Nutrition for families ...BEGIN WITH CHILDREN

Therefore, children deserve to attend school regularly, get a quality education, to enjoy their school days and live in communities free from violence. They also need nutritious meals and snacks to support growth and development, a stable home environment, and afforded opportunities that will enhance academic performance and the development of technical vocational skills, and much more.

Several countries celebrated International Children’s Day on June 1, a day which is dedicated to raising awareness about the issues affecting children, as well as their rights and well-being. This special day dates as far back as 1925, as the world community met to discuss the well-being of children in Geneva, Switzerland.

However, globally there are some negative issues which tend to impact education, as well as health, and nutritional status of children.

These include but should not be limited to child labour, child marriage, malnutrition, iron deficiency anaemia, overweight and obesity and so on. According to a United Nations’ report, globally at least 215 million of the world’s children are engaged in child labour; such activities prevent children from attending school, and can more than likely impair their physical, social and mental development; also, they may not be recipients of proper nutrition care. Today’s article will focus on nutrition for children.

Good nutrition versus poor nutrition Good nutrition contributes to growth and development, and also enhances the health and well-being of children. Whereas, poor nutrition coupled with other factors which include but should not be limited to poverty, insufficient food available within households, unemployment of parents or guardians, and overconsumption of the wrong types of foods over a period of time can probably result in malnutrition.

From a recent report, the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund, World Health Organization, and World Bank Group (2017) they indicated that globally in 2016, 155 million children under five years of age were stunted.

Briefly, poor nutrition contributes to stunting in early childhood; stunting negatively impacts growth and cognitive development, and children affected may not achieve their full height. Once stunting occurs, the challenges encountered include learning difficulties, decline in earning capacity, and may hinder participation in community activities. Also, they noted that approximately 52 million children less than five years old were wasted, and 17 million severely wasted.

Wasting is described as acute malnutrition, in which the child may experience rapid weight loss, and fails to gain weight over a period of time. It affects the immune system, contributes to long-term developmental delays, and may increase the potential risk for death.

On the other hand, childhood overweight and obesity among this age group were noted; this is another form of malnutrition in which too many calories are consumed from meals and beverages offered, and there is little energy expenditure (lack of physical activity). This, of course, over a period of time may result in other health issues such as the chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The report documented that 41 million children were overweight; in comparison to the previous period in 2000; there is an increase by 11 million. Rationale being that the availability and easy access to processed foods and sugary drinks, as well as marketing trends, and the lack of physical activity contributes to this problem.

Moreover, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (2017) documented that in Latin America and the Caribbean, obesity and overweight are increasing; prevalence is noted among women and children. Also, the Panorama of Food and Nutrition Security in Latin America and the Caribbean reported that in the region at least 58 per cent of the population is overweight with the highest rates of observed in the Bahamas, Mexico, and Chile, noted to be that of 69 per cent, 64 per cent, and 63 per cent, respectively. While obesity affects 23 per cent of the region’s population; they found the highest rates in Caribbean countries which include Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Antigua and Barbuda, with 36 per cent, and for the other two territories listed 31 per cent each, respectively. Overall, obesity among females is ten percentage points higher compared to that of their male counterparts.

Healthy meals and snacks Serving well-balanced meals and healthy snacks should be the aim of meal managers, parents/ guardians, cafeteria operators and caterers.

The meals should be prepared using healthy, nutritious, local produce from farms or kitchen gardens. Choose fresh local produce or frozen foods; limit the use of canned food products, if used, drained contents and rinsed under running tap water. The meals served should comprise of staples, legumes, foods from animals, vegetables, fruits, and fats and oils.

In review, the Caribbean Food Groups should be used as the guide in meal planning.

For example, breakfast can include seasonal fruit, staple, protein food, a small banana, hot or ready-to-eat cereal, whole wheat toast with peanut butter and beverage (optional).

Lunch can consist of staples, protein food or legumes, vegetables, a beverage, macaroni pie, baked chicken or pigeon peas patty, cooked vegetables and a fruit drink. For supper: staples, protein food or legumes, veggies, beverage, sandwich with cheese or channa spread, lettuce and tomato salad, yoghurt. For snacks you can select milk in plain or flavoured form, fresh fruit pieces, vegetable pieces, crackers with cheese or peanut butter, granola and yoghurt, breadsticks, breadfruit or ground provision chips and so one. Offer water between meals.

Keep in mind that portion sizes may vary based on the age of the children – pre-schoolers, schoolaged children, and adolescents.

Presently, school nutrition programmes established by governments at the local, regional and international levels, such as school breakfast and school lunch for children and adolescents, offer nutritious meals and beverages to aid them in meeting their daily nutritional requirements.

Claudette Mitchell, PhD, RD is an Assistant Professor, University of the Southern Caribbean, School of Science, Technology, and Allied Health