The shocking truth about our kids' diets

As parents, we want to give our kids the best start we can, including providing a nutritious diet to support their development and growth, and teaching healthy habits to carry them through life.
But what if the very foods we're feeding our kids are undermining this goal?

Our busy lives mean we often turn to convenience foods – like puree pouches, packaged lunchbox snacks, ready-made meals and takeaway dinners – to get time back in our day.
While these options seem like a lifesaver – especially when many carry 'healthy' or 'better for you' claims – they're hiding a shocking truth: they're responsible for kids consuming far more processed and discretionary foods than we realise.

The health impact is also more serious than we might think: our kids' diets are becoming overloaded with hidden sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and additives we can barely pronounce, setting them up for issues down the track.
It's time to take a closer look at what's really on our kids' plates.

Processed and discretionary food defined

Processed food is an all-encompassing term describing any food that's been altered from its natural state.
Food is processed for a variety of reasons, some of which benefit our health.

For example, milk is pasteurised to make it safe for consumption and extend its shelf life. Fresh vegetables are frozen so we can access high-quality, nutritious produce year-round.
However, not all processed foods are as healthy. Many of the foods found on supermarket shelves have undergone extensive processing to meet our convenience needs and flavour preferences using industrial techniques and ingredients that sound like they belong in a science lab. These foods – known as Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) – are where the danger to our kids' diets lies due to their hidden sugars, salt, unhealthy fats and use of artificial flavours, colours and preservatives.

Parents know some UPFs all too well: they're the fast food meals, sugary soft drinks, chocolate bars, and flavoured potato chips kids love.But lesser known UPFs are sneaking into our kids' diets in other forms, including those time-saving convenience foods. In fact, many foods we purchase from supermarkets to feed our kids – such as some bread and breakfast cereals, muffins, ice-cream, sausages, chips, biscuits, chicken nuggets, instant noodles, and pre-packaged snacks – are UPFs.

Discretionary food is the term describing foods that are unnecessary for our diet because they don't provide the nutrients our bodies need to function.
As you'd expect, discretionary foods tend to be highly processed and also high on the list of foods kids love.

Why processed foods are prevalent in kids' diets

Processed foods are increasingly appearing on our kids' plates because they offer something highly valued by time-poor parents – convenience. 

Effective marketing strategies are also contributing to our kids' increased processed food consumption, effectively 'tricking' parents into buying convenience foods labelled with claims implying they're 'healthy' when they're not.

Research has shown that 100% of infant and toddler food products in Australian supermarkets fail to meet World Health Organization (WHO) promotional recommendations and an incredible 78 per cent of products didn't meet WHO's nutritional requirements.  

Other reasons contributing to kids' diets being high in processed and discretionary foods include:

• Taste and addictiveness. UPFs are designed to be palatable, and their high sugar, salt and fat content triggers our brain's reward system, releasing feel-good chemicals when we eat them. But it's not just this high that makes it hard for kids to resist these foods – evolution is hardwiring them to crave and seek them out.  
• Food fussiness. Around one in two kids will go through a fussy eating phase, accepting or rejecting specific foods, and white-coloured processed foods feature in many fussy eaters' diets because they're considered safe and comforting.
• Pester power. You'd be hard-pressed to find a parent who hasn't experienced the demands for fast food, unhealthy snacks and high-sugar cereals and soft drinks driven by the advertising accompanying the content our kids watch. 

The size of the problem 

Research confirms the shocking truth: processed and discretionary foods make up a significant portion of kids' diets. Discretionary foods represent about one-third of the total daily energy intake in Aussie kids' diets and discretionary food intake increases with age, accounting for 40+ per cent of kids' diets after the age of nine.

Consumption of calories from UPFs continues to grow, specifically from 61 to 67 per cent across the two decades examined in one study of 30,000 children aged 2 to 19 years of age. Alarmingly, this research confirmed the biggest increase in UPF consumption came from ready-made meals, accounting for 11 per cent of participants' daily calories in 2018, up from 2 per cent in 1999. 

The impact on kids' health

Research also confirms the overconsumption of processed and discretionary foods has long-term consequences for children's health, including:

• Nutritional deficiencies. UPFs and discretionary foods lack essential nutrients. When kids fill up on these foods, they're also less likely to consume vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and lean meats, resulting in a diet lacking the vitamins and minerals needed for healthy development and growth. High UPF consumption has been shown to result in lower length and height measurements during the critical growth period of 2 to 4 years of age.
• Childhood obesity. UPFs and discretionary foods are high in calories, unhealthy fats, sugars and salt. Some, like fast foods, also promote overeating as they're served in sizes lacking portion control. Studies show that weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference growth trajectories are significantly greater among children with the highest UPF consumption.
• Increased risk of chronic disease and death. High UPF consumption over time is directly associated with 32 health issues, including a higher risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, depression, anxiety and sleep disorders.   Higher UPF consumption is also associated with a greater risk of early death.

In short, saving time – or placating our kids – with these foods will only lead to a generation that struggles with obesity and other major health concerns. 

What you can do

Reducing a child's processed and discretionary food consumption can be challenging, but it's definitely achievable.

Here are six things that will help and encourage healthier eating habits:

1. Involve kids in meal preparation. A surefire way to get kids interested in eating healthier foods is to involve them in their preparation. Ask them to choose recipes, help shop for ingredients and complete easy tasks like washing veggies or mixing ingredients.  
2. Create a positive eating environment. Wind back the clock and sit at the dining table for a healthy meal – mealtimes that are relaxed and fun help create positive associations and habits.
3. Manage snacking. Avoid discretionary grazing by establishing regular snack times, ensuring they're at least two hours before mealtimes so kids are hungry when they sit down to eat.
4. Talk about nutrition. Help kids develop healthy habits by having age-appropriate conversations about the importance of the foods we eat. For example, relate food to energy for toddlers: ‘Eating brown rice will help you play for longer’. 
5. Teach moderation, not restriction. Offer controlled portions of discretionary food 'treats' and explain why these foods are only eaten sometimes.
6. Be a role model. Kids closely observe and mimic their parents, so if your child sees you making and enjoying healthy food choices, they're likely to follow suit.