3 Aspects of Your Child’s Life That Are Affected by Their Nutrition

It is every parent's concern that their child is well fed and well taken care of. It is quite remarkable how much a child's growing body relies on food and nutrients, and it impacts every aspect of their life. Especially for parents who are home with kids for extended periods of time, they know the importance of regular scheduled food and sleep. Here are a few different aspects of every child's life that are impacted by nutritional quality and why this is important.

School and Academics

A nutrient-deficient diet lowers a child’s academic performance. In a study with 10,000 children they found that 20% of children and around 30% of adolescents skip breakfast regularly. The saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is true, but for every parent out there who experiences the normal challenges of time management and getting the family out the door on time it is understandable why breakfast can easily be skipped. The way to overcome this is first to realize that a child's school day and academic performance is extremely affected by simple nutritional practices. It is good to create a habitual schedule that involves a breakfast and lunch each day for every child. Nutritional quality with each meal will increase your child's behavior, focus on learning, and engagement with other children.

Sleep

It may come as a surprise, but there is a link between eating habits and your child's sleep. Sleep is critical for a child's growth and ability to overcome sickness, also impacting attention, memory, and learning. If your child has a challenge with sleep duration, perhaps it would be good to look at your child's eating habits. Studies show that children who snack in between or after meals demonstrate decreased sleep duration. Developing habits such as avoiding food or snack intake a couple of hours before bed as well as having more healthy sugar-free meals can make a positive difference in your child's sleep.

Growth

Food is what our body uses to grow. If your child is experiencing malnutrition this will negatively impact their growth. Undernutrition can cause a child to be lethargic and slow their growth rate. They will also likely be underweight and mature more slowly. However, there is more to it than just giving your kids enough food to eat. Obesity is caused by diets that are low in nutrient-density and high in fat and carbohydrate content.

The Best Nutrition For Kids

Nutritional eating habits impact every human's life, child or adult, but for children especially they are phasing through developmental changes that shape the course of their adult life. It is good to have a knowledge of what nutrients you and your children need every day. One important nutrient is protein that can be received through meat, eggs, beans, and nuts. Another important nutrient is carbs through breads, cereals, and pasta. Other things need to be considered in a child's regular diet such as healthy fats, calcium, iron, and fiber.

Giving your child the best kind of nutrition has a major impact in life, from school to sleep to every phase of a growing child. Developing good habits of eating regular and healthy meals is one of the best habits that a parent can have with their children.


Exercise is also very important to your child’s growth. Get them exercising the fun way with our activities!