21 May 2022

361

Children Behavior as a Reward of Food

Format: APA

Academic level: College

Paper type: Term Paper

Words: 2763

Pages: 10

Downloads: 0

The most significant healthy diet in children understands of their eating habits as they persist on their dietary as one matures to adulthood. Therefore, regulating the intake of nutrition and eating of a balanced diet would mainly shape the habit of feeding among children and acquire the required energy to live a healthy life. However, improper feeding habits and rewarding children on the basis of food might lead to various body and health disorders thus resulting in complications within their body tissues. The essay exemplifies the various impacts and reports of rewarding food to children for their behavior that result in a high level of body dissatisfaction. 

Various explanations depict the reason why minors undergo a high level of body dissatisfaction from the consumption of the food they undertake. For instance, lack of knowledge on the health effects of children by guardians and children who reward children with poor diets such as junk foods, excessive foods that contain fats, and poor timing intervals of children who eat (Kraak, Gootman, & McGinnis, 2006). Besides, exposing children to poor diets results to continuous demand of those foodstuffs which are usually given as a reward, hence the continuous demand to consume them regularly by children is on the increase. In addition, the eating habits of children who eat more than four meals in a day change their immune system metabolism by consuming imbalanced food hence affecting their digestive system and leading to obesity (Fairburn, & Brownell, 2005). Moreover, the lack of sensitization by parents on the best methods of rewarding their children especially on diets results to minors developing into habits of consuming anything unhealthy since they believe their parents are rewarding them. 

It’s time to jumpstart your paper!

Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.

Get custom essay

However, rewarding of healthy foods by parents to their children motivates them to work hard in their undertakings and informs them the need for nutritious foods. The situation would then develop to the preference of food ingested by minors to healthy balanced diet thus living a healthy life and consequently increases the relationship between parents and young ones (Latner, & Wilson, 2007). However, body dissatisfaction is also contributed by menstrual cravings that result to eating disorders. For instance, maladaptive eating increases the risk of consumption of food especially among the adolescent children hence expediting high level of body dissatisfaction from eating disorders. 

The diet of children primarily originates from modeling of their parents or guardians who they emulate thereby changing their attitudes and contributing to dissatisfaction on their body. Furthermore, parents rewarding of the minors based on dietary intake may not control their behavior thus imposing effects on their bodies since they would always strive to be rewarded. In addition, lack of change of diets by parents and mostly relying on staple food may lead to health disorders and obesity among minors hence the need for guidance on a healthy diet by a medic or a qualified pediatrician (Montmayeur & Le Coutre, 2009). Dissatisfaction among children concerning their food intake that results to changes in the body may occur because of endocrine and partly genetic factors that ultimately contribute to increased body weight. 

Personality traits related to the behavior of children that compel them to change their body shape upon eating disorders. In addition, most children prefer foods that are rich in fats and sugar level content such as sweets which are of low nutrition value thus contributing to their eating disorder and ultimately body dissatisfaction when consistently consumed (Cole, 2008). However, the similarity in the preference of food among minors on predispositions towards taste instead on nutrition makes their guardians reward them based on such snacks and other junk foods that contribute to their prevalence condition of an unhealthy lifestyle that might result to illness. The adaptive process occurs when continuously rewarded based on their food preferences that lead to the negative outcome of their lifestyle especially when they do not exercise. Besides, the genetic influence on the minors and adolescent children results to more appetite thereby contributing to physical changes in their bodies (Cole, 2008). Heritability also contributes to parents rewarding their children based on the type of foods consumed such as the wide spread of low or dislike in vegetables. The surrounding environment and genes also dictated the type of food consumed by minors as predisposed eating disorders contribute to a mass increase in body weight such as obesity among children that might cause a heart attack. 

Nutritional practices among parents evolve as they promote intake of foods with a pattern for their young ones as they grow old which can contribute to excessive eating and subsequent changes in body mass (Bagchi, 2010). Such parenting style adversely affects the attitudes on rewarding of children based on only food instead of other incentives to motivate them. Parents should focus on restricting their children to consuming snacks and reward minors using fruits and becoming strict on a balanced diet to eliminate foods that contain more fats. However, such healthy contributing factors can only be achieved through consistency in monitoring food intake to minors and ensuring they adopt such feeding habits. Also, guardians should practice good healthy schedules and sensitize their children on the need of balanced diet especially when rewarding them to avoid body dissatisfaction and monitor their healthy growth. 

