Nourishing a Child Essay

The word means poor nutrition and malnutrition is a broad term referring to both under-nutrition and over-nutrition.

Children in need of these nutrients can suffer from stunted growth never reaching potential height. Statistics have shown stunted growth children score significantly lower on intelligence tests than do normal children. Hunger interferes with physical, emotional and academic development. According to Freedom from Hunger, “more than 4 million children will die due to hunger related causes.” NASW(2016) shows an important connection food security and nutrition play in physical and mental health.

“What does malnutrition look like? Most of us think of bloated bellies or skin and bones, but the appearance of a hungry child might surprise you. Internationally hunger often stunts growth. Imagine a 9-year-old who appears to be only 5” (“Feed the Children.” Feed). Almost 1 billion kids worldwide live in poverty and 1 in 4 children around the world suffer from malnutrition that stunts growth (“Feed the Children.” Give). This is a very big problem not only in America but everywhere else, malnutrition is the cause of almost half of child deaths each year around the world (“Feed the Children.” Give). It is close to impossible for a malnourished child to recover from diarrhea or to fight off a small illness because their immune system is just simply too weak (“Feed the Children.”

Worldwide hunger affects almost one billion people throughout the world. (“Nutrition”) Malnutrition that is caused by hunger is the main killer of people who

The first and most important is protein-energy malnutrition which is basically a lack of calories and protein. Food is converted into energy, and the energy contained in food is measured by calories. Protein is necessary for key body functions including provision of essential amino acids and development and maintenance of muscles. Protein-energy malnutrition is the one that is the that is the most death causing form of hunger and is the type of malnutrition that is referred to when talking about world hunger.

Malnutrition is defined as a lack of proper nutrition, caused by not having enough to eat, not eating enough of the right things, or being unable to use the food that one does eat. This is another environmental factor in which children of poor families are at a great disadvantage due to the fact that it tends to occur most in those confronting the adverse socioeconomic and environmental conditions typically associated with poverty. It has become widely known that malnutrition may lead to increased early child mortality, impairment of physical growth and substantial destruction to brain development. In addition, the short-term implications of malnutrition lead to long term complications and cognitive delays such as attention deficit disorder, impaired school performance, decreased IQ scores, memory deficiency, learning disabilities, reduced social skills, reduced language development, and reduced problem-solving abilities. It has even been argued that nutrition may be the single greatest environmental influence on babies in the womb, during infancy, and throughout the first years of life.

Malnutrition affects children because it causes lifelong mental impairments and stunts physical growth. IQ of children who

Clear associations between nutritional deficiencies and psychosocial effects have been made. However, the results of the study indicated malnutrition impact on development of infants and toddlers was unknown, but malnutrition in children led to iron-deficiency anemia (Skalicky et al., 2006).

Examples are malnutrition, sickness and even death. Malnutrition is a term that indicates a lack of some or all nutrition necessary for human health. One in twelve people worldwide are malnourished, including 160 million children under the age of 5. There are two basic types of malnutrition. The first and most important type is protein-energy malnutrition-the lack of enough protein and food that provides energy, which all of the food groups provide. This type of malnutrition is most likely to be referred to when talking about world hunger. The second type of malnutrition, also very important, is micronutrient deficiency-the lack of enough vitamin and minerals. This is not likely to be referred to world hunger, though it is certainly very important. About 880-920 million people in the world are hungry. Ninety-five percent of these people live in developing countries, which are Africa, Asia minus Russia, China, Taiwan India, Japan, and South Korea, this list can on forever. Around every 3.6 seconds, some dies from hunger. For example, now (wait 3.6 seconds) now (wait 3.6 seconds) now (wait 3.6 seconds) ... and it keeps going. Every year, 10-20 million children die from this crisis, and about 34 million adults die. Throughout the 1990's, more than 100 children died, and about 180 million adults died. In conclusion, hunger can affect the way your body functions

Malnutrition is a condition in which a person is not getting the right amount of nutrients that they need to remain healthy. It can range from being mild to being detrimental to both physical and mental health. It can occur because a person is not eating a diet that provides enough nutrients the body needs, or the person is not absorbing the nutrients that the body is receiving. Even lacking one vitamin from your diet is considered malnutrition. Malnutrition can also be a result of Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, or persistent diarrhea or vomiting. Having anorexia is also a cause of malnutrition because of the restrictive calorie intake. Drug addiction or being an alcoholic can affect the body’s ability to absorb the nutrients which will cause malnutrition as well. It is possible to be obese and have malnutrition if they are not getting enough nutrients from all the food they take in.

With an optimal, balanced diet, children grow to their fullest genetic potential. However, prolonged undernutrition could stunt growth and negatively affect the child’s development. For example, babies who do not consume enough protein and calories suffer from marasmus. This results in a frail, small child with impaired social and intellectual skills. On the contrary, overnutrition also hurts the children’s growth. Children who are obese face risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and are susceptible to teasing by their peers. Although heredity does play a factor in obesity, it does not guarantee it. Those who eat an unhealthy diet with little exercise suffer to a greater extent (Shaffer & Kipp, 2014). In addition to nutrition, emotional stress and deprivation influences physical

Each child is a unique individual whose heredity and environment shape the course of his or her life. Woven into the daily life are aspects of food and nutrition. What childhood memories of food do you have? Are these memories healthy or unhealthy?

Malnutrition and undernutrition may cause remarkable complications in brain development, physical growth, and greater susceptibility to a prolonged infection and disease.

Nutrition is a very important aspect in the life of any living organism. Our nutrition is what keeps our bodies going. Macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, are what supply the body with needed fuel in addition to having various other functions. Micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, are essential parts of multiple systems and processes within the body. Proper nutrition is beneficial to both physical and cognitive health. Nutrition is especially important in younger children and in infancy, because, during infancy and youth, development is most rapid and significant to how people will continue to develop throughout their lifespan. This paper will discuss recent research on how nutrition relates to the cognitive

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in children and adolescent’s growth and development. It affects their ability to learn, function properly, and their behaviors. The brain and body both require proper nutrition in order to be healthy. Therefore, it is crucial to have an in depth understanding of proper nutrition in order to ensure children are functioning at their best. Studies show that children’s nutrition can directly affect their mental capacity. For instance, iron deficiencies decrease dopamine transmission, which negatively impacts cognitive processes. Lacking proper nutrition can cause deficiencies in vitamins such as thiamine, vitamin E, vitamin B, iodine, and zinc and minerals, which can also impair cognitive abilities and mental concentration. The four main dietary components known to alter children’s behavior are gluten and dairy, refined sugars, and caffeine. Gluten and dairy are natural dietary elements yet are still known to have adverse effects on bodily functions. Refined sugars and caffeine are considered unnatural and too inhibit optimal functioning. These dietary components are found to result in unfavorable behaviors in children. These behaviors include tantrums, screaming, anger, restlessness, insomnia, and irritability. The primary causes of these negative behaviors reside in the diets of children and through the consumption of these mind-modifying foods. Amendments of diet can improve unwanted behaviors in children. Gluten, dairy,