Editor's Letter
The Impact of Food Choices for Children
Children must have good nutrition at crucial, developmental stages of their lives in order to promote early brain development, ward off childhood obesity and build up a strong immune system to fight illness.
GOOD NUTRITION AND A HIGHER IQ
Children who don’t get enough vitamins, minerals and fatty acids in their diet underperform at school. A study1 of more than 7 000 children, conducted at the University of Adelaide, compared a variety of dietary patterns in the first two years of life. Children breastfed until the age of six months and fed a diet inclusive of legumes, cheese, fruit and vegetables at 15 and 24 months had an IQ that was higher by two points at age eight. Their junk-food counterparts, who were regularly fed biscuits, sweets and soft drinks in their first two years of life, had IQs up to two points lower by age eight.
AVOID EARLY OBESITY
Childhood obesity is on the rise worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 17% of American children and adolescents are affected by obesity, and the South African Medical Research Council states that over 17% of urban South African children between the ages of five and nine are overweight. These shocking statistics are partly due to a lack of physical exercise but also, of course, to a bad diet consisting largely of fast foods and soft drinks.
BOOSTING THE YOUNG IMMUNE SYSTEM
The immune system plays the most important role when it comes to fighting disease. Unfortunately, our immune systems are only fully developed by the age of 14, so it is crucial that children benefit from a nutritious diet to help them ward off infections. Boost your child’s immune system with the following nutrients: vitamin C (most important), vitamin E, beta-carotene, bio-flavonoids, zinc, garlic, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics.
Reference
1. Smithers L, et al. Dietary patterns at 6, 15 and 24 months of age are associated with IQ at 8 years of age. Eur J Epidemiol. 2012;27(7):525-535.
THANK YOU TO OUR EXPERTS
Our authors receive no payment or any other form of remuneration from us or from the industry. They take time out from their busy schedules to write articles – and then we insist that they meet our deadlines, submit extra references, answer endless queries from reviewers and copy editors, and respond to the letters we receive from you, our readers. Here’s to all of them! May their tireless and tremendous efforts bring them well-deserved rewards.
Yours in Healthy Living
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