The dangers of picky eating

When we educate our children, we often teach them not to be picky eaters or have partial eating habits. So why can't they be picky eaters or have partial eating habits? What kind of harm will picky eaters and partial eating habits bring to children? We need to have a deep understanding of this issue. The harm of picky eaters and partial eating habits is actually very serious. If we do not pay attention to it, it will cause very serious harm to children's physical health.

The harm of being picky about food is very serious. It can lead to malnutrition in the human body and a decrease in the body's immune function. It can also lead to a decrease in appetite and the occurrence of various diseases.

Nutrition experts point out that children's picky eating and anorexia are one of the causes of anemia, rickets, scurvy, low immunity, angular cheilitis, hyperactivity, hand and foot cramps, bad temper, and crying. Children who are picky about eating high-calorie foods are prone to obesity, and children who don't like to eat vegetables and fruits are prone to constipation. The specific hazards are as follows:

1. There are many nutrients needed by the human body, such as protein, fat, inorganic salts, vitamins, etc., and it is impossible for all of these substances to be contained in one or several foods. Therefore, picky eating cannot meet all the nutrients needed for children's growth, resulting in nutritional imbalance and children cannot grow and develop healthily and quickly. Studies have shown that malnutrition, eating less or excreting more, and picky eating are most likely to cause potassium deficiency.

2. Picky eaters often play while eating, and often take more than an hour to eat a meal. This not only affects the intake of nutrition, but may even cause gastrointestinal dysfunction and affect digestion and absorption. If not corrected, the child's growth and development may be delayed or even stagnant.

3. The child's intake of nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and fat is insufficient, his weight is low and his growth rate is slow. Studies have found that picky eaters are twice as likely to be underweight as babies with a normal diet.

4. Being picky about food can cause children to lose their appetite, which in the long run can lead to malnutrition and nutritional anemia, reduced disease resistance, and susceptibility to infectious diseases and digestive tract diseases.

5. Being picky about food can also cause various vitamin deficiency diseases. If you do not eat whole-fat dairy products, egg yolks, beans, liver and other foods, or do not eat carrots, tomatoes, green vegetables, etc., you may suffer from night blindness due to vitamin A deficiency. In severe cases, it may cause corneal opacity, softening, ulcers and even perforation, eventually leading to blindness. Lack of trace elements such as zinc, chromium, copper and selenium may cause visual impairment and myopia in children.

6. Children who like to eat meat but do not eat fresh green leafy vegetables, tomatoes and fruits may suffer from skin diseases due to lack of vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C. Scurvy may also be caused by severe lack of vitamin C in the body. In mild cases, the gums may bleed, and in severe cases, it may cause subperiosteal, intra-articular and intramuscular bleeding. Children will suffer from limb pain, refuse to be hugged, and their limb activities will be affected. In severe cases, fractures may be caused.

7. Not eating foods rich in vitamin D such as fish, shrimp, egg yolks, and mushrooms can lead to vitamin D deficiency. If not supplemented and treated in time, mild symptoms include sweating and crying at night, while severe symptoms include convulsions and bone deformities such as "pigeon breast", "O"-shaped or "X"-shaped legs, etc.

8. Picky eating affects children's intellectual development. The intelligence development index of normal children is 14 points higher than that of picky eaters. Picky eaters are also prone to inattention.

9. Various types of food also play an important role in the development of children's personality. Nutritional imbalance may cause children to develop extreme personality. Studies have shown that excessive intake of acidic foods can affect children's personality and psychological development, leading to autism. Children who are malnourished in early childhood are more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior than well-nourished children.

In addition, parents often use threats, scolding and other methods to force their children to eat. This not only fails to correct the child's picky eating habits, but also causes the baby to develop a rebellious mentality, which will make the parent-child relationship tense in the long run.

Above we introduced why we cannot be picky about food, because picky eating can cause great harm to the human body. If a child is picky about food, it will greatly affect his development. Picky eating can lead to a decline in our body's immune function. Long-term picky eating can also lead to malnutrition and the occurrence of various diseases.