Proper Nutrition During Infancy and Toddlerhood Essay

Nutrition is a key component of an individual’s healthy well being. Many factors have a significant effect on nutrition and it is important to continuously maintain a balanced one. Having a good nutrition is one of the main defenses for an innumerous amount of illnesses and diseases that can harm the body. One would ask, “What is nutrition per say, and how do we maintain the balance of it?” Nutrition is defined as “the sum of the processes by which [a living thing] takes in and utilizes food substances.” (Merriam-Webster, 2011). It is the responsibility of each individual to assure the consumption of enough nutrients to nourish the body and to be cautious of harmful toxins. A child is dependent on their guardian on being taught how

Nutrition is important to understand because it is a significant contributor to the health and wellness of a human being. Nutrition can determine the weight of a person, the performance of organs and the body’s ability to prevent or accelerate certain diseases. Health and nutrition can be influenced by several factors such as family, friends, peers as well as physical and mental stress. As a young child, the immediate family is the biggest influence on nutrition because they are the first role models and establish the initial habits that the individual will develop. Through daily meal plans given to children, they can develop a standard of care in regard to nutrition and then incorporate key food groups into their daily diet. A child’s

Young baby food supplies a good source of energy and calories need development for their growth.

Oils and Fats; For children under two years need a diet with more fat and less fibre then older children. Fat provides extra energy need at this stage of development, too much fibre will fill young children up and other more important nutrients may be left out. It's recommend not to give children processed foods as they contain high levels of saturated fats.

Children and young people’s health and development is closely linked to their dietary choice as they need the right amount of nutrients necessary to keep their energy and to maintain the body for growth, tissue repair, healthy skin, hair and teeth, red blood cells and strong immune system.

Things happened during these critical periods can create long lasting or irreversible impacts to a person’s health. For an instance, breastfeeding has plentiful benefits during infancy and childhood, and children who are exclusively breastfed are less vulnerable for obesity compared to formula-fed children (Musingarimi, 2008). World Health Organization (WHO) identifies that diets in early life is one if the deciding factors for the development of adulthood diseases (WHO, 2013).

Breast milk provides all the necessary proteins, vitamins, sugar and fats essential for an infant’s growth

When working in a nursery you have to be aware that all the children’s nutritional requirements as well as making sure that these are being met. What this means is that we should always ensure that we are providing them with a balanced and diverse diet which meets the governments guidelines. We should provide children with a diet that is based around the Eat Well Plate this consists on Carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice etc. Dairy, like Cheese, Milk, Butter, Protein such as Chicken, Beef, Turkey, etc. Fruit and Vegetables and finally Fats the portion size for fat is much more smaller then all of the other areas on the plate as there not that good for our bodies and they don’t really of offer many nutritional benefits and they can sometimes

Infant nutrition is vital for growth and development. According to a Web page posted by KidsHealth, “Breast milk contains antibodies, lactose, protein, and fat…,” which are

You might be wondering why you can’t receive the same benefits from formula and here’s why. It’s impossible for formula to compare to the complexity of breast milk. Your milk is custom-made just for your baby. Your body responds to pathogens that you are exposed to, and actually creates a substance in your milk to protect your baby from exposure. Pretty amazing huh? In one study, The National Institute of Environmental Sciences determined your baby will have a 20 percent less chance of dying in the first year of life if breastfed. Not only does breastfeeding protect your baby from developing illnesses in the early stages of life, but it will also help avoid diseases in the future. Breastfed babies are less likely to have diabetes, high cholesterol, and inflammatory bowel disease in their adult life. I know, as a parent, you want to do everything you can to protect your children from harm. After all, it doesn’t matter how old they get, they’ll always be your babies.

Whether to breastfeed or to formula feed is one of the many decisions parents have to make when caring for a newborn baby. The decision may seem simple in which parents base there decision on comfort, convenience and finance but little do most parents know the decision being made can have damaging long term effects than that of the present. There is plenty of research that state the significance of breastfeeding that go far beyond the extent of bonding between mother and newborn. Although, that too is important. Breast milk is known to contain antibodies which can help the newborn in developing a strong immune system which influence all the body systems. Research has shown that breast-milk can help prevent long term diseases such as

An infant who is breastfed receives added health benefits compared to a child who is formula fed. In the first few days after birth, the breast milk is comprised of protein, vitamins A and E, and antibodies which help protect the infant from infection. After the first few days, the mature breast milk contains fats and cholesterol, which are essential for the growth and development of the infant’s nervous system, eyes, and brain. It also contains micronutrients calcium and magnesium, which are beneficial to the infant’s growth (Thompson et al., 2010).

To ease the transition through this turbulent period, the newborn needs to be provided with easily digestible and bioavailable nutrition in the form of breast milk or infant formula. The infant depends on a diet of closely regulated composition and does not achieve nutritional independence until weaning.

The first years of life are the most crucial years for brain, immune system and overall physiological development. This is why, it is extremely important to achieve optimal nutrition standards in these early years. Studies have shown that having optimum nutrition in infancy can lead to profound benefits throughout the lifespan of the person. Breastfeeding is extensively recommended, as the best way to achieve the

It is imperative for children to develop with healthy nutrition during their first five years of life in order to sustain a healthy well being. When a child experiences stunted growth, they often have difficulties learning and