How to Help Kids with Strong Food Cravings Avoid Ultra-Processed Foods

Some kids need more protection from ultra-processed food. Here's why

Back when Kerri Boutelle's children were younger, she noticed a difference in how they ate ice cream cones. One child would eat half and stop, while another would eat quickly and grab the leftovers. This observation highlights that not all children respond the same way to ultra-processed foods.

Some children have a strong food reward drive, making them feel extra motivated to eat. They struggle to regulate their eating with ultra-processed foods, which are common in today's society.

Children in the U.S. get about 70% of their calories from ultra-processed foods, which are linked to health issues like diabetes and obesity. These foods can lead people to overeat, disrupting hunger and satiety signals.

Regulating eating around ultra-processed foods is especially challenging for children with a strong food reward drive. Parents can help by creating a healthy home environment and teaching kids to make better choices when outside the home.

Here are some tips to help kids with a strong food reward drive:

1. Avoid keeping a lot of ultra-processed foods at home.
2. Limit the presence of ultra-processed foods in the house and teach children to make healthy choices outside the home.
3. Keep only a few ultra-processed items at home to reduce variety and overeating.
4. Introduce ultra-processed foods at home only on special occasions.

This approach can help children develop healthy eating habits and manage their food reward drive effectively.

According to the source: NPR.