If your child consumes too many fatty foods, they will be at a higher risk of developing childhood obesity and being overweight as an adult.
Did you know that childhood obesity rates across the world are on the rise? While we know that a sedentary lifestyle and consuming processed and sugary foods are factors, researchers at Duke-National University of Singapore took a closer look at the types of food that are associated with overweight and obese children. Here’s what they found:
Foods and unhealthy weight gain
Using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, which recorded the diets and Body Mass Index (BMI) of nearly 4 500 children in England, the researchers tracked what the children ate and what happened to their bodies over the course of three years. They found that certain foods might be causing disproportionate harm. Children who regularly ate potato chips tended to gain the most weight. French fries, fried chicken and fish, processed meats, and fatty spreads like butter also promoted obesity. Desserts, sweets, sugary drinks, and any other foods containing added sugar also lead to weight gain in kids – no surprise there.
Oily foods you should ditch
Foods cooked in oil, whether sautéed or even roasted, were linked to weight gain, too “There are foods like potatoes, which aren’t inherently bad for you because they fill you up. But, when you turn them into French fries and potato chips, they tend to result in weight gain,” said the study’s lead author, Eric Finkelstein. It’s important to note that just because a certain food has more calories, it doesn’t mean it will result in weight gain. It all depends on what the food is and how it is prepared, such as the potato reference above.
7 Worst foods you can feed your children
- Potato chips
- French fries
- Fried chicken and fish
- Processed meats
- Fatty spreads such as butter
- Any foods with added sugar such as desserts, sweets, and sugary drinks
- Refined grains such as bleached flour found in most processed foods
Important to remember
Just because a certain food has more calories, it doesn’t mean it results in more weight gain. “There are foods like potatoes, which aren’t inherently bad for you, because they fill you up. But, when you turn them into French fries and potato chips, they tend to result in weight gain,” said the study’s lead author, Eric Finkelstein, who teaches at the Duke Global Health Institute at Duke University in the US.