The Benefits of a Healthy Nutritional Diet in Early Childhood Development
A healthy diet is a necessity for growth and development, especially in early childhood. Getting proper nutrition helps children focus, complete tasks, gives them the strength they need to progress in their motor skills, and help them expand in their behavioral and social skills as well. Although many people know that this is a must it is hard to attain this achievement based on location and economic status. In some locations, people and children are bought up in "food deserts", meaning they have no grocery store in their neighborhood. This is a huge dilemma because people growing up in these locations are not able to get the necessary vitamins they need to progress in their development. This can even be lethal especially for babies and toddlers.
Three issues that can occur because of malnutrition are protein-calorie malnutrition, stunting, and wasting (Berger 2018). Protein - calorie malnutrition is a lack of nutritious and sufficient food resulting in a child contracting a type of illness and not having enough strength to fully develop both physically and mentally. Stunting is when a child does not receive enough nutrition and is not able to grow at the speed and height as their peers and other children of that age group. Wasting is being underweight because of a lack of nutrition (Berger 2018).
This topic is important to me because I have seen this happen first hand with some of the students and children I have worked with. It breaks my heart to see someone not able to perform as well as their peers because of a lack of proper nutrition. One sees this happening a lot in impoverished areas and with minority families who do not have the resources they need to help feed their children healthy food. Some children are only eating healthy while at school because that is the only place providing them with the nutrients that they need. Being part of a minority group I want to be able to help the young children in families in my community and make sure that they are given the proper resources that they need to help them thrive and develop.
While researching this topic I found out that the World Health Organization, WHO, has a mission to help feed the children of Africa. "WHO’s nutrition mission is to work with Member States and partners to ensure universal access by populations to healthy, safe and sustainable diets as well as effective interventions. WHO’s ambition for nutrition is to end all forms of malnutrition" (WHO 2020).
"In 2012, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition, which includes six global targets to be achieved by 2025. The targets are to reduce the number of under-five stunted children by 40%; reduce anaemia in women of reproductive age by 50%; reduce the incidence of low birth weight by 30%; halt the increase in under-five overweight; increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding under the age of 6 months to at least 50%; and reduce and maintain under-five wasting below 5%" (WHO 2020).
I think that WHO has a great mission and it will help reduce the number of death caused by malnutrition. My plan is to look into groups like these and see what I can do to help. I want to give back to the Philadelphia community because I know there are plenty of areas in my city that are considered to be "food deserts" and the children in these areas are stereotyped and put under a statistic of not thriving in the academic world. I do not think it is fair for these children to be labeled and given up on just because they do not have access to the proper food they need to help them develop and grow. Many behavioral problems that adults look to be as just a "misbehave child" begins with the fact that the child is hungry and their body is not getting enough energy they need to focus on one particular task so they get frustrated and act on their feelings.
Three issues that can occur because of malnutrition are protein-calorie malnutrition, stunting, and wasting (Berger 2018). Protein - calorie malnutrition is a lack of nutritious and sufficient food resulting in a child contracting a type of illness and not having enough strength to fully develop both physically and mentally. Stunting is when a child does not receive enough nutrition and is not able to grow at the speed and height as their peers and other children of that age group. Wasting is being underweight because of a lack of nutrition (Berger 2018).
This topic is important to me because I have seen this happen first hand with some of the students and children I have worked with. It breaks my heart to see someone not able to perform as well as their peers because of a lack of proper nutrition. One sees this happening a lot in impoverished areas and with minority families who do not have the resources they need to help feed their children healthy food. Some children are only eating healthy while at school because that is the only place providing them with the nutrients that they need. Being part of a minority group I want to be able to help the young children in families in my community and make sure that they are given the proper resources that they need to help them thrive and develop.
While researching this topic I found out that the World Health Organization, WHO, has a mission to help feed the children of Africa. "WHO’s nutrition mission is to work with Member States and partners to ensure universal access by populations to healthy, safe and sustainable diets as well as effective interventions. WHO’s ambition for nutrition is to end all forms of malnutrition" (WHO 2020).
"In 2012, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition, which includes six global targets to be achieved by 2025. The targets are to reduce the number of under-five stunted children by 40%; reduce anaemia in women of reproductive age by 50%; reduce the incidence of low birth weight by 30%; halt the increase in under-five overweight; increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding under the age of 6 months to at least 50%; and reduce and maintain under-five wasting below 5%" (WHO 2020).
I think that WHO has a great mission and it will help reduce the number of death caused by malnutrition. My plan is to look into groups like these and see what I can do to help. I want to give back to the Philadelphia community because I know there are plenty of areas in my city that are considered to be "food deserts" and the children in these areas are stereotyped and put under a statistic of not thriving in the academic world. I do not think it is fair for these children to be labeled and given up on just because they do not have access to the proper food they need to help them develop and grow. Many behavioral problems that adults look to be as just a "misbehave child" begins with the fact that the child is hungry and their body is not getting enough energy they need to focus on one particular task so they get frustrated and act on their feelings.
Resources
Berger, K. S. (2018) The developing person through childhood (8th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers
WHO Africa. Health Topics. Nutrition. 2020. https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/nutrition
Hello Kirsten.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of malnutrition in this country is so appalling it is sickening. Underdeveloped countries have far more disparities. The inclusion of political warfare, environmental issues, and lack of infrastructure make it difficult for the people to know when they will eat. The media is riddled with images of emaciated children, as well as images of older children breastfeeding. These images are particularly disturbing because we do not come face to face with the famine many countries face. I can understand your frustration with the misguided judgement of others.
Hi Kirsten,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you that "some children are only eating healthy while at school because that is the only place providing them with the nutrients that they need". Many times, I find myself crying in my car after work, thinking and worrying about the living situation of my special needs students. Some of them are clearly malnourished and in one instance, I have one student ask me for food to take home because she often goes to bed hungry as there is not enough food for everyone in their family.In our district, kids get to have free breakfast and lunch. Before my students leave at 2PM, I make sure that I feed them afternoon snacks. Yes, a chunk of my teacher's salary goes to my students' snacks. My three Special Ed Assists would chip in from their own pockets as well because we all came to a consensus that we want to send the kids home with a full belly. It is a sad reality indeed that many of America's children are still hungry despite the access to resources that are given to them through various government programs.
Hi Kirsten,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about how the Philadelphia area has many children who are hungry. One of my dear friends works at a school in the city, Benjamin Franklin Elementary, and she has told me on numerous occasions that she keeps food in her classroom, because the children, kindergartners, are hungry most days. It breaks my heart that these kids don't have food to eat. If you figure out something that you want to do to give back, I'd be interested in helping. Keep me posted!
Leanne
Kristen, I notice that nutrition is a popular public topic. Thank you for sharing your story. The children at my facility are fortunate to get a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack. There are also seconds provided for children that need a little more to eat.
ReplyDeleteCynthia Hunt