Nutrition for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
Works Cited Not INcluded
Each child is a unique individual whose heredity and environment shape the course of his or her life. Woven into the daily life are aspects of food and nutrition. What childhood memories of food do you have? Are these memories healthy or unhealthy?
Foods and their nutrients are essential to life. In the beginning years of life an infant’s nutritional health depends on the family unit. Parents must have knowledge of the changing food needs of the child and must also have sufficient resources to provide food, shelter, and clothing for the family. Equally important, parents create the cultural and psychological environment that influences the development of food habits, setting the patterns for later years.
During the preschool years some children depend solely on family caregivers for their nutritional needs. For other preschooler children the responsibility for meeting nutritional needs is shared by the family and others, such as caregivers in child-care centers and babysitters. The child entering school becomes influenced by teachers and peers, and learns to broaden his or her experiences with food. For many people, the adolescent years often are turbulent as the teenager seeks independence and freedom from adult rules and standards.
In this research, I will focus on nutrition, in retrospect to growth and development in infants, preschoolers, school children and adolescents.
Infants
Infants vary widely in their growth patterns, so it would be unwise to compare one infant with another. Yet there is value in being familiar with typical patterns of growth and development. At birth, the fetus makes an abrupt transition to...
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...oisoning can be harmful, obesity occurs, and hyperactivity can result. …….
Preadolescents and Adolescents
A third and final period of rapid growth and metabolism occurs during this stage. At this stage, teenagers have many interest in their physical and emotional development. For example, important topics are the size and shape of their bodies; their complexion, their overall appearance; and physical activity. Girls express a particular need for a good figure, healthy skin, and beautiful hair. Boys are more likely to be interested in tall stature, muscular development, and athletic vigor and stamina.
The RDA’s for adolescents are somewhat higher than those for adults men and women, with corresponding higher allowances for most vitamins and minerals. These increases are to satisfy the increased nutrient needs caused by their adolescent growth spurt.
Nutrition is the process of consuming food and utilizing the nutrients from the food eaten (“Nutrition.”). It is very important to have enough nutrition for a growing teenager as it helps to develop and strengthen the bones along with growth and development (“Adolescent and School Health.”). Nutrition is very vital for the growing body as it helps prevent certain diseases and helps give the proper development and nourishment (HAGIKALFA). There are multiple nutrients that help maintain development and nutrition such as carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. If there was a lack of nutrition in a growing teenager, the teenager will not be able to have enough nutrition to grow and they will be more prone to sickness and diseases (“Hunger and Malnutrition.”). A malnourished teenager will may end up having muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness, fragile bones, tooth decay, and much more (“Hunger and Malnutrition.”).
Wyatt, C. Jane, and M.A. Triana Tejas. "Nutrient Intake and Growth of Preschool Children from Different Socioeconomic Regions in the City of Oaxaca, México." Nutrition And Metabolism. 44. (2000): n. page. Print.
Low incomes can contribute to families not being able to meet their nutritional needs — impacting the quality and the quantity of food available for parents and children (First Call, 2015). First call goes on to explain that, often parents will forgo their own nutritional requirements in an effort to ensure their children have enough food. Additionally, researchers in the United Kingdom found that low income, as well as, family dynamics have a profound influence on what a family eats. Therefore, developing strategies that involve the family with meal choice, budgeting, and preparation has many benefits (Mackereth,
A good meal is very important because it health children’s to grow and develop an awareness of healthy eating habits for life. Also, eating at home it helps children’s to have a good attitude because they are eating a well balance meal and at the same time prevents obesity. Meals prepare at home contains a lot of vegetable and fruits and they are usually not fried. Parents and teachers can be involved in the healthy education of their children. Parents and teachers can establish a daily schedule of meals and snack time because it provides the opportunity to learn from one another. Also, encourage children in learning about new food is very important but without forcing them to eat. Trying foods from other countries can help children’s in learn about a new culture. For example, Salvadorian and Mexican beans contain a lot of iron and fiber and are very important for every one health. Furthermore, caretakers and parents can improve their menu by providing more fruit, vegetables, fat-free dairy and whole grains in order to have a healthy life style.
