It’s no secret that a lot of parents are wary about diets for kids because of all the hype surrounding them. Many kids have diets for kids that include almost nothing except fruit, vegetables, and low-calorie shakes, and those diets don’t always last long. The fact is that while there is a place for kids’ diets, they need to be healthy, sensible, and tailored to their needs. There is no magic pill to creating a healthy diet for kids – you’ll still need to make wise choices about what your kids eat, how much of it, and how often. You just can’t create some magical program that guarantees weight loss in a week.
But that’s not to say that diets for kids aren’t effective. They can be very effective if they focus on real problems like nutrient deficiencies – a diet simply removing certain foods from the diet and replacing them with healthier foods can be very helpful if the child is deficient in key nutrients. While it may not happen overnight, once the deficiencies are corrected, the child can enjoy improved nutrition and better overall health as a result.1
But fad diets for kids aren’t the best way to go. If you’re looking for a quick fix, don’t take the next step by choosing a fad diet that promises unrealistic and almost impossible weight loss. Fad diets for kids don’t work because they’re designed to make you replace whole food groups with one or two choices, rather than alter the way you eat over time. When the entire food group is gone, your body must learn to work harder to get all of the nutrients it needs to function. You may lose some weight at first, but you will also put more stress on your joints and other muscles, which can lead to bigger weight gain in the future.2
Are Diets Safe For Kids?
The question “are diets safe for kids?” is important for parents to ask because not all children are going to benefit from the same diets. Even though a diet may be healthy for adults, it may not be the best option for your young ones. To answer this question you will need to ask yourself if the diet will work for your child’s health needs or if it will actually lead to health problems.3
You can choose diets safe for kids by looking at their age. If your child is still growing and starting to develop, he/she may not be able to follow the exact plans that you have set forth for him/her. Instead of diets, you will want to consider what your child is eating now and see if he/she is getting enough nutrients to help him/her grow. This is important because as children get older, they usually begin to gain weight and if they do not have a proper diet, it could make it much harder for them to keep it off.
If you are not sure which type of diets are safe for kids you can always talk with your child about his/her eating habits and see if he/she would be interested in following a certain diet. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents consult their doctor before putting children on a diet.4 Additionally, they recommend that clinicians ask families about the family’s eating habits and history to understand if there is any medical or psychological reason why kids should not be put on a diet.
Dangers of Putting Your Kids on a Diet – What Parents Should Know
Most of the dangers of diets for kids are due to the dangers of not allowing them to have enough calories in their diet. This can lead to health problems, even stunted growth. If a child doesn’t eat enough the result will be stunted growth and health problems as well. But oftentimes, this leads to an eating disorder which could lead to serious weight issues and even obesity.5
Other dangers include allowing your child to skip meals. Many kids these days have busy schedules and they don’t always have time to prepare healthy meals all week long. This is where skipping meals, eating one large meal per day, or even two small meals during the day is not an option but a necessity. Many of the diets promote eating small amounts all day long which leads to eating disorders of all types.
The dangers of diets for kids are much greater because some of them allow parents to buy their children’s special foods. The problem with this is that children can develop allergies to some of the foods. If your child cannot eat these foods then it could seriously hurt their health. Many times the dietitian will recommend that you skip some meals so that your child will not be hungry at certain times during the day. This could be dangerous because your child could develop food allergies and then become very sick. The best thing to do is to find diets for children that allow you to shop for healthy foods in bulk.6
These are just a couple of dangers of diets for children. Of course, there are much more dangers of diets. The best thing to do is to let your children eat the foods they want to eat as long as they understand how this affects their health. The best way to do this is to start them young with organic foods and homemade meals so they grow up eating healthy and avoiding any serious problems as they get older.7
Two of the Worst Types of Diets For Kids
Let’s face it, when it comes to a diet, not all diets are created equal. Some families are known to struggle with healthy eating, while others eat whatever they want and they don’t seem to mind either. One thing is for sure: not everyone chooses the same type of diet for their kids. This is why it’s important to do your research so you can determine what the worst kid diets for kids are, so you can avoid going down that road with anyone. In this article, we’ll examine two of the worst kinds of diets out there, how you can solve them, and what to look for when choosing the right kind of meal for your children.
The first “bad diet” we’ll discuss is fruitarianism. Many parents choose this kind of diet because they believe it’s a healthy way of eating, but it’s actually a horrible way of eating. Fruits contain too much sugar for your child’s delicate system, while vegetables and other foods contain more fiber and nutrients that can help your child achieve healthier body weight.8
Another one of the worst diets for kids is sugar-free or low-calorie diets. These diets often require you to eliminate all foods that contain sugar or artificial sweeteners from your child’s diet (and in some cases, dairy products may even be forbidden altogether). While it may seem like these diets help children lose weight, the truth is they deprive them of essential nutrients. They also lack important vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy. Good healthy meals for kids don’t have to be bland and boring. With the right choice of healthy ingredients and a balanced nutrition plan, you can find diets that help your child reach his or her full potential.
Image Credits
Pexels / November 5, 2019
News.com / June 7, 2021
Daily Mail / December 14, 2016
1 “Kids Healthy Eating Plate | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. ….” https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/kids-healthy-eating-plate/ Accessed 28 Jul. 2021.
2 “Safe Weight Loss for Overweight Kids – WebMD.” 23 Nov. 2015, https://www.webmd.com/parenting/raising-fit-kids/weight/features/safe-weight-loss Accessed 28 Jul. 2021.
3 “Normal Diet for Children – 1 to 11 Years of Age – What You Need to ….” https://www.drugs.com/cg/normal-diet-for-children-1-to-11-years-of-age.html Accessed 28 Jul. 2021.
4 “American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Recommendations for ….” 19 Jul. 2021, https://services.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2021/american-academy-of-pediatrics-updates-recommendations-for-opening-schools-in-fall-2021/ Accessed 28 Jul. 2021.
5 “Kids don’t need to diet. Ever. – MSU Health4U.” 24 Sep. 2019, https://health4u.msu.edu/articles/2019-kids-dont-need-to-diet-ever Accessed 28 Jul. 2021.
6 “Children With Poor Nutrition – Healthy Eating | SF Gate.” https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/children-poor-nutrition-6555.html Accessed 28 Jul. 2021.
7 “How to Help Your Kids Avoid Dangerous Diet Fads – Health ….” 20 Apr. 2017, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/ditch-the-diet-fads-5-healthy-eating-tips-for-your-kids/ Accessed 28 Jul. 2021.
8 “What Happens When You Eat Nothing But Fruit for a Week – Byrdie.” 19 Feb. 2020, https://www.byrdie.com/fruitarian-diet Accessed 28 Jul. 2021.
