Diet-related behaviors affecting health and substance use among children and adolescents

Unhealthy diet-related behaviors and poor diet quality during childhood and adolescence are the main factors contributing to noncommunicable diseases such as obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiometabolic syndrome. Unhealthy diet-related behaviors can become lifelong habits associated with mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and substance abuse issues such as smoking, drinking, and other chemical compounds. Children and adolescents are in the developmental stages of brain structure, function, and neurotransmission systems, which can make them more susceptible to substance abuse (tobacco, alcohol, and drugs). Thus, mental health problems and substance use in children and adolescents may originate from unhealthy diet-related behaviors and poor diet quality. Here we reviewed the impact of diet-related behaviors and diet quality on children's and adolescents' physical and mental health and substance use by scrutinizing the 2021 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey (54,848 participants) and other relevant studies.