Children can be picky eaters. For many parents, picturing a toddler stubbornly throwing a piece of broccoli to the floor in disgust is easy – after all, it’s an all too familiar scene. However tiring it might be, it’s important that you find ways to convince your child to eat that piece of broccoli, as studies show that having a balanced and nutritious diet directly impacts all aspects of a child’s growth and development.

Why is Nutrition so Important for Children?

The relationship between nutrition, health and learning is undeniably strong: nutrition is one of the three major factors that impact a child’s development. As genes and environment are the other two factors, eating a certain food cannot guarantee that your child will be smarter, although my mother did successfully teach (trick?) me to eat fish when I was little for that very reason. Nevertheless, research studies show that nutrition in a child’s early years is linked to their health and academic performance in later years.

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Nutrition and Health

However you might personally define it, “a child’s early years” begin before birth when it comes to nutrition. Under-nutrition during pregnancy stunts foetal growth and can lead to poor brain development that result in irreversible chronic illnesses. Under-nutrition of a breastfeeding mother will likewise negatively impact a child’s development, especially in the first 6 months when breast milk is all he/she is consuming. For all soon-to-be and new mothers, it’s worth making sure you’re consuming a healthy and balanced diet full of the vital nutrients that both you and your child need: carbohydrates, protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A, C and D. Although at first glance this list seems overbearing, realistically you probably consume most of these nutrients already – it’s just about following proportions, which the eatwell plate helps to illustrate.

Is it really that important for children to be consuming all of the above nutrients though? The short answer: yes. The benefits of good nutrition to health are endless, but the following few conclusions made by researchers serve to prove my point. Firstly, breastfeeding by mothers following nutritious diets leads to fewer and less severe cases among their children of illnesses including diarrhoea, ear infection and bacterial meningitis. This is because better-nourished children have an enhanced natural ability to fight infection. Secondly, since iron is a vital component of brain tissue, iron deficiency makes nerve impulses move slower and may cause permanent damage to a child’s brain, especially in the first two years of his/her life; iron deficiency during this time is linked to behaviour changes and delayed psychomotor development. However, too much iron also presents problems. As my mother wisely often tells me, “the key is to find the middle way”. Thirdly, under-nutrition has been proven to decrease a child’s activity levels, social interactions, curiosity and cognitive functioning. Although parents everywhere probably harbour the wish that their child wasn’t quite so hyperactively jumping on their bed at 6am, good nutrition remains a must.

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Nutrition and Academic Performance

It seems bizarre to think that what your child consumes at, say, 4 months will affect their learning ability years later. Research has proven this true. Throughout their early childhood, it’s important to monitor your child’s nutrient intake for the sake of their later performance. For instance, breastfeeding appears to lead to higher IQ, while iron deficiency correlates with reduced cognition and achievement at school age. More obviously to the layman, since under-nourished children get sick more often, they miss more school and fail to keep up with peers. Research has made the link even clearer: school-age children who eat breakfast do better in tests than those that go without.

“Eat up please”

When there’s work to go to, bills to pay and dishes to wash, getting your child to eat what they don’t want to (especially when doing so might cause a much-dreaded tantrum) is oftentimes the least of your worries. But it’s critically important. Following nutrition guidelines is relatively straightforward during pregnancy, as well as at the start of your child’s life. When your child starts to form likes and dislikes, my advice to you is to accept preferences but continue to introduce new foods by making silly faces and playing peek-a-boo until you hear that giggle and see your toddler happily putting the spoon into their mouth themselves. Persevere. I promise he/she will thank you one day.

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We all know that everybody is different, but it’s also important to remember that every body is different. People come in all shapes and sizes and healthy weight varies from person to person. The same goes for children. Children who maintain a healthy weight are often more fit, healthy, self-confident and less likely to have health problems as they get older.

Calculating BMI

BMI (body mass index) is the best way to see if you and your child are at healthy weight for your height and age. To calculate, use one of these great tools online for  adults  [1] and  children.[2] The range you fall under will also tell you if you are in a risk of serious health problems, such are type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. For adults:

• BMI below 18.5 means you may be underweight
• BMI between 18.5-24.9 is a healthy range, meaning you’re at a healthy weight for your height
• BMI of 25 or more means you may be overweight
• BMI of 30 or more is classified as obesity and puts you at risk of health problems

BMI centile is used for children older than 2 years and there are various interpretations of the results. When calculating, doctors typically take into consideration age and gender in order to see if a child is at a healthy weight. It is important to note that, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, healthy BMI range varies depending on the ethnicity as well. Therefore, it is best to consult your doctor when calculating your own and your child’s BMI.

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight

Whether your child is overweight or at a healthy weight according to BMI, you still need to make an effort together in order to stay healthy. Here are the five best ways to help your children maintain a healthy weight:[3]

• Encourage exercising: According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, children need at least 60 minutes of exercise each day [4], though not necessarily all at once – to achieve a greater effect, make sure to spread out your child’s activities throughout the day. Activities can include playing ball, riding a bike, walking a dog or playing sports.

• Mind the portion sizes: To avoid overfeeding your child, start with small portions. Children will ask for more if they are still hungry. And if they are full, don’t force them to finish everything on their plates. Eat as a family and enjoy this time together. Having a conversation about your day over dinner will also encourage children to eat slowly.

• Stick to a healthy eating regime: Children should eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day in order to get the proper amount of vitamins and minerals. This can be easily achieved by having cereals with fruit for breakfast, vegetables as an addition to the main course for lunch, a smoothie as a snack, and salad for dinner. It’s important to avert your children from eating high-fat and sugary things like sodas, desserts and candy.

• Promote less screen time and more sleep: Watching television and playing video games means being stationary. Being active is always a better option for children and will also increase the quality of sleep at night. Lack of sleep causes children to be sulky and lowers their focus in school.

• Be a good role model: Children pick up eating habits from the people around them. Make the right eating decisions in your own life to set a good example.

The easiest way to achieve and maintain healthy lifestyle is by working towards it together. Work as a family to make the right eating habits and reach healthy weight.

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Regular physical activity not only develops healthy bones, joints, and muscles, but it fends off obesity and improves academic performance. Furthermore, it offers opportunities to socialize and learn valuable new skills. An American organization that fights against childhood obesity, has made a useful and interesting infographic that addresses precisely this issue – explaining what are the benefits of physical activity in school:

http://www.sparkpe.org/blog/healthy-body-healthy-mind-the-benefits-of-physical-activity-in-school/

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