How Does Nutrition Affect Babies
Affects On Nutrition on Babies
Kyaw Soe Han
Tacoma Community College
Lifespan Psychology 200
Professor Brewer
1st May 2015
Nutrition is not only the greatest environmental influence on babies since in the womb and during infancy but also throughout the years of life. Nutrition also plays a role in shaping mental health and physical health. Substantial amount of nutrient is required when the neural plate and neural tube forms. Results that are obtained from animal models testing and some from human studies clearly suggest that many nutrients are necessary for brain development. Children need nutritionally sound diets to be able to develop to their excellent potential, as poor malnutrition can potentially harm the children in the long-term.
Method The nutrition a child receives during the first few years of life can affect their health when …show more content…
they grow up. When the children don’t receive nutrient when the requirement for neurodevelopment is high, the brain is more susceptible to damage for brain development.
Balanced nutrition is important to child development as it can help children to grow and flourish. A study published by doctor H. Peter Chase and doctor Harold P. Martin for “New England Journal” show the difference between 19 children who were hospitalized for under nutrition in their early year of life and a control group. The children who were malnutrition are found to be smaller in physical appearance such as in height, weight and head development. (1970). In the report of “The State of The World Children”, breastfed babies are more immune to respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases as the breast-milk contains cell and immune factors which help protect the respiratory tracts. (SOWC, 1988) The “Report of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Infant Morality” has recommended that the United States Department of Health and Human Service to promote breastfeeding as breastfed milk can decrease infant morality. (SACIM, 2013) According to “ Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics”, human milk provide the best nutrition for most babies as the human milk provides low protein content and high essential minerals which are well suited for young children’s immature digestive system. (Lessen, R. & Kavanagh K. 2015). Human milk and the nutrition that a baby receives in their early ages also have an enhancing effects on the bone formation and the mineralization. An increase in bone formation and mineralization can help prevent adult degenerative bone disease in the later years. (MRC Human Nutrition, 1999). A body’s immune system is also weakens when there is not enough intake of micronutrients, exposing the body more prone to illness and diseases. Every micronutrient plays a role in shaping the child’s future. Iodine and iron which help supply the developing brain with thyroid hormones and the lack of iodine and iron can result in mental retardation. The consequence of iodine and iron deficiency can also have impacts on muscle and the brain. (Kapil, U. 2007). Children with iron deficiency compared with normal healthy infants score lower average test scores. Infants that did not receive supplemental iron took longer time recognizing a visual memory task. But many people are unaware or gave no attention to the iron deficiency as people thought that the children are protected from maternal iron deficiency. (Lozoff, B., Jimenez, E. & Wolf, AW. 1991) Deficiency in Vitamin D and Calcium has become a major health problem for children as it can lead to Rickets. In the research done by Department of Pediatrics of University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry shows out of 5398 children, children with iron deficiency scored lower in average match scores than children with normal iron consumption. Children with iron deficiency are also twice more likely to score below average in math. (Halterman et al., 2001).
Protein is needed for important brain function as the protein break down amino acids which helps chemicals in the brain to transmit information Nutrition not only affects the physical health but also have the long term affect on cognitive and behavioral development of the affected children. In a study that was conducted on Barbadian schoolchildren, attention deficit disorder, lower IQ and impaired classroom behavior has been traced back to the insufficient nutrition in the children in their first year of life. The tracking of their medical history also shows that the students had been diagnosed on clinical examinations that show symptoms of moderate to severe protein malnutrition and weight loss. The early malnutrition and its factors can cause attention deficit disorder which in turns lead to impaired classroom performance. Malnourished Barbadian children are also low in IQ which then correlated to slower performance than compared to of normal Barbadian children. (Galler et al., 1985). Other factors such as poverty, poor healthcare and sanitation also contribute in the negative affects of the brain development.
To distinguished the negative impacts of malnutrition and poverty on brain, a trial was carried out. Pregnant women and their children who were younger than 7 years of age were provided with a milk-based high protein and micronutrients energy drink or low protein drink and micronutrients energy drink. Children who consumed the milk-based high protein drink and micronutrients received higher overall scores in cognitive, math, knowledge, and in vocab by the age of 18. But those who achieved higher overall score were only found in children who took the milk-based high protein and micronutrients before reaching the age of 2 or 3 years old. (Prado, E. & Dewey, K. 2014). Protein deficiency not only increases the risk of psychiatric disorders but can also delay in physical growth. Children that are deficient from protein-energy usually are passive and unresponsive because most of the energy is used up for physical growth which left no more energy for attachment process. (Galler et al.,
1985).
