The danger of unilateral feeding in children
Healthy food is extremely important for children. If they do not get enough of all the necessary nutrients, many different types of complications can arise.
These can be physical, cognitive and even social problems. Below we discuss them with you, so read along!
Physical development
It is possible that children do not get enough nutrients because they eat too little or because they eat unhealthy food. Then this can lead to stunted growth, overweight, underweight, tooth decay, diarrhea and constipation. In the Netherlands this is often due to unhealthy food.
It is often the case that first the weight changes, the child will gain or lose weight, and then growth will be stunted. The good news is that this can, in part, be fixed! Provided the diet is adjusted (on time). In that case, growth will continue, but unfortunately the previous level of growth is not always reached. In addition, in certain cases, the oral motor skills of children can also be negatively affected if they have too one-sided dietary habits at a young age.
Cognitive development
The quality of nutrition is said to be related to children's cognitive development and school performance. The brain needs nutrients to function. If your child has wrong eating habits, this can ensure that your child is more likely to run the risk of deficiencies in various nutrients. This in turn can lead to concentration problems, but also to memory problems.
Social and emotional development
Finally, a one-sided diet can even worsen the social-emotional well-being of children. The basis of disturbed eating behavior in children under the age of six is largely determined in the first two years of the child's life.
In many cases, children with nutritional problems in childhood continue to struggle with eating problems later in life during their school years. These children also show more anxious and depressed symptoms, as well as social problems.
To prevent this, it is important that your child eats well and gets enough of the right nutrients. The Kindershake is a fun way to ensure that your child easily gets more nutrients!
Sources:
https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/90050264/c7427.pdf
https://www.jgzguidelines.nl/
