“Good Nutrition is a foundation of a child’s survival, health, and development”.
A similar quote by UNICEF shares this idea, it goes “Good nutrition is the bedrock of child survival and development”. I definitely agree with both statements as proper nutrition provides the energy and building blocks the body needs to grow and develop; moreso in children, since they are growing and developing more rapidly.
Undernutrition in children ages 5 and below has been found to be one of the major causes of mortality. They are also more likely to die due to common illnesses like diarrhea (Schultink & Arabi, 2009). This is because good nutrition is necessary for optimal functioning of the body which includes the immune system. Studies have shown that there are critical micronutrients for the growth and function of immune cells like vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, iron and many more. This highlights how a lack of proper nutrition can compromise the immune system and make children susceptible to diseases and impede recovery.
Aside from this, undernourishment, especially in the first 1000 days can have short and long-term consequences (Martorell, 2017). It is a vulnerable period for children but at the same time an opportunity for improvements in nutrition; having good nutrition will allow a child to thrive and harness their full potential. It will help them learn, play, grow and take part in their community and be much better equipped to face crises (UNICEF, 2021). Thus, it is imperative to start good nutrition as early as possible to ensure the child’s survival, health and development.
REFERENCES:
Nutrition and Immunity. (2020, May). The Nutrition Source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/nutrition-and-immunity/
Martorell, R. (2017). Improved nutrition in the first 1000 days and adult human capital and health. American Journal of Human Biology, 29(2), e22952. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.22952
Schultink, W., & Arabi, M. (2009). Effective Nutrition Programming for Children and the Role of
UNICEF: Consensus Points from an Expert Consultation. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 30(2), 189–196. https://doi.org/10.1177/156482650903000211
UNICEF. (2021). Nutrition. https://www.unicef.org/nutrition