14/11/2025
For Parents and Teachers
Compassionate children, healthy teens
Written by Dr Shirley K***t
Recent research (reported by Elsevier) showed a surprising finding: children who are involved in kind and caring behaviours (being prosocial) are more likely to sustain healthy eating habits as teenagers.
The findings from the study (details are given below) suggest that fostering prosocial activities throughout childhood may be a novel intervention strategy to promote healthy eating.
The benefits of being prosocial
Prior research has found that behaviours that help others (like volunteering) are related to better health in older adults. This study explored whether these activities, like acts of kindness, cooperation and caring for others, benefit youth as well. This study showed that children who consistently displayed these kinds of positive social behaviours were more likely to practice healthy eating habits into their teenage years.
Senior author Julia K. Boehm, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Chapman University, adds, "Prosocial behaviors, such as being considerate of others' feelings, sharing, helping if someone is hurt or upset, being kind, and volunteering to help others, can influence health by strengthening children's social ties and improving psychological functioning by promoting better mood, purpose, feelings of competence, and enhanced capacity to cope with stress.
"All of these, in turn, serve as resources that may inform health-related choices, as is evidenced by our latest findings."
Promoting prosocial behaviour as a health asset
Importantly, the analysis highlights a potential health asset—prosocial behaviour—that can promote positive outcomes across the life course. Empathy, kindness and compassion may be important qualities to encourage in youngsters in order to promote lifelong good health.
Integrated Learning Therapy (ILT) strives to uncover the root causes of puzzling behaviours and learning difficulties in children. Visit the website www.ilt.co.za to learn more about this approach.
We list practitioners near you to help as well as the courses (accredited by ETDP-SETA and SACE) we offer parents, teachers and other helping professionals to become more knowledgeable about brain development and what might go wrong.
Teachers earn 15 TCPD points from SACE for successful completion of the course.
ILT 1 courses are available as attendance or by correspondence. Details are on the website but you are welcome to contact us at ilt.icon.co.za.
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More information: Kind Kids, Healthy Teens: Child Prosociality and Fruit and Vegetable Intake, American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2025.107965
Journal information: American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Image supplied by Freepik.
