All children and adolescents need healthy snacks to support their growth and development and to ensure a strong immune system to fight diseases. A nutrient-rich diet plays an important role in your child’s mental and physical growth.
Unfortunately, children may suffer from malnutrition when their diets contain large amounts of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. This negatively affects their immunity. These foods often come in the form of sweets (such as potato chips, chocolate, lollipops, and sodas) or processed foods (like fast food). Children who do not follow a varied diet that includes enough fresh and whole foods expose themselves to long-term health consequences. Follow along to see how this impacts your child’s immune system.
A healthy diet and proper nutrition are vital for maintaining a healthy weight in children and adolescents. Eating habits developed in childhood often continue into adulthood, so the more healthy choices available to children, the better.
Signs and Symptoms of Malnutrition and Weak Immunity
Signs and symptoms may include:
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Underweight, overweight, or obesity
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Constipation or changes in bowel habits
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Pale or lethargic appearance
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Tooth decay
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Poor physical growth
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Behavioral problems in children
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Sleep issues
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Emotional and psychological development problems
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Difficulty concentrating or academic struggles
What Causes Nutrient Deficiency and Poor Immunity?
Children who do not follow a balanced diet may suffer nutrient deficiencies, often lacking enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Common problems affecting healthy diets in children and adolescents include:
Insufficient Fruits and Vegetables
Fiber maintains digestive health and supports the immune system. A diet low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can result in inadequate fiber intake, leading to constipation and increased risk of bowel cancer and heart disease later in life. Adequate fiber intake can protect against obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Fruits and vegetables are also good sources of vitamin C, which helps the body absorb iron, fight infections, and heal wounds.
Choosing a variety of whole fruits and vegetables in different colors (yellow, red, green) and including them in your child’s regular diet can help prevent nutrient deficiency problems.
Teach your child to eat five servings of grains (like whole wheat bread, pasta, rice), five servings of vegetables, and two servings of fruit daily. Fresh fruits and vegetables are best, but canned (in natural juice, drained) or frozen options are also good and usually contain similar nutrient amounts as fresh ones. Dried fruits are nutritious but have high natural sugar, so consume them less frequently.
Independent Food Choices and Restricted Diets
As children grow and become more independent, they may choose specific diets or restrict certain food groups. Many trendy diets appeal to teens, and older children may try "fashionable" diets. Restricting food groups without need can lead to nutrient deficiencies and harm health, as your child may miss essential nutrients for growth and development (e.g., gluten-free diet without necessity, or low-carb diets).
Teens who reduce animal products (meat and dairy) are at particular risk of iron and calcium deficiency, especially if they follow vegetarian or vegan diets. Iron is crucial for oxygen transport in the body; deficiency often causes tiredness and low energy. Including iron-rich foods in the diet is important for physical health and brain development.
Calcium is essential for healthy bone growth, especially during rapid growth in adolescence. Calcium deficiency during this stage can lead to fragile or weak bones in adulthood. If your child decides to restrict certain food groups or follow a special diet, consult a general practitioner and nutritionist to plan a balanced diet that meets nutritional needs.
Unplanned or unsupervised diets can lead to poor health due to weakened immunity.
Allergies and Intolerances
Children or teens diagnosed with food allergies or intolerances must modify their diets under the supervision of a nutritionist to ensure they get the necessary nutrients for healthy growth and development.
Food allergies or intolerances (e.g., lactose or gluten intolerance) can limit diet variety and cause nutrient deficiencies if not properly managed.
Lactose intolerance may reduce calcium intake. Make sure your child has alternatives (e.g., lactose-free cow’s milk, yogurt, or calcium-fortified dairy substitutes). Celiac disease may reduce fiber intake and increase the risk of iron deficiency due to intestinal inflammation. Ensure your child consumes enough iron-rich foods like red meat and leafy green vegetables.
Restricting foods with FODMAPs can reduce intake of fiber and other important nutrients, weakening the child’s immunity.
Weight Issues: Overweight or Underweight
Children and teens who are underweight or obese may suffer from malnutrition because their diets often lack healthy nutrient-rich foods.
Many factors contribute to a child’s weight (e.g., genetics), but diet choices are very influential. Common dietary factors linked to overweight include fast food, sugary drinks, large meals, and processed ready-to-eat foods.
Children with excess weight usually do not lose it naturally as they grow older and require healthy eating habits and exercise to achieve a healthy weight.
Poor Food Choices
Processed and manufactured foods (potato chips, chocolate, sweets, cakes, biscuits, fast food) should be limited to special occasions and consumed in moderation, according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
Sugary drinks (sodas, juices, flavored waters, concentrates, sports drinks, energy drinks) are unnecessary even after exercise and should be avoided. Water is the best drink for health and should be the main beverage for all children older than 12 months.
Sweets, processed foods, and sugary drinks are often full of sugar, artificial sweeteners, fats, or salt and provide no nutritional benefit. Excess consumption is linked to poor health, weight gain, and tooth decay in children.
Reduce the number of snacks offered to children and provide healthy alternatives. Avoid using treats as behavioral or emotional rewards, as this does not support developing healthy eating habits.
How Can I Care for My Child at Home?
Water is the best drink for children.
Most vitamin deficiencies can be treated at home by making small dietary changes. Choosing healthy foods and knowing how many servings your child needs by age is helpful. Try these tips:
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Let your child help plan meals, shop, and prepare food to improve their understanding of healthy eating and food choices.
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Reduce the number of available snacks and provide healthy snack options.
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Avoid buying or offering sugary drinks; water is best.
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Include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your child’s diet.
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If your child has special dietary needs or must avoid certain food groups, ensure they eat foods that compensate for missing nutrients.
How Can I Read Food Labels to Ensure My Child’s Strong Immunity?
Reading food labels is the best way to know how healthy a product is. Always check fat and sugar content to make healthy choices, and watch for:
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Many names for fats (e.g., oils, milk solids, mono-glycerides) and sugars (e.g., sucrose, glucose, dextrose, syrup, malt).
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Ingredients listed in descending order by quantity (the first ingredient is the largest amount, the last is the smallest).
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Use the "per 100 grams" values on nutrition panels to compare products; fewer ingredients generally means healthier.
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There are resources and apps to help understand food labels.
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