Food And Nutrition For Overall

Development In Children

Food is the fuel for the body. Without food, there is no way a human body can function after a period of

time. For a growing baby, nutritious food is even more important for their overall development, both

physical and cognitive. Nutrition is what boosts the energy levels in the body. The nutritional

requirements of children vary from each child based on their age and sex.

A growing kid needs a balanced diet filled with vitamins, minerals and nutrients, some more than the

other. Lack of nutritious food in young children can lead to devastating and long lasting problems. It can

also affect a child’s behaviour, cognitive development, education, reproduction and also cause diseases

like anaemia, stunting and others.

Give your child the perfect mix of proteins, carbohydrates, fat, calcium, and fibre found in foods like lean

meats, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, oils, butter, yogurt, cottage cheese, legumes, brown rice, whole

wheat foods and cereals.

For overall development of a child, eating good food is just not enough. It is the parent’s responsibility

to make sure that their child is also doing the right thing in other important areas. For parents, here are

some important points to remember:

Make sure your child drinks lots of water every day, at least 8-10 glasses to stay hydrated

throughout the day.

Let your child get enough sleep, somewhere between 8 to 12 hours in a day depending on how

old they are. A child of 3-6 years needs to sleep for 10-12 hours a day; a child of 7-12 needs to

sleep 10-11 hours a day and a child between 12-14 needs 8-9 hours of sleep daily.

Get your child to be physically active, each and every day. Regular exercise increases life span,

builds up immunity, aids weight loss and increases bone density. Get them interested in sports

like tennis, swimming, football, and cricket.

Include basic nutrients in their diet like carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins, minerals, iron, calcium

and fats.

Keep them away from junk food which leads to weight gain.

Don’t replace nutritious food with snacks.

Instead of heavy meals, give them 5-6 small meals through the day.

Give them more fruits, vegetables and reduce salt and carb intake.

Educate your child on the importance of having healthy food.

A healthy child is one who develops in the right way and has the ability to learn, think analytically, adapt

to different environments, fight numerous childhood diseases and communicates well. It is known that

malnourished children face many developmental problems like retarded cognitive growth, low birth

weight and inability to socialise. We are running a special campaign at Apollo Clinics to spread

awareness about the importance of balanced diet for the overall development of your child. Visit us and

talk to our team to know more. Give your child a balanced diet and watch them shine thought out their

life.

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