The importance of Nutrition in Early Childhood Development

The bond between nutrition, health and learning is undeniably strong: nutrition is one of the three major factors that impact a child’s development. Genes and environment are the other two factors which plays a crucial role in early childhood development. Similarly eating healthy food also adds up to the overall development of the child. Whereas eating a certain food cannot guarantee that the child will be smarter. But, research studies show that nutrition in a child’s early years is linked to their health and academic performance in later years.

“A child’s early years” begin before birth when it comes to nutrition. Under-nutrition during pregnancy affects foetal growth and can lead to poor brain development that result in chronic illnesses. If a breastfeeding mother is not taking proper nutrition will likewise negatively impact a child’s development, especially in the first 6 months when breast milk is all he/she is consuming. The benefits of good nutrition to health are endless and makes the child mentally and physically strong. So it is very important for a mother to-be and a breastfeeding mother to intake food which is full of nutrients. This is because better-nourished children have an enhanced natural ability to fight infection and grow well.

In the early childhood years, it’s important by the parents to monitor a child’s nutrient intake to see the performance in later years. For instance, research has made even clearer that the school-age children who eat breakfast do better in tests than those that go without. Eating right helps the brain to function more efficiently resulting in good academic performance and enhancing the overall development of the child.

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