Kiddie Nutrition: The Right Amounts at the Right Time
Our children’s nutrition depends on the food choices we make for them. At this very important time of their lives, nutrition does not only influence their growth and development but also their lifelong health.
Child nutrition in early years
It is a fact that the building blocks of a healthy life are set during the early years of a child’s life. Pero alam mo ba that giving him more doesn’t necessarily mean better nutrition? In fact, giving him too much, too soon may only lead to lifelong health problems.
Good nutrition – the right quality and quantity
Good kiddie nutrition is not simply about filling up his diet with generous amounts of the different macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)(1). What is important is to provide him with food sources with the right quality and quantity of these nutrients. After all, it is always a matter of having the right balance of nutrients, ‘di ba?
How does this influence your growing child?
Research shows that giving too much of a nutrient too soon may do more harm than good especially for a growing child. Take protein, for example. Studies now tell us that providing a child more protein than what he needs for growth and development can lead him to obesity (2), a condition where a child’s weight for his height is way above the limit set by the World Health Organization (3).
His lifelong health
Scientific findings further says that obesity also puts your precious one at risk to develop diseases later in life. These include early onset of hypertension or altapresyon, diabetes, and heart disease (4) ---chronic diseases that will have a negative impact on your kid’s quality of life and health beyond his childhood.
What can I do for my child?
Bilang mga magulang, we must keep in mind that good nutrition affects our child’s lifelong health. Choose wisely about what to give him everyday! Mula ngayon, decide to start building his strong nutritional foundation for life. Take the first step and give him a milk drink with the right quality and quantity of protein.
REFERENCES:
Institute of Medicine: Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids. National Academy of Sciences, 2002/2005
Koletzko, B. et al. Lower protein in infant formula is associated with lower weight up to 2y: a randomized clinical trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009; 89: 1863-45
Obesity and Overweight. World Health Organization Fact Sheet. January 2015. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ accessed July 25, 2015.
Weiss R, Dziurra J, Burgert TS, et al. Obesity and the metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents. N Engl J Med. 2004; 350:2362-2374
Image courtesy of Stoonn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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