Nutrition And Child Nutrition

Introduction Children require proper nutrition for healthy growth and development. The importance of consuming nutritious foods in early childhood sets the tone for optimal health and quality of life in adulthood. According to the World Health Organization (2016), good nutrition is defined as the intake of an adequate, well balanced diet in relation to the body’s dietary needs. A balanced diet provides children with the specific nutrients needed to thrive and grow through their lifelong development. Although nutrition can affect every area of development, it is important for parents to consider the relation between nutrition and mental health. Moreover, this research paper will explore health determinants, the education curriculum,

An important theme in nutrition literature is mental health and its correlation with what children eat. Research suggests that dietary intake may be a significant factor to childhood neurocognitive development, behavior and specific psychiatric disorders (Tomlinson, Wilkinson & Wilkinson, 2009). In the first few months of life, infants who are breast fed have improved cognitive abilities as opposed to their counterparts. Breast milk has high levels of protein, essential fatty acids and maternal immunoglobins that aid in healthy brain development (Tomlinson et al., 2009). Formula milk supplemented with fatty acids is not metabolized the same way as breast milk. A control group fed enriched formula milk showed a decrease in cognitive, visual and language development in later months when compared to the breast fed group (Tomlinson et al., 2009). This research is helpful for understand the important of nutrition within the initial stages of life and how it sets the tone for the next

Children are more easily dehydrated than adults and even mild dehydration puts a child at risk for poor concentration and learning difficulties (Rivkin, 2007). In addition, foods containing artificial flavorings and colour promotes hyperactivity and disruptive behavior in children. Behavioral problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been linked to poor nutritional choices and foods high in sugar, artificial flavoring and chemicals (Tomlinson et al., 2009). ADHD is a concern amongst children and there is growing evidence that children who are hyperactive are not getting enough fatty acids in their diet. In a healthy diet, omega 3 fatty acids are precursors to brain hormones that release neurotransmitters and are important for neuronal membrane flexibility (Tomlinson et al., 2009). Diets that are high in processed foods and low in fatty fish, nuts and eggs leads to fatty acid deficiency and results in behavioral disturbances. Galler et al. (2013) concluded that children with ADHD had significantly lower serum fatty acid