Balanced diet key to keeping children slim
Balanced diet key to keeping children slim
29 April 2008
Scientists at MRC Human Nutrition Research have scrutinised children’s eating habits to identify foods linked to an increased risk of obesity. Their research confirmed that a diet high in fat and low in fibre causes children to become fat. The study is the first to consider the impact of diet as a whole in relation to how much body fat a child has. The results are published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The researchers found that if a child has a diet rich in white bread, crisps and savoury snacks, chocolate, biscuits and processed meats that child is four times more likely to gain weight as body fat than a child whose diet has lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, high fibre breakfast cereals and bread and boiled or baked potatoes.
In collaboration with colleagues at the University of Bristol, the team looked at dietary records of more than 600 children who participated in the Children of the 90s study with a focus on what they ate aged 5 and 7 years.
Using this information, the team were able to show the impact of diet choices on the risk of becoming obese at 9 years old.
Unsurprisingly they found that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables was associated with a significantly reduced risk of later obesity, though this is the first study to demonstrate this link in children. In addition they showed that dietary habits at 5 years old tended to remain broadly similar through to age 7 years, emphasising the importance of establishing good habits early on.
Dr Susan Jebb, head of nutrition and health research at MRC HNR said: “The findings of this study highlight the importance of childhood dietary patterns as determinants of later obesity. There is a need to reinforce initiatives which develop positive dietary habits at a young age especially the value of eating fruit and vegetables.”
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