{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Lucknow Study of 200 Children Flags a Quiet Health Risk: Snacks Are Pushing Out Real Meals",
  "summary": "A study of more than 200 children in Lucknow, run under Sesame Workshop India's 'Healthy Habits' campaign, found that kids are increasingly leaning on packaged snacks instead of nutritious meals, a shift that can harm their physical and mental development.",
  "content": "In many Indian homes, the lunch plate is steadily being replaced by the snack packet. Chips, savoury packs and assorted packaged snacks have become the easiest way to silence a child's hunger through the day. Things have reached a point where a large number of children now fill themselves up on these snacks rather than sitting down to a proper meal. Awareness drives are plenty, yet a great many parents are still unable to pull their children out of this unhealthy habit.\n\nWhy the snack dependence is worrying\nExperts believe this habit can damage both the physical and mental development of children. Alongside it, obesity is spreading fast among the young. On one side, time spent playing and moving is shrinking, and on the other, screen time keeps climbing. It is exactly this imbalance that can turn into serious health problems later in life.\n\nWhat Sonali Khan said\nThese points were raised by Sonali Khan, Managing Director of Sesame Workshop India. According to her, the organisation has long been working to build awareness among children and their parents. The programmes of Sesame Street and Sesame Workshop India are watched in more than 150 countries around the world, including India. She explained that the organisation works on the development and education of children from birth up to the age of 8, using storytelling, awareness programmes and a range of activities to nudge both children and their parents towards a healthier lifestyle.\n\nWith that same aim, the organisation carried out a study in 2025 on more than 200 children in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, under its 'Healthy Habits' campaign. The campaign also received the support of the Uttar Pradesh government.\n\nTasty but short on nutrition\nThe picture that emerged from the study is one that demands attention. Many parents are handing children snacks that may score high on taste but fall short on nutrition. Eating them constantly has made children shy away from regular meals, green vegetables and wholesome food. Sonali Khan points out that when children simply do not get the nutrients they need, the effect on the growth of their body and mind is inevitable.\n\nActivity, not weight, is the real measure\nSonali Khan also dismantled a common myth. She said a child being overweight is no guarantee of good health or fitness, and in the same way being excessively thin cannot be read as a sign of being healthy. What truly matters is how active a child is and how balanced their daily routine is. According to her, the years from birth to age 8 are the most precious for the development of a child's brain and body. That is why parents must pay special attention to their children's diet, routine and activities during this period. Giving them enough time, providing nutritious food and encouraging physical activity are all essential.\n\nPlay and good habits are the foundation\nSonali Khan said her organisation is also trying to build healthy habits in children through yoga and other activities. Her clear view is that regular play is vital for children, and the biggest responsibility for shaping these good habits rests with parents. She urged guardians to teach children from an early age to wash their hands before eating, maintain cleanliness, wear clean clothes and eat a balanced diet. She believes that good habits formed in childhood stay with a person for life. This is precisely why feeding children nutritious, balanced meals is far more beneficial than handing them junk food and endless snacks.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• Across India: If your children skip regular meals and lean on packaged snacks, their physical and mental development in the crucial birth to 8 years window can suffer, so focus on nutritious, balanced food at home.\n• In Lucknow: The direct lesson from the local study of 200-plus children is that a child's activity level and balanced routine, not their weight, are the real measure of good health.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Where and when was the study conducted?\nThe study was carried out in 2025 in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, on more than 200 children.\n\n2. Under which organisation's campaign was the study done?\nIt was done under Sesame Workshop India's 'Healthy Habits' campaign and received support from the Uttar Pradesh government.\n\n3. What did the study mainly find?\nIt found that many children are relying on snacks that taste good but lack nutrition instead of eating wholesome meals.\n\n4. According to Sonali Khan, what is the real measure of a child's health?\nShe says it is not being overweight or thin but how active the child is and how balanced their lifestyle is.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/health/bachchon-ke-tiphina-men-snaiksa-ki-bharamara-lakhanau-ke-200-bachchon-para-hue-a-1284",
  "category": "Health",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-16",
  "tags": [
    "child health",
    "junk food",
    "Healthy Habits campaign",
    "Sesame Workshop India",
    "child nutrition",
    "Lucknow study",
    "childhood obesity",
    "healthy lifestyle"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}