Discussion Providing adequate essentials of vitamins and nutrients to their children should be prioritize before anything else. Every vitamins and nutrients plays a role in the development of the baby. Iron can not only increase physical growth rate but also improved motor skills. While on the other hand Calcium is beneficial for growing new bone and maintaining bone strength. Although iodine deficiency can lead to intellectual disability , iodine deficiency is consider as the most preventable cause. Coming from Myanmar, I was surprised that a lot of people in the United States are still in a dilemma of whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed. Since in my country, it is automatically assume that it is bad for the children when the children are fed from the bottle. Although most people are not that knowledgeable about raising a well nutrient adequate the one thing that almost parents are sure of it’s that bottle-feeding can harm the kids. I am convinced that the nutrients plays a big role whether it’s either shaping up the immunity or the physical appearance of the children. Most of the people and the children in my country are short in height because the parents don’t usually feed adequate nutrients but instead the more local and traditional food source. This research topic has help me gain new perspective on why the nutrients in the early life can have so much impact on the children when they grow up. As for me and my country, health has always been the number one priority before anything else. But sadly, as our country is still developing, not many parents and people know about how crucial this is. Personally, I think this topic is not just for me but for any parents who are trying to or raising a kid. I gained whole new knowledge on the nutrients and the vitamins that are essential for the children. As Myanmar is still a developing country, many citizens and parents can use a lot of information from this topic to actually raise a healthy child. Conclusion Based on different human case studies and the longitudinal observation, it’s becoming more apparent how the nutrition in the early stages of life can have an impact in the long run. To help cure and prevent the risk and diseases that can occur in the long-run, children should have adequate amount of nutrients and meet the basic needs of vitamins.
References
Fewtrell, MS et al., (1999) Bone Mineralization and turnover in preterm infants at 8-12 years of age. Retrieved http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Galler, J. (1985) Influence of Early Malnutrition on Subsequent Behavioral Development. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com
Grant, J. (1988) The State of The World’s Children. United Nations Children Fund. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org
Halterman, J. (2001) Iron Deficiency and Cognitive Achievement Among School-Aged Children and Adolescents in the United States. (doi: 10.1542/peds.107.6.1381)
H. Peter Chase, M.D., and Harold P. Martin, M.D. (1970). Undernutrition and Child Development N Engl J Med. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM197004232821701
Kapil, U (2007) Health Consequences of Iodine Deficiency. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Lessen, R & Kavanagh K. (2015) Position of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.12.014
Lozoff, B. et al., (1991) Long-term developmental outcome of infants with iron deficiency. Development N Engl J Med. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199109053251004
Prado, E. & Dewey (2014) Nutrition and brain development in early life. DOI: 10.1111/nure.12102
SACIM (2013) Recommendations for Department of Health and Human Services and Framework for a National Strategy. Retrieved from http://www.hrsa.gov
Kyaw Soe Han
Tacoma Community College
Lifespan Psychology 200
Professor Brewer
1st May 2015
Nutrition is not only the greatest environmental influence on babies since in the womb and during infancy but also throughout the years of life. Nutrition also plays a role in shaping mental health and physical health. Substantial amount of nutrient is required when the neural plate and neural tube forms. Results that are obtained from animal models testing and some from human studies clearly suggest that many nutrients are necessary for brain development. Children need nutritionally sound diets to be able to develop to their excellent potential, as poor malnutrition can potentially harm the children in the long-term.
Method The nutrition a child receives during the first few years of life can affect their health when …show more content…
they grow up. When the children don’t receive nutrient when the requirement for neurodevelopment is high, the brain is more susceptible to damage for brain development.
Balanced nutrition is important to child development as it can help children to grow and flourish. A study published by doctor H. Peter Chase and doctor Harold P. Martin for “New England Journal” show the difference between 19 children who were hospitalized for under nutrition in their early year of life and a control group. The children who were malnutrition are found to be smaller in physical appearance such as in height, weight and head development. (1970). In the report of “The State of The World Children”, breastfed babies are more immune to respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases as the breast-milk contains cell and immune factors which help protect the respiratory tracts. (SOWC, 1988) The “Report of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Infant Morality” has recommended that the United States Department of Health and Human Service to promote breastfeeding as breastfed milk can decrease infant morality. (SACIM, 2013) According to “ Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics”, human milk provide the best nutrition for most babies as the human milk provides low protein content and high essential minerals which are well suited for young children’s immature digestive system. (Lessen, R. & Kavanagh K. 2015). Human milk and the nutrition that a baby receives in their early ages also have an enhancing effects on the bone formation and the mineralization. An increase in bone formation and mineralization can help prevent adult degenerative bone disease in the later years. (MRC Human Nutrition, 1999). A body’s immune system is also weakens when there is not enough intake of micronutrients, exposing the body more prone to illness and diseases. Every micronutrient plays a role in shaping the child’s future. Iodine and iron which help supply the developing brain with thyroid hormones and the lack of iodine and iron can result in mental retardation. The consequence of iodine and iron deficiency can also have impacts on muscle and the brain. (Kapil, U. 2007). Children with iron deficiency compared with normal healthy infants score lower average test scores. Infants that did not receive supplemental iron took longer time recognizing a visual memory task. But many people are unaware or gave no attention to the iron deficiency as people thought that the children are protected from maternal iron deficiency. (Lozoff, B., Jimenez, E. & Wolf, AW. 1991) Deficiency in Vitamin D and Calcium has become a major health problem for children as it can lead to Rickets. In the research done by Department of Pediatrics of University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry shows out of 5398 children, children with iron deficiency scored lower in average match scores than children with normal iron consumption. Children with iron deficiency are also twice more likely to score below average in math. (Halterman et al., 2001).