With most parents worry about their children’s weight status, especially among the adolescents who are associated with weight loss, some parents take responsibility for overfeeding them to gain weight. However, such practices are unhealthy to their lives as underestimating the body mass of minors compels parents to use strict measures in and intensify pressure on the need for them to eat more (Satter, 2012). Such traits do not yield much outcome as it is a lifecycle that only requires balanced diet without necessarily rewarding children on fatty foods. Besides, foods with high energy density that is low in fiber but more in lipids lowers metabolic reaction hence slow digestion and makes children most of the time satisfied. Dietary intake of children should contain low calories and more energy giving diet to facilitate growth but reduce the chances of acquiring obesity (Satter, 2012). However, before children reach the age of adolescents, their food intake should be consistently monitored to avoid overfeeding and sensitize them on the need to eat healthy diets especially when rewarding them with healthier meals. 

Most children prefer foods with flavors and pleasant smell when inhaled. Parents should ensure that only healthy foods with pleasant smell should be fed to minors hence debunking the notion of fussiness in food among children and increase their willingness to try and consume such food by rewarding them (Page, & Adler, 2008). The correlation between young ones and parents would expedite the need to sensitize the young ones on the need to feed on a balanced diet without forcing children’s. Prevalent increase in weight among children may be contributed through problems emanating from stress and psychological myriad thus resulting in loss of body weight. Such factors do not necessitate on eating disorder but a mental condition which parents should help in solving the problem by relating closely to their kids.

Prolonged eating disorders negatively affect teenagers with the potential of acquiring illness such as a chronic disease that triggers life threating condition such as stroke when not cured or diagnosed earlier. Such health factors should motivate parents on dictating the kind of food kids consume (Harris, 2011). Besides, ulcers and cancers result from poor eating disorders in long-term, especially when regularly eaten. Negative prospective of children contributes to excessive eating among children hence affecting their lifestyle. If children are not properly guided by their folks, they may lose control of their feeding habits and find themselves in a morbidity medical condition hence changing their lifestyle. Eating discretely evolve to a binge condition because of continuous consumption of imbalanced food especially the fatty foodstuffs. Under such condition, children eat more than they should especially the quantity of food would be compared to that of adult hence contributing to the rise of obesity (Harris, 2011). Besides, eating disorder is encompassed by unambiguity in food intake among children characterized by frequent eating in a day hence resulting in low digestion. 

Rewarding of children with food contributes to binge eating disorder that impairs minor and distresses them from performing normal tasks. Moreover, parents feel guilty in controlling their kinds on the amount of food intake leaving teenagers to decide for themselves what to eat. However, the guardians would realize that the kids are out of control in what they eat when the situation is out of control and when they develop dissatisfaction in their body such as obesity. In addition, when parents make effort to regulate and control children especially the adolescent kids, they feel punished and feel neglected to enjoy their rights (Ostroff, 2012). All these can only be achieved by inviting nutritionist to advice on the food intake and the exercise to undertake for the child to be sensitized to the need to eat a balanced diet. When parents lack control over what their young ones eat, the consequences would be attached to them and would bear the burden of treatment cost which could have been avoided if the parents guided the child. Eating diet differs from one generation to another and among families who prefer certain food products even though they contain harmful by-products such chemical and acids that slowly impairs the normal functioning of children. 

Although weight loss may occur when a person is sick or under medication, also eating disorder especially among teenagers may result to change in body mass. Weight loss occurs when certain iron and nutrients lack in daily consumption of foods among kids especially toddlers who may incur suffering from marasmus. Finally, lack of knowledge by a parent on what to give a child after specific meals contributes to eating disorder without their knowledge as they think they only reward children without foreseeing such consequences (Scarpa, Wells, & Attwood, 2012). Furthermore, changes in behavior and developments of other traits such as consistently intake of junk foods lead to overweight with the recurrent eating of such foods after every few minutes or hours. Excessive weight occurs when the body has a high level of fats which is linked to eating disorders that contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle. Such children’s develop psychological challenges that affect their behavior especially when rebuked or made fun with fellow peers, may affect the child because of the physical changes in the body. 

In addition, children under the adolescent stage encounter changes in their body shape depending on the consumption of food and eating behavior thus significantly associating it with a problematic situation hence tend to eat less food. However, such conditions are majorly attributed to hormonal imbalance and the kids should eat normally (Herrin, & Matsumoto, 2010). Consequently, parents should continuously engage children on the need to eat and maintain a healthy lifestyle without necessarily forcing themselves to have the desired body shape as mental impacts contribute a lot towards children growth. Documentation of research on teenagers prefers to lose weight among their peers to look attractive towards the public. Also, they exhibit a high level of anxiety, dissatisfaction and sometimes depression when directed on what to eat especially when abandoning their poor eating disorders hence parents prefer to reward them with foodstuff without considering their impact of their kid’s life. Such symptoms result in low self-esteem that contributes to loss of weight coupled with the stress that deprives parents to allow their children to consume and reward them of any food without considering their eating habits (Herrin, & Matsumoto, 2010). Parents who prefer to see their kids happy despite their eating disorders in the current generation has led to the realization of binge condition among teenagers and other health-related illness despite their health knowledge on consumption of certain unhealthy products. 

