“Good Nutrition is a foundation of a child’s survival, health, and development”.
Since childhood, it has been taught to me and my siblings how important eating healthy food is. The quotation “you are what you eat” was engraved in us at a very young age. Now that I am studying Nursing, I realized just how important nutrition is to one’s health and well being because it literally serves as our fuel source in order to live a life with meaning and productivity.
Children are as vulnerable as they are resilient. During this period of their lives, children are prone to many deficiencies (Royal Children’s Hospital, n.d.) especially if their diet will not be composed of a balanced meal with sufficient vitamins and minerals. With this, good nutrition must be a top priority of parents so that children will receive the adequate nutrients that are necessary for their optimum growth and development.
I believe that good nutrition plays a major role in a child’s life. It is significant not just to health but also to learning (Chulack, 2016). Good nutrition is also a key to a child’s establishment of one’s abilities both physically and mentally (Graham, 2016).
Indeed, good nutrition plays these roles:
Preventing issues and deficiencies. Poor diet has been related to a child’s behavioral and sleep issues, emotional and psychological development, and poor concentration. (Royal Children’s Hospital, n.d.) On the other hand, good nutrition will entail consumption of vital minerals and vitamins that will help in preventing nutrient deficiencies. Moreover, breastfeeding also leads to fewer cases among children of illnesses (Chulack, 2016).
Reducing the risk of diseases and conditions. Healthy eating has been proven to help in maintaining a healthy body and thus reducing the risk of conditions like heart disease, cancer, diabetes , hypertension, cavities, and osteoporosis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.)
Boosting child’s development. When a child receives good, balanced, and adequate nutrition, malnutrition is greatly prevented. This will prevent delays in development of motor skills, physical growth, and intellectual growth (Kandala, 2011). Moreover, the child will have the optimal health to cater for one’s development needs.
Promoting health and well-being. With good nutrition, a child will have no health issues be as healthy as a child can be. Balanced diet, adequate nutrients, and sufficient vitamins and minerals will make sure that a child will be well and will be more protected against diseases.
Indeed, good nutrition is key not just to surviving but to living a life that a child deserves to live.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.). Childhood Nutrition Facts | Healthy Schools | CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.htm
Chulack, A. (2016, September 11). The Importance of Nutrition in Early Childhood Development. Novak Djokovic Foundation. https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/importance-nutrition-early-childhood-development/
Graham, J. (2016, November 1). Nutrition and Health in Children and the Role of the Healthcare Worker. Ausmed Education Pty Ltd. https://www.ausmed.com/cpd/articles/nutrition-for-children
Kandala, N. (2011, April 25). Malnutrition among children under the age of five in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): does geographic location matter? - BMC Public Health. BioMed Central. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-11-261#:%7E:text=Health%20and%20physical%20consequences%20of,diseases%20%5B1%2C%202%5D.
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (n.d.). Kids Health Information : Nutrition – school-age to adolescence. https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Nutrition_older_children/