New research has emerged confirming that high school students who eat a lot of vegetables and fruits may be significantly more likely to have better mental health than those who don’t.
The study, which was published in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health Schoolchildren who eat a nutritious breakfast and lunch tend to have better emotional health.
According to a report by the site healthy food Study authors say poor mental health is on the rise among teens, especially after the coronavirus pandemic, and could have lifelong consequences. A UK study, using data from 7,570 secondary school students and 1,253 primary school students, found a strong association Between higher fruit and vegetable consumption and higher well-being scores, eating a good breakfast and lunch was also associated with higher well-being scores.
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Only about one in four (25%) of high school students and 28.5 percent of elementary school students reported eating five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, with 10% and 9%, respectively, eating nothing, according to a press release from Says BMJ.
The researchers emphasized that the findings add to the evidence for the importance of good nutrition for childhood growth and development, and explain: “As a modifiable factor, both at the individual and societal levels, nutrition may therefore represent an important public health target for strategies to address child mental disorders.”
7 ways to get your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables
- Start them small: introduce your child to a variety of vegetables as soon as they start eating solid foods If they don’t like something on the first try, have them try it again a few times so they get familiar with different tastes and textures.
- Keep a bowl of fruit on hand and make it easy to snack on veggies by slicing them up and placing them in the eye line in the refrigerator.
- Make vegetables the star of your meals, with meat and other ingredients as an even more accompaniment.
- Start growing vegetables at home and let the children help you. You may be surprised what they will eat if they have a role in growing it.
- Ask your children to help out with meals. If they are involved in preparing a meal, they are more likely to eat at least some of it.
- If your child doesn’t really like a particular vegetable, try cooking it a different way or serving it raw. Most kids prefer raw carrots over cooked or fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Add vegetables to bread: Infusion of vegetables in food will not help your child develop a taste for it, but adding them to bread, is a good way to bring them closer to the recommended daily meals.