When parent faces intense pressure from their children to reward them with unhealthy foodstuffs such as junk foods, snacks, and food rich in high fats, they find it difficult to disappoint them and instead reward them (Matz, & Frankel, 2014). When such type of children are used to such foods their parents lack control over them and would only allow them at least once in a while to maintain their personal relationship and avoid change of their kid's behaviors. But when children are punished for disorderly eating, such as skipping meals, it results in more anxiety to acquire the foods especially when their guardians are away hence the need for constructive dialogue on the way forward to eradicate the menace. Poor eating habits contribute to weight pains as rewarding kids with foodstuff that are unhealthy leads to prolonged overeating. In addition, some children eating habits are inherited from their parents and when they over eat the imbalanced diet they obtain similar body mass as their parents because of genetic disorders hence making it difficult for parents to regulate their teenagers on what to consume. 

Eating uncontrollably contributes to restrictive dieting as children’s prefer eating only foodstuffs that they are used to and poised to acquire chronic cycle diseases associated with eating unhealthy food. Parents should inculcate the culture of not only rewarding their kids with healthy foodstuff but also engaging children in exercise activities routinely to burn out unnecessary fats from their body tissues and leave a healthy lifestyle. Eating problems are on the rise among teenagers because they lack proper guidance and knowledge on the impact of disorderly eating hence leading to a life-threatening condition like obesity (Cederström, & Spicer, 2015). Eating disorder syndrome in childhood has resulted in binge and obese compared to adults since their bodies easily adapt to a given food than adults since their immune system is weak. However, persistent eating disorders in childhood increases in severity to their social life as they grow older hence the necessity of parents to guide their kids on what they consume when they are young. 

Exploration of foodstuff from both parents and children especially on snacks and junk food contributes to the rewarding of kids with unhealthy food thus contributing to changes in their behavior of eating (Evans, et al. 2005).However, some children feel motivated when rewarded with snacks and feel upset when denied especially when their parents promised them hence prompting parents to provide them with unhealthy foodstuff. Such intimidations among parents force them to succumb to threats exhibited by their kids and foster good relationships with them despite the health risk that it poses to their life. Besides, foods with high energy density that is low in fiber but more in lipids lowers metabolic reaction hence slow digestion and makes children most of the time satisfied. Dietary intake of children should contain low calories and more energy giving diet to facilitate growth but reduce the chances of acquiring obesity. Such health factors should motivate parents on dictating the kind of food kids consume. Besides, ulcers and cancers result from poor eating disorders in long-term, especially when regularly eaten (Evans, et al. 2005). The negative perspective of children contributes to excessive eating among children hence affecting their lifestyle. If children are not properly guided by their folks, they may lose control of their feeding habits and find themselves in a morbidity medical condition hence changing their lifestyle. Eating discretely evolve to a binge condition because of continuous consumption of imbalanced food especially the fatty foodstuffs. In such condition, children eat more than they should especially the quantity of food would be compared to that of adult hence contributing to the rise of obesity

Conclusion

The progression of a healthy diet would depend on the ability of a parent to control and sensitize discipline on a child to control what they eat and avoid eating disorders. In addition, eating disorderly is immensely contributed by impairment in paying attention to unhealthy foodstuff especially when rewarding children. Snacks, in general, should be consumed once in a while but in small quantities to avoid craving for food from children. However, the similarity in the preference of food among minors on predispositions towards taste instead on nutrition makes their guardians reward them based on such snacks and other junk foods that contribute to their prevalence condition of an unhealthy lifestyle that might result to illness. Therefore, parents should seek guidance from authenticated medics and nutritionist to avoid acquiring diseases emanating from an unhealthy lifestyle. But when children are punished for disorderly eating, such as skipping meals, it results in more anxiety to acquire the foods especially when their guardians are away hence the need for constructive dialogue on the way forward to eradicate the menace. Furthermore, changes in behavior and developments of other traits such as consistently intake of junk foods lead to overweight with the recurrent eating of such foods after every few minutes or hours. Excessive weight occurs when the body has a high level of fats which is linked to eating disorders that contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle. Finally, parents should inculcate the culture of rewarding children on foodstuff that would not change their traits and full of nutrients and sensitize children for the benefit of a healthy balanced diet.

