Are modern day children getting adequate nutrition?

Question

The nutritional needs of a growing child are high. But do you think that children nowadays are relying too heavily on fast foods? There is a problem with childhood obesity. The question is, are modern day children meeting their nutritional needs?

Of course, I am not saying that children should abstain from all 'bad' foods. I'm just wondering if there is too much emphasis on the 'bad', nutrient deprived foods. Is junk food forming a major part of their diet?

Thanks for your input, feel free to share your thoughts on this.

Answer 1

Well, they're still alive, so yes, they're getting adequate nutrition.  Are they getting the best nutrition, or even healthy meals?  Not nearly as often as they should.

You have to remember that we're lucky enough just to have enough food for our children.  Although everyone wants what is best for their kids, it is most important first that they have food, then that it's healthy.  

Where I grew up, kids mostly ate breakfast and lunch at school, so that 2 out of 3 meals were away from home.  And what did we get at school?  Pancakes with sausage and bacon, chicken fried steak with gravy and fries, or (gasp) sloppy joes with questionable ingredients.  The side salads that were our only choice for veggies on most days were about the size of a dollar bill folded in half.  It's not horrible when you can go home and eat healthy, but many families will eat fast food for dinner, so 3 out of 3 meals are likely to be not as healthy as they could be.

But that's not just a problem for kids.  With the majority of the population being overweight, its a problem that effects everyone.  It's obvious that people in general don't eat as healthy as they could (there are even veg*ns that live on junk food), but most people also don't know enough about nutrition.  During my entire time at school, I might have spent one 30 minute lecture learning about nutrition from a teacher that was reading straight from textbook.  There are even places that have cut out their physical education classes to make more time for learning how to take standardized tests.

I don't think junk food is necessarily evil, and even some junk foods (dark chocolate, beer) are good for your health in moderation... but moderation is the key.

Answer 2

Just watch TV for 30 mins and count how many fast food, junk foods, candy, soda, sugar filled drinks and foods, sugar filled cereals and such they are directly marketing to children.

Then put into the mix that many homes have two hard working parents that either don't have the time, energy or know how to prepare healthy satisfying meals that their family will eat.

Now lets look at our public schools. They will send home "fat letters" to the parents of children that bmi is higher then it should be. However they continue to serve the kids pizza 2x a week! My daughter's gym teacher not only is significantly overweight but for rewards she gives the children candy. Candy! A fat gym teacher giving her students CANDY!! It may be just me but I see so many things wrong with this.

Parents have to step up because no one else is going to care about our children. Treats are one thing and I would never want to deprive my kids totally of them but we need to look at what we are giving as treats and how often we are giving them.

There is an epidemic of unhealthy people. We are filling our children and ourselves with over processed, fat filled, nutritionally laking foods.

We have become a fast food nation and frankly it's

disgusting!

There are Hospitals...Hospitals that have Burger King or McDonald's in them......yes Hospitals are promoting fast foods!

Answer 3

School food is TERRIBLY unhealthful, or at least it was when I was a kid.  In elementary school they served hamburger and french fries about once a week.  Of course, as a kid I loved it, but I can see why so many children today are overweight and/or unhealthy.  In Jr. high things only got worse; we had "a la carte" stand, and some kids would buy a basket of cheese sticks dripping with grease and call it their lunch.

Also, more parents are working and there are more activities crowding kids' schedules, so unfortunately it's much easier for parents to grab dinner at McDonald's instead of making a meal and serving fresh fruits and vegetables.

This was the case with a kid I used to babysit.  Not only was fast food a staple of his diet, but their house was stocked with cookies, sweets, chips and other junk foods.  When I tried to make him eat some fruit one night (and not even fresh fruit...syrupy peaches from a can!) he refused.

Answer 4

I totally agree. Children are eating too much protien and fat. They concider the catchup and lettuce on their burger their vegetables. It is totally rediculous. Our school just makes it worst. They dont serve anything with nutritional value, most schools don't serve healthy food.

Answer 5

I think it's relly depending on their parents. If they are too busy to cook a nutritional meal everynight, they'll just have their kids eat unhealthy ordered food or unhealthy microwavable foods, which tends to result in being... larger. And as far as healthy goes, eating a big mac, fries, and a soda every night cannot be good for you, no matter how much lettuce you put on it. And though school lunches do offer raw veggie salads, fruit salads, and plain lettuce salads, I really never see anyone every buying those. So yes, in some, junk food really is part of their daily lives, and it will probably get even worse and harder to get away from as they get older.

