Nutrition plays a vital role in cognitive and brain development in children in the early years. We should continuously plan a nutritious diet for young kids and children.
Nutrition is the single environmental influence on babies in the womb and also during infancy and it remains throughout the first years of life. Proper nutrition is required in this formative period for brain development. Shortage of iron and iodine can affect cognitive and motor development in kids and their effects are irreversible.
Nutrients are very important for optimal brain development and function. Intake of all nutrients throughout life is important, but certain nutrients have a profound effect on cognitive development than others.
Six Nutrients which has a profound effect on cognitive development are: 1) Iron 2) Iodine 3) Zinc 4) Fat 5) Folate 6) Vitamin B12
Role of different nutrients in cognitive development are: Importance of Iron In Kids Conditions associated with iron deficiency disorder include mental and neurological damage, reduced intelligence, psychomotor retardation, and cretinism. A study showed that children who received iron as a nutrient showed a good rate of weight gain and also achieved the expected rate of cognitive development.
Importance Of Iodine In Kids The greatest single cause of preventable brain damage and mental retardation is iodine deficiency. Deficiency of iodine has an impact on thyroid function in pregnant women and also neonates. Neuro-intellectual development of infants and children are also affected.
Importance Of Zinc In Kids Zinc deficiency affects a child’s mental capacity, poor attention span in school, decreased cognitive ability, and adverse school performance.
Increase Of Fat In Kids Fats contribute to increased performance on cognition, but more intake of cholesterol results in poor performance in a child’s development.
Importance Of Folate In Kids Deficiency of folate results in neural tube defects and other congenital abnormalities.
Importance Of Vitamin B12 In kids Deficiency of vitamin B12 affects many neurological symptoms in infants which include irritations, failure to thrive, anorexia, and developmental regression.
Therefore, nutrition is very important for the development of the brain through the supply of nutrients. Lack of nutrients affects the development of the brain. Having proper nutrition can improve a child’s cognitive development which is very important for the survival of the human species.