References

Kraak, V. I., Gootman, J. A., & McGinnis, J. M. (Eds.). (2006). Food marketing to children and youth: threat or opportunity?. National Academies Press.

Fairburn, C. G., & Brownell, K. D. (Eds.). (2005). Eating disorders and obesity: A comprehensive handbook. Guilford Press.

Latner, J. D., & Wilson, G. T. (Eds.). (2007). Self-help approaches for obesity and eating disorders: Research and practice. Guilford Press.

Montmayeur, J. P., & Le Coutre, J. (2009). Fat detection: Taste, texture, and post ingestive effects. CRC Press.

Cole, R. W. (2008). Educating everybody's children: Diverse teaching strategies for diverse learners. ASCD.

Bagchi, D. (Ed.). (2010). Global perspectives on childhood obesity: current status, consequences and prevention. Academic Press.

Satter, E. (2012). How to get your kid to eat: But not too much. Bull Publishing Company.

Page, A. E., & Adler, N. E. (Eds.). (2008). Cancer care for the whole patient: Meeting psychosocial health needs. National Academies Press.

Harris, J. R. (2011). The nurture assumption: Why children turn out the way they do. Simon and Schuster.

Ostroff, W. L. (2012). Understanding how young children learn: Bringing the science of child development to the classroom. Ascd.

Scarpa, A., Wells, A., & Attwood, T. (2012). Exploring feelings for young children with high-functioning autism or Asperger's disorder: The STAMP treatment manual. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Herrin, M., & Matsumoto, N. (2010). The parent's guide to eating disorders: Supporting self-esteem, healthy eating, and positive body image at home. Gurze Books.

Matz, J., & Frankel, E. (2014). Beyond a shadow of a diet: The comprehensive guide to treating binge eating disorder, compulsive eating, and emotional overeating. Routledge.

Cederström, C., & Spicer, A. (2015). The wellness syndrome. Pearson. 

Evans, D. L., Foa, E. B., Gur, R. E., Hendin, H., O'Brien, C. P., & Seligman, M. E. (Eds.). (2005). Treating and preventing adolescent mental health disorders: What we know and what we don't know. Oxford University Press.

Illustration
Cite this page

Select style:

Reference

StudyBounty. (2023, September 14). Children Behavior as a Reward of Food.
https://studybounty.com/children-behavior-as-a-reward-of-food-term-paper

illustration

Related essays

We post free essay examples for college on a regular basis. Stay in the know!

19 Sep 2023
Psychology

How to Do a SWOT Analysis for Your Business

Running head: SWOT ANALYSIS 1 SWOT Analysis Strengths Strong communication skills Strong creativity and analytical skills I am able to think critically I have emotional intelligence, which helps me to relate...

Words: 284

Pages: 1

Views: 74

19 Sep 2023
Psychology

Letter of Consent for Research Study

Running head: LETTER OF CONSENT 1 Letter of Consent for Research Study Dear (Participant’s Name): You are invited to participate in a research study on the Routine Activity theory and the hypothesis that the lack...

Words: 283

Pages: 1

Views: 359

17 Sep 2023
Psychology

Mental Representations and the Mind-Brain Relationship

Often, contemporary controversies underlie the interpretation of the mental representations and the mind-brain relationships through concepts such as monolism, dualism and exclusivity. In my view, the dualism concept...

Words: 1796

Pages: 7

Views: 168

17 Sep 2023
Psychology

Building a Healthy Marriage

Although sometimes marriage can be problematic, it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences for couples. For instance, couples in a satisfying marriage enjoy happiness, a long and enjoyable life, personal...

Words: 1266

Pages: 5

Views: 344

17 Sep 2023
Psychology

Devastating Impacts of Domestic Violence

The issue of domestic violence is a growing concern in the present society. Women serve as the key victims of domestic violence, although men and children also feel the devastating effects as well. When couples are...

Words: 2437

Pages: 9

Views: 77

17 Sep 2023
Psychology

How Emotions Affect Marketing and Sales

The most appealing advertisements use the audience’s emotions as their leverage. They instill fear and the psychology of pain, moderately, to their subjects and use that to their advantage. To remain ethical, most of...

Words: 1113

Pages: 4

Views: 96

illustration

Running out of time?

Entrust your assignment to proficient writers and receive TOP-quality paper before the deadline is over.

Illustration