Diets influence on people’s behavior and health
Feeding is a critical part of any child or infant. The diet of every child or infant differs from one child to the other. The majority of the parents or caregivers offer children a diet that is easily accessible and affordable to them and give little or no consideration to what they give to the children. The study will unravel how people’s diet affects their behavior. The study will particularly reveal that unhealthy foods harm the development of a child both mentally and physically.
40% of the world’s children and infants do not have access to a proper diet (WHO, 2018). Another 1% to 2% has malnutrition and do not have any access to any feeding program or diet (WHO, 2018). Another close to 10% are overfed and, therefore, overweight (WHO, 2018). Even though most of the dietary issues are usually temporary, the social, emotional, and cognitive abilities of the children may be affected by the lack of a proper diet. The effects can be seen during adolescence, late childhood, and at times during adulthood. Children who are overfed and overweight will mostly be predisposed to certain risks such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Also, overfed and overweight children can develop behavioral and emotional problems such as depression, low self-esteem, unnatural eating patterns, and maladjustment.
Children who are underweight and underfed, on the other hand, may have impaired growth. Also, their development skills may be affected. Behaviors such as food phobias may also result in a case where a child was induced with a food allergen, during the childhood years. The food phobia may further affect the feeding patterns later during adolescence and adulthood and probably lead to conditions that result from an improper diet (Elmadfa, 2005).
Also, the lack of a proper and balanced diet can have a psychological and emotional effect. Gochman (2017) stated that children who are underfed or lack access to proper diets are more irritable compared to those that are fed properly and with proper diets. Also, children who have a high intake of sugary foods and preservatives tend to be more hypersensitive and irritable compared to those whose diet is low in sugar and preservatives. Furthermore, higher intakes of foods that are rich in omega-three have also been proven to improve the cognitive abilities of children both at a younger age and later in the late childhood and adulthood years.
Additionally, children who are fed with a diet that is high in processed foods are more predisposed to certain diseases compared to those who have a high intake of fresh foods. Also, a high intake of vegetables and fruits reduces the risk of many diseases. At the same time, the lack of these food groups can increase the risk of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Similarly, constant intake of high fatty foods increases the risk of certain diseases, while the reduction reduces these risks. Also, the risk of irritability, anxiety, and depression can be reduced through a reduction in fatty foods (Elmadfa, 2005).
In conclusion, it is evident from this study that diet has a direct correlation on the mental and physical development of every child. It is palpable from this study that improper and unbalanced diets will increase the risk for certain diseases while at the same time causing various behavioral and emotional problems. It is, therefore, imperative to ensure that the diet is balanced and healthy during a child’s development as a way of promoting the overall well-being of a child’s development.