Kindness helps you eat healthier: new research reveals an unexpected link between children's behavior and teenagers' eating habits
Kyiv • UNN
British research has found a link between prosocial behavior in children and healthy eating in adolescence. Children who showed kindness were more likely to choose healthy foods at 14-17 years old.
Children who show kindness, care, and a willingness to help others from an early age are more likely to adhere to a healthy diet in adolescence. This conclusion was reached by scientists after analyzing data from a more than 20-year British study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, UNN reports.
Details
Scientists used the results of the Millennium Cohort Study, which tracked the development of children in the UK from birth to 17 years of age. Parents recorded manifestations of prosocial behavior – kindness, cooperation, care – at ages 5, 7, and 11. In adolescence, when stable eating habits are formed, researchers assessed the children's diet, including the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
It turned out that those who consistently demonstrated positive social behavior from childhood were significantly more likely to choose healthy foods at 14 and 17 years of age. According to the authors, prosociality can be an effective strategy for improving public health, as it affects not only emotional state and social connections, but also health-related behavior.
Young people are tired of society constantly focusing on their problems. We should appreciate more what they do well, including acts of care and support, said lead author Farah Qureshi from Johns Hopkins University.
Senior author, Julia C. Boehm from Chapman University, emphasizes: prosocial actions – from volunteering to basic attentiveness to others – strengthen psychological well-being, improve mood, and the ability to cope with stress, which together contributes to healthier food choices.
The study has a strong evidence base due to its large sample size and long-term observation, although scientists acknowledge that family and social factors can also influence the outcome. At the same time, the authors are convinced: raising kindness and compassion in children is not only about moral values, but also about a real contribution to their physical health for life.