Protein is needed for important brain function as the protein break down amino acids which helps chemicals in the brain to transmit information Nutrition not only affects the physical health but also have the long term affect on cognitive and behavioral development of the affected children. In a study that was conducted on Barbadian schoolchildren, attention deficit disorder, lower IQ and impaired classroom behavior has been traced back to the insufficient nutrition in the children in their first year of life. The tracking of their medical history also shows that the students had been diagnosed on clinical examinations that show symptoms of moderate to severe protein malnutrition and weight loss. The early malnutrition and its factors can cause attention deficit disorder which in turns lead to impaired classroom performance. Malnourished Barbadian children are also low in IQ which then correlated to slower performance than compared to of normal Barbadian children. (Galler et al., 1985). Other factors such as poverty, poor healthcare and sanitation also contribute in the negative affects of the brain development.
To distinguished the negative impacts of malnutrition and poverty on brain, a trial was carried out. Pregnant women and their children who were younger than 7 years of age were provided with a milk-based high protein and micronutrients energy drink or low protein drink and micronutrients energy drink. Children who consumed the milk-based high protein drink and micronutrients received higher overall scores in cognitive, math, knowledge, and in vocab by the age of 18. But those who achieved higher overall score were only found in children who took the milk-based high protein and micronutrients before reaching the age of 2 or 3 years old. (Prado, E. & Dewey, K. 2014). Protein deficiency not only increases the risk of psychiatric disorders but can also delay in physical growth. Children that are deficient from protein-energy usually are passive and unresponsive because most of the energy is used up for physical growth which left no more energy for attachment process. (Galler et al.,
1985).
Discussion Providing adequate essentials of vitamins and nutrients to their children should be prioritize before anything else. Every vitamins and nutrients plays a role in the development of the baby. Iron can not only increase physical growth rate but also improved motor skills. While on the other hand Calcium is beneficial for growing new bone and maintaining bone strength. Although iodine deficiency can lead to intellectual disability , iodine deficiency is consider as the most preventable cause. Coming from Myanmar, I was surprised that a lot of people in the United States are still in a dilemma of whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed. Since in my country, it is automatically assume that it is bad for the children when the children are fed from the bottle. Although most people are not that knowledgeable about raising a well nutrient adequate the one thing that almost parents are sure of it’s that bottle-feeding can harm the kids. I am convinced that the nutrients plays a big role whether it’s either shaping up the immunity or the physical appearance of the children. Most of the people and the children in my country are short in height because the parents don’t usually feed adequate nutrients but instead the more local and traditional food source. This research topic has help me gain new perspective on why the nutrients in the early life can have so much impact on the children when they grow up. As for me and my country, health has always been the number one priority before anything else. But sadly, as our country is still developing, not many parents and people know about how crucial this is. Personally, I think this topic is not just for me but for any parents who are trying to or raising a kid. I gained whole new knowledge on the nutrients and the vitamins that are essential for the children. As Myanmar is still a developing country, many citizens and parents can use a lot of information from this topic to actually raise a healthy child. Conclusion Based on different human case studies and the longitudinal observation, it’s becoming more apparent how the nutrition in the early stages of life can have an impact in the long run. To help cure and prevent the risk and diseases that can occur in the long-run, children should have adequate amount of nutrients and meet the basic needs of vitamins.
References
Fewtrell, MS et al., (1999) Bone Mineralization and turnover in preterm infants at 8-12 years of age. Retrieved http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Galler, J. (1985) Influence of Early Malnutrition on Subsequent Behavioral Development. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com
Grant, J. (1988) The State of The World’s Children. United Nations Children Fund. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org
Halterman, J. (2001) Iron Deficiency and Cognitive Achievement Among School-Aged Children and Adolescents in the United States. (doi: 10.1542/peds.107.6.1381)
H. Peter Chase, M.D., and Harold P. Martin, M.D. (1970). Undernutrition and Child Development N Engl J Med. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM197004232821701
Kapil, U (2007) Health Consequences of Iodine Deficiency. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Lessen, R & Kavanagh K. (2015) Position of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.12.014
Lozoff, B. et al., (1991) Long-term developmental outcome of infants with iron deficiency. Development N Engl J Med. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199109053251004
Prado, E. & Dewey (2014) Nutrition and brain development in early life. DOI: 10.1111/nure.12102
SACIM (2013) Recommendations for Department of Health and Human Services and Framework for a National Strategy. Retrieved from http://www.hrsa.gov