Nutrition for Children and Teenagers : 270 Articles

Eating well and being physically active are keys to a child's well-being. A healthy diet not only supplies all the nutrients that growing children and teens need, it also lays the foundation for future health.  Scan this section for research findings and articles on how certain foods, vitamins, minerals, and physical activity impact a child's health.

Small rewards help preschoolers eat veggies

If your children turn up their noses at broccoli, a small reward like a sticker for taking even a taste may help get them to eat previously shunned foods, a U.K. study finds. However, the…

Kids' cereals pack more sugar than cookies

A bowl of some popular brands of breakfast cereal contains more sugar than three chocolate chip cookies, according to a study released this week. A report from the Environmental Working Group,…

Fibre rich diet helps teens ward off metabolic syndrome

Teenagers who eat plenty of fibre-rich foods, such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains, are less likely to have risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, a new study shows. But there was…

McDonald's to give Happy Meals a nutrition makeover

After coming under pressure from consumer groups, McDonald's will soon tweak its popular kids' Happy Meals, reducing the French fry portion by more than half and adding apples to the…

Family meals important through teen years

As children become teenagers, it may be more challenging to regularly include them in family meals, but doing so is key to heading off problems such as eating disorders, obesity, and…

Folic acid linked to better grades in teens

According to Swedish researchers, teenagers who consumed more folic acid got better grades in school. To investigate, researchers looked at over 350 15-year-olds who were finishing up ninth…

Reducing TV time doesn’t help kids lose weight

According to new study findings from researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto, cutting the amount of time spent in front of the TV doesn't help kids lose…

Prolonged bottle-feeding may up risk of obesity in kids

According to new study findings from researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia, prolonged bottle-feeding in kids increases their risk of obesity later in life. Researchers found that…

Energy drinks no good for kids

A new position paper by the American Academy of Pediatrics warns about the dangers of energy drinks and urges kids and teens to avoid them. To formulate these recommendations,…

Video games may make kids eat more

According to new study findings, an hour spent playing video games may make teenage boys eat more over the rest of the day. To investigate, researchers studied 22 normal weight teen…

Family meals help kids maintain a healthy weight and diet

According to U.S. researchers, kids who sit down to eat with their families are less likely to be overweight and have overall healthier eating habits. The report, the first of its kind to…

Teen BMI predicts adulthood diabetes, heart disease

New study findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine are reporting that body mass index (BMI) in adolescence has the ability to predict type 2 diabetes and heart disease in…

Facial expressions influence kids’ eating habits

According to new study findings from French researchers, kids eating habits are influenced by both facial expressions and body weight. To investigate, researchers from the French National…

Junk food linked to lower IQ in kids

According to new study findings from researchers at Bristol University in the UK, kids who eat a diet high in fat, sugar, and processed foods such as cookies, chips and French fries in early…

Restricted diet may help kids with ADHD

Dutch researchers are reporting that children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should be fed a special diet to help their care givers determine whether certain foods are…

Childhood obesity linked to lifestyle habits

A new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center shows obese children tend to share a few key lifestyle habits, including watching more TV and exercising less…

Family, friends influence weight of young adults

According to researchers at The Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in the U.S., overweight and obese young adults are more likely to have overweight romantic…

Excess sugar in teen years ups heart disease risk later in life

According to new study findings published in the journal Circulation, teenagers with diets high in added sugar may be in store for heart problems later in life. To investigate, researchers…

Low-sugar breakfast cereal leads to better eating habits in children

Study findings from researchers at Yale University are reporting that children are more likely to eat a nutritious, balanced breakfast if they are served low-sugar cereals. To investigate,…

Parents have limited influence on children’s eating habits

New study findings from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health are reporting that despite previous research, parents may actually have very limited influence over their…