Providing my kids with a healthy diet is one of my top priorities as a mom. Honestly, I cringe when I hear about how much fast food and junk some of my daughter's 4-year-old friends eat on a daily basis. We know that quality food helps kids develop a healthy body, but it can also help develop a healthy brain. New research shows that toddlers who eat a diet high in sugar and processed foods may have a slightly lower IQ later in life. The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, looked at the diets of 14,000 children born in England. One group ate a diet high in processed foods, another had a more traditional diet of meat and vegetables, and the third ("health conscious") group had a diet high in fruits and vegetables. Children were put into one of the three categories based on parent food logs. According to the results, "Of the 4,000 children for which there were complete data, there was a significant difference in IQ among those who had had the "processed" as opposed to the "health-conscious" diets in early childhood. The 20 percent of children who ate the most processed food had an average IQ of 101 points, compared with 106 for the 20 percent of children who ate the most "health-conscious" food." Although the difference was small, the researchers believe it is caused by a deficiency in certain nutrients from eating a diet high in processed foods. I want to do everything I can to give my kids a good start in life. So even if the difference is minimal, it's still enough of a reason to provide my children with a healthy diet. It's not always easy, especially when my daughter asks why she can't have Pop Tarts for breakfast like some of her friends, but she understands that I'm trying to do what I think is right for her. Looking for ideas to help improve your child's diet? Check out A Parent's Guide to Nutrition for Kids. What do you think? Do you (or did you) have issues when trying to provide a healthy diet for your young children?
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As for feeding our kids - the same goes as how we eat ourselves. Stay away from processed "food", eat fresh and use sugar and salt sparingly. Report
When she was between 2 and 3 she did not want meals. She wanted snack plates which consited of finger foods ie; fruits, vegetables, string cheese, whole wheat crackers, turkey roll ups (home made) and llittle homemade dipping sauces. What a strange child. She never whined for soda or candy. She always asked for bottled water and fruit roll ups or beef jerky. Maybe it's because I was a fat child/teen and always watched what I ate as an adult & my little child picked up on it.
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So with my children, I just didn't waste money on junk food. Report
Poverty has been shown to have a direct impact on intelligence and the role of nutrition due to poverty does likely play a significant role. This does not mean stupid people are poor, it means families in or near poverty have limited choices in food due to cost. The IQ difference in the study, while well within the range of chance, is likely due to factors other than simply healthy foods.
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There is a bit of a limit to how healthy our *perceived* best diet is for children. Children need fat for proper brain development. That includes saturated fat and cholesterol. You also have to be pretty sharp as far as what constitutes healthy protein particularly if the child is a poor eater or you want them to eat a vegetarian diet. I am sure a lot of vegetarians are very conscious of these concerns but if someone is pretty casual or just trying to humour their child who doesn't want to eat meat, they've got to get a bit more serious about things.
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