Have you ever rewarded your children for good behavior with candy, chips or fast food? Because junk food is appealing to many kids, parents often let them indulge in it.
But health experts say that habit may have longer-term effects than many parents realize.
A new study from University College Cork found that diets high in fat and sugar during childhood may rewire the brain, causing changes related to appetite and eating habits into adulthood.
Researchers said some of those effects remained even after switching to a healthier diet later in life. The good news is that researchers also said foods that support healthy gut bacteria, along with fiber-rich diets, may help reverse some of the damage over time.
Concerns have also been raised about junk food advertisements targeting Black children for unhealthy foods and sugary beverages. Studies show Black children are disproportionately exposed to junk food marketing and often face systemic barriers to accessing fresh, healthy foods.
The findings add to growing concerns about how early nutrition can affect brain health, weight and long-term wellness. These factors could influence diet quality and contribute to higher risks of diet-related health disparities.
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Health studies, including a report from the National Library of Medicine, have indicated that early nutrition could play a major role in long-term brain health and overall well-being.
Experts say building healthy eating habits early can support brain development and lower the risk of chronic disease later in life. Balanced meals, physical activity and regular family eating routines can help children develop healthier relationships with food, health experts have said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends introducing children to a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein sources at an early age.
Pediatric nutrition experts also encourage limiting heavily processed foods and sugary drinks.
Gut-friendly foods may also help support healthy digestion and overall wellness. Foods such as yogurt with live cultures, bananas, onions, beans and whole grains can help nourish healthy bacteria in the digestive system.
For babies around six months old, the CDC advises parents to begin introducing complementary foods alongside breast milk or formula. By seven to eight months old, many children can safely eat foods from different food groups in soft, age-appropriate forms.
Parents are also encouraged to avoid giving children under 12 months foods with added sugar or drinks with sweeteners. Experts say repeated exposure to sugary and highly processed foods at a young age can shape long-term eating habits.
The University College Cork study found that early exposure to high-fat, high-sugar diets appeared to affect brain regions involved in appetite control and food motivation.
The researchers suggested these changes may contribute to overeating and unhealthy eating patterns later in life. They also pointed to the role of the gut microbiome, the collection of bacteria living in the digestive system, in influencing brain and eating behaviors.
While more research is needed in humans, scientists said the findings support previous evidence connecting nutrition, gut health and brain function.
Meanwhile, research has also shown that Black children are exposed to disproportionate amounts of advertising for unhealthy foods and beverages, according to an NBC News report.
The report revealed that spending on food and beverage ads aimed at Black teens increased sharply even as overall advertising spending declined.
From 2013 to 2017, spending on television ads directed at Black teens rose by 50 percent, from $217 million to $333 million, according to researchers.
The report found that many of the ads promoted fast food, candy, sugary drinks and processed snacks instead of healthier foods.
“Food companies hardly ever market fruit and vegetables, water or healthy juices,” Jennifer Harris, a lead author of the study and director of marketing initiatives for the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut, told NBC News.
Researchers from the University of Connecticut, Drexel University and the University of Texas Health Science Center found that companies spent billions of dollars promoting unhealthy food products.
“At best, these advertising patterns imply that food companies view Black consumers as interested in candy, sugary drinks, fast food and snacks with a lot of salt, fat or sugar, but not in healthier foods,” study co-author Shiriki Kumanyika told NBC News.
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