Humanities Question-respond-to-class-discussions

1- I am choosing to focus on dieting as a whole instead of choosing a specific one such as keto or paleo as all diets tend to be restrictive regardless of what name is tacked on it. Diets could potentially be temporarily beneficial for a child’s physical health in sheading a few extra pounds, but research is finding that diets could also have devastating effects on their mental health and emotional well-being which in turn could also impact their long-term physical health as well. “Researchers polled parents who, as teenagers themselves, had been encouraged by their parents to diet, and found that not only were those parents more likely to be obese and have eating disorders, but they also were more likely to make the same mistake of stressing dieting over healthy eating with their own children.” (Rachael Zimlich, 2020).

Diets are designed for the participant to lose weight and in turn improve health, but dieting can have adverse effects on a child’s physical development due to the increased nutritional needs to fuel their rapid growth. “Kids usually do not need to diet, unlike adults, kids are still growing and developing. During this time, kids need a variety of healthy foods to keep their bodies growing properly. .” (Fabulous Food, 2021). Knowing that children need to adhere to a different standard of nutrition compared to an adult looking to diet, it is necessary for a parent to keep the restrictions of their perspective diet to themselves as it could cause harm to their children physically and mentally.

This is not to say that a parent should not diet if they feel so inclined but instead, they should still provide an adequate, nutritious diet for their children that still includes all the vital fats, carbs, and protein the parent could potentially be trying to restrict for themselves. Once those healthy meals are provided for their children, if they choose not the eat the same meal, that is their personal choice that only impacts themselves. The child should not be subjected to the parent’s restrictive diet by any means. However, if a parent were to adhere to the same nutritious diet that is being provided to their children, I am sure they would find that their weight loss progress would be more effective overall as opposed to the “quick fix” offered by fad diets. Eating healthy, nutritious foods as a family could increase health and offer an opportunity to bond if the child is introduced to safe cooking tasks in the kitchen. This could set up a positive, healthy foundation for nutrition that could last a lifetime.

2- Many kids around the world struggles to have some essential nutrients, in order to have an optimal developmental. According to pediatricians, a vegan diet in children’s does not provide all the micronutrients necessary therefore children’s are exposed to nutritional deficiency (Lemale et al., 2019). In this discussion board, it will be explore the results on a vegan diet on children and how parents can incorporate their kids on a diet decision.

Vegan diet has increase over the past ten years in Western society. Vegan diet is defined as excluding all types of meat and meat products, diary, seafood, eggs, honey fish, shellfish and crustaceans (Lemale et al., 2019). Studies done on children who follow vegan diet, shows a diversity of benefits, as well as a risk for developmental, if it does not follow with cautions. Parents who decide to follow a vegan diet for their kids, need to have the knowledge necessary of nutrition and alternative food supplement to meet a balance diet.

Some studies suggest that there some benefits for children’s when it comes to follow a vegan diet. This children’s are less obese, and they show a normal growth as any other kid with different diet (Sutter & Bender, 2021). In addition, it shows that if they continue to be a vegan as they adulthood can have even more benefits. For example, it reduce the risk for ischemic heat disease, diabetes type II, hypertension, certain types of cancer and obesity. However, if parents are not conscious of the nutrients required to have an optimal development they can develop a high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. In the study illustrate how four of twenty seven vegetarian children, 15% had an average of B12 recommended. Knowing this information, is crucial to follow a blood test every six months or every year to know their vitamin levels and if there is the need for a vitamin supplement. In younger children, a urine sample can be perform and its as accurate as a blood sample. In another study it shows some of the consequences of being vegan is that there is nutrition deficiency and its recommended of not advice kids to be vegan. During the first years of life, its crucial to have a diet rich in vitamin B12, Vitamin D, iron, calcium, zin, and docosahexaenoic acid (Lemale et al., 2019). For this reason, some children’s need to consume vitamin supplement, especially vitamin D during wintertime or fortified foods.

Cooking is a fun activity in which parents should incorporated their kids when they are going to cook because when the kids are involve they can understand the importance of nutrients. A kid can have their own personality and they know what they like or dislike, but by incorporation in the decision of food choice can have some benefits. For example, if the kid is not presented with different texture, color, or taste how do they know if they can follow a vegan diet having all the nutrient necessaries for a health growth. In order for a diet to work, children’s need to cooperate and follow what the parent said otherwise, it will not work and children can suffer and not having a good nutrition.

In summary, we have to respect every individuals cultures, beliefs and preferences but we cannot put someone’s’ life in dangerous because of nutrition deficiency. Vegan diet can have many benefits, but it needs to contain the nutrient to have a healthy growth without having any nutrition deficiency.

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