Kids cope with stress much like adults do: They eat. Stressed out 11-year-olds resort to eating unhealthier foods than their calmer counterparts, according to a recent survey. They also prefer snacking on unhealthy foods throughout the day rather than sitting down for well-rounded meals.
The most worried children ate nearly twice as many fatty foods and snacks as other students. Additionally, they were less likely to eat the recommended number of fruits and vegetables each day, explains Jane Wardle, the director of Cancer Research United Kingdom's Health Behavior Unit. The research department sponsored the survey.
While worried kids did eat smaller meals, they snacked more frequently. They also were more likely to skip breakfast in the morning. Overweight adults often have similar eating patterns.
For the study, 4,320 schoolchildren took a standard test to gauge stress. The researchers questioned students about their consumption of 34 different kinds of fatty foods, and asked if they snacked throughout the day or sat down for a full meal.
