Diet foods aimed at children can lead to obesity as well as overeating, according to recent research.
Test rats given low-calorie alternatives of foods came out in sweats, whether obese or lean.
The conclusion of the research was that the consumption of normaly high-calorie foods disrupts the ability of the body to utilise taste to monitor calorific intake.
It is better for children to have well balanced, healthy diets with adequate calories for daily activities than have low-calorie meals or snacks .
The researchers discovered that young rats who were given low-calorie foods started to overeat when eating regular meals.
However, teenage rats given diet foods did not display a tendency to overeat.
The researchers consider that older rats did not overeat as they, unlike younger rats, are able to rely on many taste-related cues to accurately assess the energy value of the food they are consuming.
On the other hand, younger animals learned to match tastes normally associated with high calorie foods with low-fat alternatives. Therefore, they continued to eat to increase their calorie count up, although they were already at a healthy level.
The research signifies the importance of a well balanced diet, along with exercise as key to healthy and fit children. It is best to avoid low calorie foods for children.
Obesity can contribute to type-2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease . These two diseases are soaring at incredible rates causing public health concerns.