Q1. What is junk food? How much and how often junk food can be allowed for a child in a week?
Junk food comprises of foods high in dietary fats, sugar, salt, or those which are nutritionally inappropriate. Most of the ultra-processed foods (foods that are commercially prepared by mixing several ingredients and adding additives such as sugars, flavors, and colors) are junk foods as either they are nutritionally poor or high in sugar, salt, or fat. Sugar-sweetened beverages, carbonated drinks, and caffeine-containing drinks are also categorized as unhealthy foods under the broad acronym JUNCS (Junk foods, Ultraprocessed foods, Nutritionally inappropriate foods, Caffeinated/colored/carbonated foods/beverages, and Sugar-sweetened beverages). Table 1 lists the common junk foods. Children and adolescents should avoid consumption of foods and beverages categorized as JUNCS, as far as possible. Alternatively, limit consumption of these foods at home/outside to not more than one serving per week; serving not exceeding 50% of total daily calorie requirement for that age.
Q2. As working parents, we are dependent on breads, cornflakes, etc. Are they healthy?
Many parents look for quick solutions to feeding the children, especially when both are working. Most of the ready-to-eat foods are not as healthy as they are often claimed to be. Some of the examples to explain this fact are as follows: Cornflakes have a low-fat content, but the sugar, flavor, and corn syrup added to the flakes make it an unhealthy choice. Cornflakes are made up of malt, fructose corn syrup, and sugar, which make them very high in refined sugars. Corn syrup used in corn flakes has been found to have high levels of fructose in them. They might be low in fat but the sugar content promotes fat storage. Similarly, bread is relatively low in essential nutrients. It is rather high in calories and carbs but low in protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Its excessive intake, especially white bread containing simple carbohydrates, can lead to unwarranted weight gain and predisposition to chronic ailments such as diabetes and heart disease. Even most brown breads predominantly have refined flour and are processed in same way as white bread.
Q3. How is junk food harmful to body?
Junk food can be harmful in many ways; some problems may appear early and others in due course of time. Most of these foods have poor nutritional quality due to high carbohydrate and fat content. Mostly they are high in sugar or salt as well. On the contrary, they are low in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients. This nutritionally imbalanced diet often leads to rapid weight gain and obesity. As the intake continues over a longer duration, it may affect the lipid profile of the body thereby predisposing to more severe illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Some of the additives used in ultra-processed foods may also increase the risk of cancer. Microbial contamination due to poor hygiene can lead to gastrointestinal infections such as diarrhea, typhoid, and hepatitis. High sugar content of junk foods and drinks may lead to dental caries. Food additives and coloring agents may cause allergies. Caffeinated drinks cause increase in the heart rate and sometimes abnormal rhythm of heartbeat. Regular over consumption of caffeinated drinks may cause psychiatric and sleep disturbances.
Q4. What are healthy food options for babies, toddlers, and young children?
All babies till 6 months of age should be exclusively breastfed. Any sorts of ghutti, water, top milk, honey, juices, or tea are not permitted. Beyond 6 months, some common homemade food options are provided in Table 2.
For infants 6 months to 1 year For toddlers and children Khichri, dalia, sooji kheer, mashed potatoes/banana/ boiled vegetables, upma, mashed idli, and curd
For toddlers and children
Dal, rice, chapatti, vegetables, curd, chilla (dal and besan), egg, fruits, idli-dosa with homemade batter, upma/seviyaan/poha (with vegetables), milk fruit smoothies without sugar, cooked beans, and roasted/ boiled chicken/fish
These are just some of the examples. Fresh homemade foods, low in sugar, salt and saturated fats, and high in proteins should be preferred.
What should be the energy intake from various types of foods?
Total calories in a healthy meal should be divided as 15–30% from fats, 10–15% from proteins, and 55–75% from carbohydrates. Free sugars should be <5% and there should not be any trans fat. Recommended salt intake up to 12 months is <1 g salt, 1–3 years <2 g, 4–6 years <3 g, 7–10 years <5 g, and for ≥11 years 6 g per day.
Q5. My baby likes juices and shakes. Are they healthy and how much can I give?
Pre-packaged juices and shakes are not healthy foods to be offered to children. Regarding juices, it is always better to give whole fruit rather than fruit juice. Eating whole fruit has advantages, including more fiber content, more nutrient content, and lesser chances of microbial contamination, which can happen while extracting juices. Regarding how much juice to give, the recommendations are: Fruit juices should not be offered to children less than 2 years. For children 2–5 years, up to 125 mL of only fresh homemade fruit juices with no added sugars can be given, per day. In children older than 5 years, the amount can be increased till 250 mL per day, but it should be fresh, homemade, and without added sugars. Canned and packaged fruit juices are not advisable. For milk-shakes, whole fruit mashed with milk at home without any added sugar can be given but milkshake powders or juice extracts should not be used. The best beverage to offer any child is clean pure water
Q6. I have started adding milk supplements to my toddler’s milk. I heard that they give lot of energy, vitamins, and minerals. Is this true? What is the right age to give them?
Malt-based milk supplements are very commonly used in India. While the primary ingredient is malt, mostly barley, or cereal derivative, the secondary ingredient is invariably high content of sugar. It is the free sugar which becomes a matter of concern for us. It is not only addictive but leads to all associated problems such as weight gain, dental caries, and risk for chronic lifestylerelated ailments. Milk supplements belong to ultra-processed food category and should best be avoided. Advertising has often portrayed the supplements as full of energy, vitamins, and minerals. The quantities of micronutrients present in these drinks may give some benefit to children who have their deficiency, but have no role in healthy kids. Even for providing the vitamins and minerals, the same amount can easily be obtained from other foods which are not only cheaper but also do not have associated ill effects as with these drinks. Results of improved calcium clearly indicate that it is just the milk that was responsible for it.