The consequences of a poor diet for your child

INDIANA (WLFI) - We’ve talked about the benefits of your child eating healthy, but what about the consequences of a poor diet?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a poor diet can lead to energy imbalance (e.g., eating more calories than one expends through physical activity) and can increase one’s risk for being overweight or obese.

A poor diet can increase the risk for lung, esophageal, stomach, colorectal and prostate cancers.

Individuals who eat fast food one or more times per week are at increased risk for weight gain, overweight and obesity.

Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can result in weight gain, overweight and obesity. Providing access to drinking water gives students a healthy alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages.

Hunger and food insecurity (i.e., reduced food intake and disrupted eating patterns because a household lacks money and other resources for food) might increase the risk for lower dietary quality and undernutrition. In turn, undernutrition can negatively affect overall health, cognitive development and school performance.