Eating More Fruits & Veg Could Give Kids a Mental Health Boost, According to New Research

Midsection of girl having healthy lunch while sitting on bench

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Just like for adults, fruits and vegetables are super important for children in order to grow up healthy and strong. In fact, science recommends eating at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables each day. But getting kids to actually eat their fruits and vegetables may be easier said than done. If you need additional reasons to help your kids increase their intake, new research has found that students who eat more fruits and vegetables may have better mental wellbeing than those who get less. And given the significant increase in loneliness, anxiety, and depression in school and college-age children due to COVID-19, these results are more important than ever.

A study recently published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health looked at 9,000 college students from across the UK. About 7,500 attended secondary school (middle and high school equivalent in the US) and 1,500 attended elementary school (or elementary school as we know it here in the US). Students self-reported on their diet and were given age-appropriate mental wellbeing tests that examined happiness, relaxation and healthy interpersonal relationships.

They found that there was a strong association between eating more fruits and vegetables and higher levels of mental wellbeing. However, only about 25% of the students fulfilled the recommendation of at least five servings of food per day.

Another interesting finding was breakfast, which is a particularly important meal for school-age children – it provides the fuel children need to learn and function in general. However, the study found that more than 1 in 5 high school students and 1 in 10 elementary school children did not eat a standard breakfast at all, and many ate just a snack or drink instead of a full meal. Those who ate a large breakfast had significantly better psychological well-being scores than those who skipped their morning meal.

In short, their results suggest that a healthy diet that includes a full breakfast (including a starter like toast, cereal, yogurt, or a cooked main course) and at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day are among the best results for that mental health leads children. Unfortunately, many of the students they interviewed missed the target either when eating fruit and vegetables, when eating breakfast, or both. This can also have various reasons.

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Why are children missing the mark?

Many students and families rely on school feeding programs for their meals. If a school does not offer a breakfast program, this may mean that a child’s first meal is not eaten until lunchtime. Given the current food supply challenges due to COVID-19, there is no guarantee that this lunch or every school meal will include fruits and vegetables. And when there are limited culturally appropriate fruit and vegetable options, it can discourage children from making healthy choices. Not to mention that due to the school closings due to COVID, many children are still learning from home, which unfortunately can mean even fewer meals per day, let alone with fruits and vegetables.

Not only the access to and availability of fruits, vegetables and certain meals in general is a challenge, but also acceptance. Children who are still learning to like or even try certain foods can quickly write off fruits and vegetables. This is where tasty, kid-friendly recipes can come in handy to help them achieve the goal.

How to help children comply with the recommended intake

Aside from preparing family-friendly meals and adding vegetables wherever you can, there are many other ways you can provide your children and families with the nutrients they need to be optimal. Food insecurity affects more than 20% of families in the United States, so be aware that when you have problems, you are not alone. Programs like WIC and SNAP are designed to help families get enough funds for healthy meals. Learning about school and community meals in your area is also a great way to find help in our community. Frozen and canned foods can be just as nutritious as fresh foods, so they’re another great option to increase your fruit and vegetable intake and make your money even bigger.

It can take 15 or more tries before a person knows if they like a new food. It is therefore important to expose children to new fruits and vegetables several times. To make new foods feel more familiar, combine them with foods they already like. Check out our ideas on how you can help pickier eaters consume healthy foods, such as: Last but not least, it is no secret that parents and caregivers are also under stress right now. It may not always feel realistic to make sure your little ones are getting five or more servings of food a day. Fortunately, the study found that the relationship between mental well-being and fruit and vegetable consumption was linear. This means that while the highest intake had the best result, some vegetable intake was better than none.

Healthy recipes to try out

Avocado fries with sriracha aioli

There are many ways to make healthy eating delicious and fun for kids. We even have a 7-day healthy dinner plan for picky eaters for more inspiration. Whether it’s a vegetable side that your child will really enjoy, like our avocado fries with sriracha aioli pictured above, or a dessert full of vegetables, when kids are involved in the kitchen they can enjoy their food better.

Bottom line

While increasing your child’s fruit and vegetable consumption can be a challenge, the extra effort is well worth it. Aside from keeping their bodies healthy and preventing disease, new research suggests that they can also help improve mental health. A morning meal is also important in keeping your children literally focused and healthy. Check out these kid-friendly breakfast recipes to put it all together.

source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/10/02/eating-more-fruits-veg-could-give-kids-a-mental-health-boost-according-to-new-research/