Head start in learning - Malaysia Star

A nutrient-packed diet not only boosts a toddler’s health but his learning capacity as well.

A CHILD’S learning potential is influenced by the nutrition he or she receives. You can give your child a head start in learning with a nutrient-rich, balanced diet. This can be achieved by introducing foods packed with key nutrients that enhance observation, study and play, and boost immunity.

Nutritional needs change at every stage of a child’s development. From six months onwards, toddlers become increasingly mobile and active. The extra energy they need must come from the food they consume. At this stage breast milk alone is insufficient; it is time to introduce complementary foods.

However, parents face many challenges when introducing solids to toddlers. They can be fussy eaters, exhibiting strong preferences or resistance to new foods. They may eat only four or five familiar favourites, which may lack the variety of nutrients they need. They may not eat enough nutritious foods (e.g. vegetables) and eat foods with little or no nutritious value (e.g. sugary foods). They may not finish their entire meal. As a result, toddlers may not be getting sufficient amounts of calories, proteins and the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Your toddler’s inconsistent eating patterns may lead to overnutrition or undernutrition, which can then become serious health problems, thereby compromising learning potential. If not enough nutrients are obtained from a normal diet, supplementation with nutrition-fortified foods will become necessary.

Toddler food

Knowing the components of a nutritionally balanced diet is the key to ensuring that your toddler is getting the right nutrients at the appropriate amounts for his/her age group. This includes the total calories needed, as well as the composition and sufficient amounts of macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

Did you know that the total recommended calorie intake for boys and girls is different? This is because of the variance in weight between genders. According to the Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Malaysia, the total calorie intake for toddlers between the ages of one and three is not to exceed 980kcal for boys and 910kcal for girls per day. Boys need to eat more than girls!

Next is the composition and distribution of the macronutrients in the total calories consumed. The expert recommendation for a toddler’s diet is 10-15% from protein, 20-30% from fat and 55-70% from carbohydrates.

In addition to macronutrients, your toddler’s diet should contain sufficient amounts of micronutrients such as vitamins A, C, D, E, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, and selenium, as deficiencies retard development, learning and immunity.

Nutrition feeds learning

According to the World Health Organisation, good health and nutrition are needed to achieve one’s full educational potential because nutrition affects intellectual development and learning ability.

As your toddler develops, his whole body is starting to learn more actively. At this age, multi-dimensional learning occurs through observation, study and play, supported by good immunity. The right-brain-fortifying nutrients from a balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, meats, grains and dairy products as well as fortified foods will enhance multi-dimensional learning.

Macronutrients boost overall growth and development. Proteins support growth, repair and maintenance of body tissue. Fish, lean meat, eggs, beans and pulses are rich sources of protein. Fats are vital components of cell membranes and necessary for hormone production and the development of the nervous system. Most of the fats should come from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

As the brain growth spurt continues during the toddler years, the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids â€" arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) â€" are important in cognitive, visual and nervous system development.

Carbohydrates found in rice and cereals provide energy to cells throughout the body and, when converted to glucose, become the primary energy source for the brain.

Vitamins and minerals contribute to hundreds of bodily functions. Insufficient amounts of any will impair growth, development, immunity and learning ability. With the exception of Vitamin D, the body cannot manufacture vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals are present in small and varying amounts in different foods.

The best way to ensure your toddler is getting sufficient amounts is by introducing a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. They also provide dietary fibre which prevents constipation. Fresh foods may not provide sufficient nutrients for toddlers who are picky and small eaters. The alternative is packaged foods fortified with these essential vitamins and minerals such as bread, rice, cereals, margarine, fresh milk, soy milk, powdered milk, and orange juice.

Malaysian parents should not be complacent. A nationwide survey of 5,000 children aged below five years conducted by the Health Ministry in 2006 revealed that 12.9% of children were underweight, 17.2% were stunted, while 3.4% were overweight.

Parents who wish their toddlers to accomplish a head start in learning should ensure that they get a healthy nutritional foundation. â€" Article contributed by Dr Azam Mohd Nor, consultant paediatric cardiologist