=) Our wonderful society...

Answer 6

I think some kids eat really unhealthy and disgusting food that is terrible for them like McDonalds, school cafeteria foods, Burger King, junk food like cookies and cake, and other fast foods. It is just terrible! I am so grossed out by all that nasty junk.

Answer 7

Yes, for sure. Some children eat almost nothing but white bread and rice/pasta, sugar, and fat (chips/fries) - no fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs or dairy.

Answer 8

I don't think many are. In a world with too many single parents there isn't enough supervision whether it be nutrition or behavior for that matter. Also, living in a world of convenience, I think too many parents sacrifice health for convenience.

School food options are mostly unhealthy because of economics. There usually are healthy choices available but it's always the same thing over and over.

Answer 9

i totally agree with the above posters.  my school actually had a mcdonald's inside of the cafeteria!! how repulsive is that?

Answer 10

If my younger brother is any example, kids are definitely not getting adequate nutrition.  

He is 10 years old and the pickiest eater I have ever seen.  He will NOT eat vegetables and the only fruit I have seen him eat are persimmons.  Rather than my step-mother forcing him to eat vegetables or fruits, she gives him 6 gummy candy vitamins.  Apparently one gummy is equal to either one serving of vegetables or one serving of fruit.  This is absolutely appalling to me.  If he continues on this path when he is older I'm sure he will be the epitomy of fat and unhealthy.  

In the small city they live in, there is basically one shopping center that has a McDonald's, Subway, a pizza place, Starbuck's, and a grocery store.  When eating out, their only options are shite for food unless they drive 20 minutes to a larger town.  

I don't believe my brother's is an isolated case.  Everywhere you turn, especially in the fattest country in the world (America) you see more and more children who are becoming obese, maturing way sooner than their bodies should be, and generally lacking motivation, energy, or well-being.  

I blame the easy availability of fast-foods, pre-packaged and processed foods, lack of exercise, parents not understanding what nutrition means or how to say "no!" And of course meat and dairy.

Scientists are beginning to say that this is the first generation that actually may die sooner than that of their parents.

Answer 11

No because parents are getting lazy and going to mcdonalds drive throughs and stuff. I do know a lot of people where their parents care about what they eat so they cook healthy meals. My cousin thought her hamburger was healthy..I dont know why but it got on my nerves ughh..i didnt say anything but everyone was treating me like a child since i didnt have a burger..i had soup in which everyone said eat it and I was(just wasnt spicy enough lol so i kept adding and finally i got to) Kids are getting educated in schools about making healthy food choices and then the c**p they offer is disgusting..baked chips not to bad but still.

Answer 12

I would say that modern children are not receiving adequate nutrition from the foods they eat and the beverages they drink.

These days, it's all about conveneice when it comes to food. Anything that is not carefully prepared can easily be unhealthy. Fast food is horrible. Take out (take away) is a close second.

I remember when I was growing up that people used to say that pizza included all the food groups: (cheese) dairy, (sauce) fruit, (mushrooms/green peppers) vegetables, (crust) bread, (pepperoni/sausage) meat. It is laughable at best, but some people really think that it incorporates some of their basic daily dietary needs.

I think there is a lot of emphasis on bad foods. If you've ever watched Saturday morning cartoons or a youth-themed show, almost all the food commercials are for sugary cereals, fast food and junk food. It's insane. What's even more insane is the fact that their parents actually buy it for them.

One small fact- according to the book "Fast Food Nation", a large number of American children as young as age 2 recognize Ronald McDonald and associate him with food. And who says that advertisers don't target children?!

I guess someone could argue that it's all relative, though. When my parents were growing up, they were fed all types of meat, real butter, sugar-filled desserts (with pie crusts made of lard!), whole milk, etc. These days, the average nutritionist would balk at such things foods being consumed, but the childhood rate of obesity back then was not what it is now. There are other contributing factors to the poor nutrition - lack of exercise being a huge one.

Either way, the children today are NOT eating right. The parents are to blame - dietary patterns are *learned*.

Answer 13

I absolutely think that many children are probably nutritionally deficient.  This has to do with the decline in home cooking and the spread of readily available, mass produced food containing high levels of both fat and cholesterol.  It also has to do with the mass high fructose corn syrup inclusion in almost every commercially produced food. Children are simply getting too much addictive, non nutritional sugars.