What Will Happen If Kids Do Not Eat Lunch?
Kids need lunch. Good eating habits form in childhood and eating a nutritious lunch every day promotes healthy eating habits, according to a report by Martha T. Conklin, Ph.D., et al., appearing in "The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management." Scheduling daily periods for regular midday dining, and allowing time to select or prepare the meals, helps children establish a daily lunch ritual. Encouraging kids to eat in a relaxed environment with friends or family members also encourages children to make time for lunch.
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Low Energy
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Meals spaced at regular intervals throughout the day, including a healthy snack in the morning and one in the late afternoon, provide energy for the body. Skipping lunch leaves the body without the necessary fuel for the afternoon, according to KidsHealth, a nonprofit focused on childhood and healthy living. High-energy lunches for kids include meals with servings of fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains and little fat. Lunches should also include a healthy drink such as milk or water to keep the body hydrated.
Illness Risks
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Poor eating habits lead to heath problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found childhood obesity levels doubled over the past 30 years due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Skipping lunch and filling in the hunger gaps by snacking or overeating at dinner and before bed helps contribute to diabetes, poor self-esteem, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, and increased risks for cancer, according to the CDC. Columbia University Health also warns that kids who skip lunch are also at a higher risk for irritability and dizziness when the brain fails to receive the necessary glucose from lunchtime meals.
Starvation Mode
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Kids who miss lunch tend to gorge on food at later meals. The Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension recommends serving meals when children feel hungry, but not overly hungry. Skipping lunch puts the body into starvation mode, and allows the child to continue to eat, even when he reaches the point of feeling full at dinner or during snack time, according to Columbia University Health.
Poor Eating Habits
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Children who fail to eat lunch also eat or snack later during the day, disrupting the normal family eating schedule for dinner. Late afternoon activities, in fact, may delay eating until early in the evening. Irregular meal schedules model poor eating habits for kids that extends into adulthood. Doubling up on servings at dinner or breakfast to make up for the lack of lunch fails to teach children how to judge appropriate portions for nutrition and calorie control. Snacking as a substitute for meals frequently means selecting food with little or no nutritional value compared with a healthy lunch.
Social Skills
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Kids learn social skills during lunch. Children also practice table manners and catch up on family activities during a regular midday meal. Older children meet and talk with school friends during daily lunches, and also take the time during eating to plan after-school and weekend activities. Skipping lunch fails to teach any traditional dining habits or socially acceptable eating behavior.
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