Stressed children snack more, eat more fatty foods, skip breakfast more frequently and eat less fruit and vegetables, say researchers.

A study of over 4,000 London school children, aged either 11 or 12, has found that the higher the stress levels the worse a child's diet becomes.

And the researchers warn that stress in adolescence could be contributing to high obesity levels.

Researcher Martin Cartwright, from University College London, said there were worries about the effect stress was having on children's diet.

Obesity

We found that children who were more stressed had a higher food intake and were more into snacking

Martin Cartwright

"In light of a previous suggestion that adolescence is a critical period for the development of obesity, the current results suggest that stress at this age may contribute by steering the diet in a more unhealthy direction.

He said the research team had asked children to gauge their own stress levels over the period of a month and then quizzed them about their diet.

"We found that children who were more stressed had a higher food intake and were more into snacking.

"We found that as their stress levels increased from low, to high to medium then they tended to eat more fatty foods and that their fruit and vegetable levels would be reduced."

Snacking

The researchers found that gender, ethnicity, social status and weight levels had no bearing on whether the children were likely to snack when stressed.

The study will run for another four years, with dietary habits of the same children being tracked up to the age of 16.

Stressed children more likely to snack

Nutrition scientist Colette Kelly, from the British Nutrition Foundation said children should be encouraged to eat more healthily and exercise more to protect their health in later life.

"We need to think of other ways to make fruit and vegetables more exciting.

"We want to teach children about balance and variety.

"Things such as more physical exercise will help them with their stress levels."

The study was presented to the British Psychological Society conference in Sheffield.