![]() 2005 Must & Strauss 1999).īut even healthy weight kids can be malnourished, have low energy, become frequently unwell and may fail to thrive. Obesity can also affect social acceptance and self-esteem (Griffiths et al. Some children may experience immediate health complications such as gallstones, hepatitis and sleep apnoea, or initiate the disease processes that lead to higher risks of morbidity and mortality later in life. Overweight and obese children are at a higher risk of being overweight and obese in adulthood. Good varied nutrition and regular movement reduces cardiovascular risk, improves levels of cardiovascular risk factors such as overweight or obesity, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, protects against some forms of cancer, and strengthens the musculoskeletal system. Quality proteins, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, minerals such as iron and calcium, vitamin c, fibre, clean water and the list goes on… they build growing humans. Therefore, if children are to learn to prefer and select healthy foods, they need early, positive, repeated experiences with those foods. During the first 2000 days, children's food preferences are also influenced by availability, accessibility, familiarity as well as parental and peer modelling. We know this for allergens but also for other foods generally. Optimal nutrition is vital in supporting the rapid growth and development that occurs during this time and this involves, peer modelling and providing opportunities to develop healthy relationships with food, fluids and eating generally.Įxperiences with food and food preferences begin in utero, with many studies showing that a mothers food intake during pregnancy can impact a child’s preferences in weaning, childhood and beyond. This time is crucial for developing learning and emotional abilities and will influence your child’s future school performance and health outcomes. The brain does 90% of its growth and development in the first 5 years of life. More recently, this window has been widened as the research becomes thicker to the first 2000 days of life, and thankfully so. In healthcare the first 1000 days has been recognised as a vital window of time with long lasting impact. ![]() No matter what though, all children have the right to be raised in a family with access to good health care, good nutrition, play and protection and we all do the best we can to achieve just that! The first 2000 days Life gives us lots of experience to work with, but experience is not always right, depending how we gained it and the school of parenting is not one we get a free lesson with experts in when we are gifted parenthood! ![]() Perhaps a little more relaxed than ideal. We all want the best for our kids. Some parents ‘read too much’ trying to do the all-round comprehensive, right thing. Others are
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |