The Affects Of Proper Nutrition On Child Development

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

Children who are malnourish and vitamin A deficient are two times more likely to die compare to those receiving a vitamin A supplement. This increase in mortality rate is due to the vulnerability state of the child that caused by lack of nutrition. Moreover, the scarcity of the proper mineral and vitamins for pregnant mothers has cause more than 13 million underweight and premature births. Over the years Vitamins B, D, and C have proven to cure disease such as pellagra, rickets and scurvy and although this might seem easy fixes for the richer

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.

In a research article “Breastfeeding and early white matter development: A cross-sectional study” by Sean Deoni, Douglas Dean, Irene Piryatinsky, Jonathan ‘O Muircheartaigh, Nicole Waskiewicz, Katie Lehman, Michelle Han, and Holly Dirks (2013) two questions are addressed: Do breastfed infants grow up to have a higher IQ than formula-fed infants? Is the duration of

Breast feeding has been associated with the neurodevelopment of an infant. According to Stuebe and Schwarz (2011), studies shown that breast-fed and formula fed-infants produced evidence of developmental differences. For example, infants who didn’t exclusively breast feed until 6 months of age crawled later and were less like to walk than the infants were exclusively breast-fed. Also, formula fed-infants had IQ scores that were 7.5 points lower when they were at age 6.5. From this study, only basic information is such as walking and IQ score shown at a grade school age is seen it is hard not to see what the picture would be life if the trend of a slower neurodevelopment continues into the later years of a child. A child who will be lacking in this department can hinder growth in many areas such as motor skills. Showing a decline in IQ scores can also delay a child in succeeding academically future in life. These two factors alone can affect other areas of life. Knowing these facts as a parent would be beneficial. As parents, you would want the best for your child and want to give them the best opportunity possible. The missing link between breast milk and formula milk is long-chain poly unsaturated fatty acids which is said to

A mothers nutritional status, before and during her pregnancy has a powerful impact on the lifelong health for her child. It is now even believed by some researchers say that “the 9 months of pregnancy are the most consequential period of our lives, permanently influencing the wiring of the brain and the function of organs like the heart, liver and pancreas. They also suggest that the conditions we encounter in utero shape everything from our susceptibility to disease, to our appetite and metabolism, to our intelligence and temperament” (Kresser). The mother’s prenatal care, nutrition, and precautions taken all play a key role in the child’s development for later in life. Since the

Diet - Studies have shown that children with a better nutrition are more likely to have a higher IQ. They will be more alert to the world around them and they will most likely also have a higher attention span. A good diet will provide the child with the right amount of energy for the day ahead and this has a positive impact on the child’s development because then they will be happy and healthy. If children know what type of food they should be eating (1/3 of fruit and vegetables, 1/3 of bread, rice, potatoes and pasta and 1/3 of dairy, meat, fish, eggs, beans and food and drinks which are high in fat and sugar. But if children don’t eat healthy then they will not be able to concentrate at their work, they won’t have any motivation to play or join in with their friends, no carbohydrates and will have a poor attention span. Child A isn’t able to concentrate

Heath is of the utmost importance in raising a child, and is the biggest factor of a child’s physical development in middle childhood. When a child is receiving the proper nutrition he or she needs, they grow at the

Foods and their nutrients are essential to life. In the beginning years of life an infant’s nutritional health depends on the family unit. Parents must have knowledge of the changing food needs of the child and must also have sufficient resources to provide food, shelter, and clothing for the family. Equally important, parents create the cultural and psychological environment that influences the

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

At least 1 million malnourished children die every year because they lack access to the necessary treatment; 17 million children suffer from severe acute malnutrition, a deadly condition if not treated according to Action against Hunger and organization taking steps to alleviate hunger around the world. Not only is malnutrition a current issue presiding in our world it is that of a growing nature and stemming far beyond that of a hunger issue. Inadequate intake of essential vitamins and nutrients has repercussions on the entire body. One of the most concerning aspects of malnutrition on the body is that of its impact on the brain. The brain is singularly in charge of thinking, conducting emotion and producing bodily reactions; with that 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

Breastfeeding may be natural by evolutionary standards, but it is not always simple. As a researcher with particular interests in human breast milk and infant growth and development, I often receive questions from friends and family about the infamous breastfeeding versus formula debate. The physiological intercommunication between mother and offspring has always fascinated me, especially the fluctuations in breast milk composition over time. The type of food an infant is “supposed to” intake – breast milk – is not always an option due to various physiological or exogenous factors. Here, I review the nutritional composition of breast milk and infant formula, focusing on macronutrients – protein, fat, and carbohydrates. In addition, I attempt to tease apart the role of early-life nutrition beyond the confines of physiology and health, and discuss historical and cultural information regarding infant feeding practices in the United States. Ultimately, I hope to convey that food choices, especially the foods we give to our offspring, cannot be reduced to either biology or culture, and instead are a unique union of the two.

The effects of nutrition can begin before birth, with the nutrition of the mother. Under nutrition can result in negative effects of the development of the brain that can become permanent and irreversible. One example is the lack of iron, which is a necessary part of the brain’s tissue. When iron deficiency is present nerve impulses tend to move slower. “Iron deficiency…is associated with behavior changes and delayed psychomotor development” (Nutrition and Cognitive Development, 2001), as well as decrease attention span, irritability, fatigue, and difficultly with concentration. “ Anemia is one of the most prevalent nutritional disorders in the world, affecting nearly one

It is because of this high level of cognitive function that physical activity and nutrition are extremely important (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). They affect the child’s physical wellbeing in terms of energy levels, growth and the ability to concentrate (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010).