The same study revealed unsafe methods of weight control by adolescents. The rise in poor nutrition among American children is also due to increased poverty. This survey found correlations between rates of poverty and rates of reported hunger. Growth retardation, which may reflect dietary inadequacy, occurs in preschool children from low-income families at up to three times the rate as in their nonpoor peers. Fast foods, although convenient, tend to be high in fat and increase children's risk of becoming obese and of developing various chronic diseases in adulthood.
Children receive messages about food and nutrition from television and food packaging.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit nutrition advocacy organization, determined that nine of ten food commercials on Saturday morning television advertised foods high in sugar, salt, or fat. Children also learn about nutrition from what they observe around them at school and at home. Giving children such choices allows them to apply their understanding of nutrition. To help schools' efforts, dietitians and nutritionists can speak to students about good nutrition, stressing the impact of nutrition on physical and cognitive development. They can also discuss with school administrators ways of building nutrition education into school curricula.