issues as they grow up.

For better immunity, the body needs all the necessary nutrients and vitamins. For any cell to grow and all the organs to work correctly, the body needs a balanced diet. Junk provides nothing but unnecessary fat and sugar to the body resulting in lower immunity levels.

8. Obesity and Weight Gain

Junk food is abnormally high in calories because of the presence of only carbohydrates and fats. This turns into bad cholesterol and sits in unwanted places and blood vessels of the body. Once the junk food starts collecting itself on the walls of blood vessels, it can simply increase the blood pressure and increase the risks of heart attacks and other blood pressure-related diseases in the future. Junk food increases body weight through fat accumulation in the thighs, abdomen, arms, and face, leading to obesity. An obese toddler will be less active and lethargic. Their brain cannot stay active and productive, leading to lowered concentration levels in studies and other activities.

[Read : Top 10 Tips To Prevent Obesity In Kids]

9. Sleeping Disorders

Junk food and fast food can also affect the sleeping patterns of toddlers. Having junk food can be satisfying, but it makes them crave more, thus leading to late-night eating. Having beverages like cola and other sugary drinks disturbs sleep because of the caffeine content. Caffeine keeps the body awake, disturbing the sleep cycle in toddlers. Toddlers need sleep. A good night’s sleep helps them be active and cheerful for the following day. This can also help them in staying alert and quick grasping.

10. Hypertension

High blood pressure is called hypertension. Consumption of junk food or fast food can be very harmful and slowly block the body’s blood vessels. The arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygen to the tissues in the body. Junk food mainly clogs arteries and increases the risk of heart diseases. The fat in junk food turns into bad cholesterol. It layers the walls of the blood vessels. If the blood vessels thicken, the blood flow will not be free and easy. This situation demands the heart to work harder to pump blood to the body, leading to hypertension or high blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension is not a good sign as toddlers may develop brain and heart stroke risks.

When to Worry About Your Toddler’s Junk Food Eating Habits?

Once in a while, it is ok to let your toddler have their favorite foods that satisfy their cravings. But it is essential to understand that this should not fall as a pattern. If your toddler starts asking for junk food every week, that can be a problem. Understand that this is the time for you to stop them and give a good education about health and healthy foods. Understandably, toddlers may not get the language of teaching, but they can surely follow what others do in front of them. Being a parent, refrain from talking about junk food before your preschooler and start introducing them to new and healthy alternatives prepared at home.

How to Encourage Your Toddler to Eat Healthy Food?

It might seem a daunting task to make your toddler eat healthy food. But, their body demands nutrition for better mental and physical growth.

• Give them some interesting options with minimal healthy and homegrown ingredients if they are picky eaters.
• Too many ingredients and vegetables can make them hate the food.
• Adhere to a routine.
• Maintain a weekly routine and cook accordingly.
• Help them understand the importance of fruits and vegetables with pictures of their favorite cartoons.
• Stick to a plan while planning and buying groceries. Keep junk purchases at a minimum.
• Do not try to lecture them. They may be too young to understand the consequences. Instead, just stick to a better diet; they will automatically start following you.
• Sit and eat together. This will help the toddler know what food he is eating, and of course, family mealtime is always enjoyable.

Healthy Alternatives to Junk Food

There are a lot of alternatives to junk food if you try them at home with patience and interest.

• To give in to the junk food demands and sweet requests of your little one, try baking banana walnut bread using whole wheat. For this, you will not have to add much sugar as the sweetness naturally comes from bananas. Toddlers will enjoy the crunchy walnuts. The best part about home baking is you do not have to add any preservatives.
• Air-fried or deep-fried home food is safe, and homemade potato chips can satisfy their junk craving. But, try not to make it a habit. It should only be an alternate for their occasional junk cravings.
• A dry fruit laddu filled with the goodness of ghee and crunchy dry fruits can be your toddler’s favorite snack.
• Mixed fruit jams available in the market contain less fruit mixture and more sugar. To satisfy the sweet craving of your little one, try making fruit jam or tomato ketchup at home. You can store it for a few days, and the best thing about homemade jams is that they do not contain any added chemicals and preservatives.

It can be an overwhelming journey for a new parent to always make sure their toddler eats healthy. Instead of looking at healthy food as a task, make it a habit. Toddlers mostly follow what they see. Control the type of ads they watch on television so that they will be less exposed to junk. Make it a strict habit at home not to include chips and other sugar-filled candies as a part of the grocery. It might not be possible to always control your little one without their eyes falling on junk and fast food. But make sure to be strict and act fast when you feel that this is going to be a problem.

FAQ’s

1. What Happens if My Toddler Eats too Much Junk?

Anything in excess is dangerous. Toddlers are still at the developing stage of their organs and brain. Eating too much junk and making it a habit can bring them a lot of health problems in the future.

2. What are the Harmful Effects of Junk Food on Toddlers?

Obesity, being puny and lethargic, not being active, lowered concentration levels, an increase in blood pressure, and the risk of type 2 diabetes can be the common effects of eating junk food.

3. How Can I Control My Toddler From Eating Junk?

• Reduce television time while eating.
• Stream their favorite cartoons, to avoid any ads that could catch their attention.
• Try homemade snacks.
• Carefully check the ingredients before you buy any snacks for your toddler. Limit them as much as possible.

4. What is Considered Junk Food?

Pizzas, burgers, fried potatoes, sugar-filled beverages like colas, and other fast foods that will be ready in no time, packaged chips, and frozen snacks fall under the list of junk food.

5. How Does Junk Food Affect a Child’s Brain?

Consumption of junk food impairs the child’s brain in a negative way. It affects their ability to think, learn, and remember. Also, it may cause aggression, compulsive behavior and lack of motivation in the child.

6. Does Junk Food Affect IQ?

Junk food contains high amounts of salt, sugar, and preservatives. And it is believed that consuming such excessive amounts of salt, sugar, and preservatives can lower the IQ and even increase the risk of developing degenerative diseases in the future.

Read Also: Healthy Eating – 10 Tips To Inculcate Healthy Eating Habits in Kids