There has been a loss of control over the amount of food children are consuming at a young age and the parents are to blame, according to Greg Critser in his article Too Much of a Good Thing. Throughout his article, he speaks for "dietary restraint" in childhood and early adolescents (Critser 161). Critser believes there has been a lack of education for parents (161). There has been failure to alter their children 's eating patterns at the dinner table and a scarcity of knowledge in beginning their kid 's lives with healthier serving sizes and choices based on the child 's needs (161). Although parents might disagree with statements such as, "kids have the right to make bad nutrition decisions" or "kids just know when they are full," he questions their wisdom and know-how of the children 's limitations based on the nutritional scholar Barbara Rolls ' research (161-162). Critser effectively expresses the importance of adults controlling children 's portions and nutritional choices, kids not knowing when to stop eating when full, and a possible solution for America based off of the French in the 1900 's by discovering reliable research to back up his statements and conveying logical
In a child's first years of life, it is important for optimal growth that they receive improved nutrition and improved learning opportunities. Not only are those two factors independently crucial to early development, but it has been said that they have a direct correlation. Among a plethora of results gathered from a study done in 2011 by Kate Northstone et al are “novel associations between dietary patterns in early childhood, and current diet, with ...
Out of the three food groups fruits were the most eaten by children and whole grains were the less eaten according to The Healthy eating Index. The ones to both blame and congratulate are the parents (for these numbers). They are the ones who are responsible for what their kids eat and why. More than half of kids from ages 3 to 6 spend their time in child care centers and it has become more popular for them to bring food from home (Sweitzer 1058). After studies were
Whitney, E., DeBruyne, L. K., Pinna, K., & Rolfes, S. R. (2007). Nutrition through the Life Span: Childhood and Adolescence . Nutrition for health and health care (3rd ed., pp. 301-329). Belmount: Thomson/Wadsworth.
Sorte, J., Daeschel, I., Amador, C. (2011). Nutrition, Health, and Safety for Young Children. (Ashford University ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
As a parent, you want to provide the best nourishment available to ensure your toddler’s early physical growth. Early childhood nutrition is crucial for development in the first two years, not only to protect health and support growth, but it can also introduce and reinforce beneficial eating habits. As your infant grows into a toddler, you will start to rely more on foods to include suitable solid foods to get the proper nutrients and calories to support healthy growth and development. Many parents will be faced with toddler feeding challenges, such as, undisciplined table behavior, food jags, meal refusal and overweight. Without doubt, it can become a strenuous task for many parents, particularly first-time parents. The key is to be patient and to not get overwhelmed during this process; it will take time and tolerance. Given these topics, I will provide you with the necessary tools and information to ensure a helpful guidance in this age-related transition period.
Bryan, J., Osendarp, S., Hughes, D., Calvaresi, E., Baghurst, K., & Van Klinken, J. (2004). Nutrients for Cognitive Development in School-aged Children. Nutrition Reviews, 62(8), 295-306. doi:10.1301/nr.2004.aug.295-306
Growth is an important indicator of health and nutritional status of a child and there is no single nutrition measure could be considered the best and therefore a combination of different measures is required. (Gibson, 2005; Willet, 1998; Gorstein et al, 1994; Perry et al, 2007; Maqbool et al, Gorstein, 1989)
A child’s proper growth depends greatly on their nutrition and health. A healthy diet is essential to the developing child. Food should never be used to reward, punish, or bribe a child. Instead children should have three healthy meals with snacks in between. It is also important for children to have good self care behaviors (including bathing, washing hands, brushing teeth), and adequate sleep.
I believe that parents, caregivers, or anyone that has contact with a toddler should know about what nutrition they need and why local produce is better for the toddler. I choose toddler’s nutrition because in psychology class, we are studying their development, so something as simple as what fruits and vegetables they eat can affect all points throughout the toddler’s life. In addition, my sister is pregnant so as the aunt of the child, I feel I have the responsibility in helping my younger sister and teaching her nutrition for her baby. After researching, I know that feeding local produce to my niece or nephew when they become toddlers is vital and can, enhance their development. So let’s learn about toddle...
In recent studies, evidence shows that malnourished children might be essentially unintelligent. Another piece of information to keep in mind is that “Malnutrition is but one of a critical group of environmental factors affecting the development of the nervous system” (Morgane et al). If the nervous system is affected during development this should urge parents and caregivers to support their child’s development by providing a positive environment that includes appropriate toys, books, and games. By providing extra materials it will keep the child’s brain active and thinking which would stimulate brain growth. To add on, the effects of malnutrition “on the developing central nervous system have been studied mainly because of the widespread incidence of infantile malnutrition and the considerable evidence that many of its effects are permanent and are associated with impairments of higher mental functions, including deficits in intelligence” (Morgane et al). Since there is a high mental functions that come with impairment, it is extremely important for parents to make sure they take care of their own body since they have a developing fetus inside of