How Nutrition can help or affect your Childs Growth and Development

by Pooja Late so cut

Healthy food for children is one of the important things any parent can do, especially if they care about their child growth and development stages. At times giving your kids treats are unlikely to cause much harm, nevertheless, proper nutrients and vitamins are needed for they to develop properly. According to medical research, children with lack of proper diet have the tendency of experiencing stunted growth, suffer from a low quality of life, and poor development both mentally and physically. This has brought about the question below

How can suitable nutrition help in the improvement and growth of your child?

Children grow fast and parents can attest to this. The painful aspect to this is that kids suffering due to poor nutrition are less likely to grow faster than required. During the first year of the child, there tends to be a rapid growth period. Insufficient or deficiencies of any vital nutrition during this stage can stampede their growth in years to come. This is one of the reasons why breastfeeding and proper formula are essential for new parents. Once toddlerhood appears, it doesn’t mean that the growth of the child has ended. These kids continue with such growth even until puberty. Another series of rapid growth takes place from the early to mid-adolescence, coinciding with hormonal changes and other developmental milestones. A child lacking poor nutrition during this stage will be affected during their adulthood.

How Nutrition Affects Growth

A child who does not receive enough vitamins and minerals will be shorter and weaker than one who eats properly. Though growth depends partially on genetics, nutrition also plays a major role. For instance, a child with parents and grandparents all around five and a half feet in height is unlikely to grow to well over six feet. In addition to size, children suffering from lack of nutrition are also at risk for developmental problems with motor skills and serious health conditions, such as anemia. If calcium is deficient in a child’s diet, there is also a risk for brittle teeth and bones, which can develop into osteoporosis.

The quality of Life: Children who are well-nourished looks happier when compared to malnourished children. These malnourished children also lack energy. This also means that they will not be active in physical activities. This in time develops into a sedentary lifestyle; in addition to the poor nutrition will rise to other secondary problems. Assuming such child takes in lots of empty calories and doesn’t have the energy to get involved in physical activities, this will amount to weight gain. Overweight children suffer from almost the same risks including cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and type 2 diabetes.

For the parents and children, nutrition is a serious issue. Learning as much as possible concerning healthy eating and setting a good example can help your kids a long way.

Author’s Bio

Martha Rickshaws in this article looks at how nutrition plays an important role in the growth and development of the Child. She further explored the effects of not having healthy food in child development and the health implications or danger in their adulthood.