From the time of conception to early childhood, adequate nutrition lays the foundation for a child’s future health outcomes. It is important for a child’s development, this is because 70% of the child’s brain develops in the womb.
According to a Save The Children study, children in an alarming number of countries are not getting adequate nutrition during their first 1000 days. Statistics show that more than a third of children’s deaths and 11% of the total disease burden worldwide are due to child undernutrition.
Worldwide, more than 170 million children do not have the opportunity to reach their full potential because of poor nutrition in the earliest months of life. In Nigeria, malnutrition accounts for more than half of all the deaths of children under five. Nutritional intervention must be given to mothers and babies if some of these deaths are to be averted. A poor cycle of nutrition can also roll from generation to generation.post by expdonaloaded.blogspot.com..
Yet in spite of significant progress against hunger and poverty in the last decade, undernutrition is the killer of more than 2.6 million children and more than 100,000 mothers every year. This emphasizes the inextricable link between the wellbeing of the mother and child. As there are an alarming number of mothers and children that are not getting enough nutrition, it means less strength and energy and a possible risk of death and giving birth to a pre-term, malnourished and underweight child. For children, the consequences of malnutrition tend to be irreversible, which is why early nutrition improves the child’s chances of good healthy and vitality.
Early nutrition reduces the tendency of malnutrition which impedes cognitive development and affects lifelong learning as well as the wellbeing of a child. Dr. Folake Samuel, lecturer at the University of Ibadan and member of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, speaking at a recent symposium organized by Nestle Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, said that: “The human brain growth is very rapid during the 20 to 36 weeks of age and continues until 20 months of age. Assuming that the child was carried to term, by the age of two, the brain will be 75% of the adult weight. It is at this stage that the child goes through the various stages of cognitive, language and other forms of development.”
Early nutrition can permanently affect the long term risk of non-communicable disease and this has caught the attention of the scientific community. Dr. Chris Ndiokwelu, immediate past president, Dietitians Association of Nigeria, speaking at the symposium, explained that there are studies that scientists are undertaking that show the relationship between poor nutrition and chronic diseases. “The seed of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart diseases, obesity are laid in the womb. It is no longer the case of genetic (causes)…”
Having proper nutrition is key. However, there are certain nutrients that have more impact on cognitive development than others like iron, iodine, zinc, Vitamin B12, fatty acids and folic acid. According to Samuel: “iron is essential for brain development through its roles in myelination and neuro-transmission. A deficiency in iron during infancy is a strong risk factor for cognitive, motor, social and emotional dysfunction.” Studies have shown that children who received iron as nutrient had an increased rate of weight gain and achieved the expected rate of cognitive development. Deficiency in iron usually results to conditions that include reduced intelligence, psychomotor retardation, mental and neurologic damage and cretinism.
“Iodine is necessary for the thyroid function in pregnant women and necessity for a well functioned central nervous system. Iron deficiency constitutes one of the world’s greatest single cause of preventable brain damage and mental retardation,” Samuel said.
Just like iron, zinc deficiency leads to reduction in mental capacity, adverse school performance, poor cognitive performance, poor attention span in school and reduced cognitive ability. “It also contributes to the brain structure and functions through its role in DNA and RNA synthesis.
“Vitamin B12 also is responsible for brain development and functions like zinc. And just like zinc it is a nutrient that should not be lacking during pregnancy,” he said. Vitamin B12 deficiency produces a cluster of neurological symptoms in infants, including irritability, failure to thrive, apathy, anorexia, and developmental regression which responds well to supplementation.
Fatty acids contribute to improved performance in the cognitive and psychosocial functioning of children. “Breast milk, for its part, contains growth factors and hormones needed for brain development. It contains DHA and Choline nutrients. This improves eye sight and some responses in young children,” said Samuel. A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics shows that breastfeeding improves cognitive development in term and preterm children. Children who are breastfed have better neurodevelopment than those that are fed with infant formula.
As a note of advice, Samuel concludes: “A child’s future is determined by the kind of nutrition it receives during the first 1000 days. It is important that it gets the right nutrients. Malnutrition and child mortality can be fought by simple and inexpensive solutions. Exclusive breastfeeding should be encouraged; taking of supplement to help boost the nutrients that are needed for both the mother and the baby should be made available. On the other hand, health workers and the government should try and reach out to pregnant women as much as they can and give them the right information they need so that both the baby and the mother wouldn’t be at risk. Improve laws and policies that can support families and encourage breastfeeding.”
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