Children need a healthy diet so that they can stay healthy and develop well. Children who do not have a healthy diet are likely to be disadvantaged in a variety of ways.

Short-term impact on children’s health 

A poor diet can affect children’s health and development in the short term. Fighting off colds and other infections is the job of the immune system. A poor diet can affect the body’s ability to fight off infection. 

Anaemia 

A mineral called iron is very important in our diets. Iron is needed to make red blood cells, which in turn carry oxygen around the body. Lack of iron causes a medical condition called anaemia, which if left untreated can become very serious. The signs of anaemia include severe tiredness and lack of energy. Babies who are anaemic may not, for example, have the strength to learn to crawl or walk. Iron is found in meat, poultry, some fish, beans and brown rice. 

It can also be found in some green leafy vegetables, such as watercress. Meals with iron-rich foods should also contain foods high in vitamin C, such as fruit and vegetables. This is because the body absorbs iron more easily when vitamin C is present.

Behaviour and concentration 

Children need to have a good, varied diet, but they also need to have food at regular intervals. It has been well researched that children who do not have breakfast are more likely to have difficulties in concentrating and managing their behaviour before lunch. This is because the brain needs the energy to work well.

Activity levels 

When children do not have a good diet, they may be less inclined to be active. This could be because they do not have sufficient calories in their diet or their diet lacks certain minerals or vitamins. In the case of children who become overweight, this is because movement requires more effort. If children are not sufficiently active, this, in turn, affects their ability to practise fine and gross motor skills. 

Digestive problems 

Children’s ability to digest foods can be affected by what they eat. A lack of water, as well as fruit and vegetables in a diet, can cause constipation. Some diets may also cause diarrhoea, especially if children are not given foods that require chewing.

Bones and teeth 

A diet lacking in calcium can cause long-term problems with bones and teeth that can continue into adulthood. A lack of calcium can cause weaknesses in the teeth and bones. In later life, a disease called osteoporosis can cause older people’s bones to fracture more easily. 

Tooth decay

If a diet has included too many sugary foods, including fruit juices, there is a danger of tooth decay. While young children’s milk teeth might be affected, the adult teeth sitting under the gum can also become decayed. This can result in these teeth needing to be removed. 

Obesity 

There is a link between young children who become overweight and later obesity. This is partly due to eating habits, but also because fat cells in the body are activated. Being obese as an older child or adult can put a strain on the joints, heart and other organs of the body. It also makes it harder to take exercise and be active. There are also other effects of obesity, which can include depression and low self-esteem. 

Brain development 

During childhood, children’s brains are developing. A very poor diet can affect this brain development and in theory, may lower children’s academic attainment if they remain continually malnourished.

Long-term impact on children’s health 

There are several ways in which a poor diet can affect children’s long-term health and development. Surprisingly, in some cases, the impact of a poor diet can continue into adulthood