Importance Of Early Childhood Nourishment

By Author: The Akshaya Patra Foundation
Total Articles: 117
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Health is the most valuable resource human beings have. If health is taken care of, anyone can achieve the impossible. And one of the essential factors influencing human health is nutrition.

Today, one of the biggest health crises the world faces is malnutrition. It is the largest killer—devouring one in every five people globally.
Fortunately, much of the adult population in developed communities have begun making conscious decisions regarding their diet. But a critical step is to help develop healthy eating habits in children, especially those from underserved communities. We can support them by donating for mid-day meals (MDM) served in Government schools.

When we donate for children from low socioeconomic backgrounds, it will give them a fair chance to grow up to their full potential.

Health experts agree that optimal nutrition during pregnancy, infancy and early childhood offers health benefits that last a lifetime. Good nutrition during the first 1000 days after a child is born, sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy eating habits. It directly impacts their brains.
Including ...
... a healthy variety of food in children’s meals:
• enhances their brain power
• helps new brain cells grow
• improves concentration
• makes them smarter
• affects their ability to learn and be productive
• keeps their nervous system in check
• improves memory circuits and recalling ability
• shields their brains and bodies from diseases
• lays the foundation for healthy brain function, motor skills, and social and emotional development
• greatly influences their success in school and adult life
Scientific evidence further suggests children eating a low-quality diet in the first 1000 days elevates their risk of attracting chronic diseases such as obesity, stroke, heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancers.

Did you know?
Currently, 39% of the global population is overweight.

Nourishment in children

To ensure children get optimum nutrition for mental health, physical growth and neurodevelopment, they must consume five food groups in proper proportions in every meal—breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is how they will get all the varieties of nutrients present in the different foods.

1. Grains and cereals: This group includes rice, wheat, jowar, bajra and the products made from them like suji, rawa, dalia, poha and so forth. The major portion of a child’s diet should comprise this food group as they carry energy, fibre, multiple vitamins and minerals.
2. Lentils, pulses, nuts, oilseeds, egg, fish, chicken and meat: This group is rich in proteins that are the body’s building blocks, including the blood and organs. So, for a baby weighing 2.5kgs approximately at birth to grow into a healthy adult weighing 50-60 kg, they need lots of proteins.
3. Dairy products: Two cups of milk daily, are required to supply many types of vitamins, proteins and calcium to the growing child. It can also be replaced with milk products like curd, buttermilk, cottage cheese and so forth.
4. Fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables of all colours should be present in a child’s diet, as they are rich in different varieties of vitamins and minerals.
5. Healthy fats, oils and sugars: This group provides energy and enables a child to be active. But if consumed in excess, it may lead to obesity in the future.

Child malnutrition

Minimally processed foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products and whole grains build the foundation for healthy eating patterns in children. But many children are not eating enough of the high-quality foods that they need for optimal growth and development.

Evidence reveals several complex factors influencing food choices and eating patterns, such as availability, access and affordability of healthy foods. Over the past few decades, the gap between those with and without access to nutritious food has only increased. The gap is clearer among third-world countries.

While conscious parents from privileged backgrounds are switching to healthy food choices for their children today, we need all hands on deck to prioritise high-quality food and nutrition education for underprivileged children.

Donate to win over malnutrition in underprivileged children through MDM
One of the most renowned organisations you can support to help underprivileged children meet their nutritional needs is The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Through its specialised programmes for pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants and Government school children, the NGO in India helps children from marginalised backgrounds meet their nutritional requirements.

It currently feeds 2 million children daily through one of its programmes supporting the Government initiative of PM Poshan Abhiyaan (formerly known as the Mid-Day Meal Programme or MDM). Its 65 hi-tech kitchens follow international hygiene standards that have also won accolades and have been visited by dignitaries across the world for the same.

The calculations for both Akshaya Patra's and the Government's menu for PM Poshan Abhiyaan (earlier the Mid-Day Meal Programme or MDM) have been carried out using the Government-prescribed weight norms and proportions. The proportion of the raw materials selected for the cooked form is according to the highest nutritional value.

Below is the standardised methodology used for nutritional calculations:
• The calculations have been made for the raw weights of ingredients and the proportions are as per the prescribed norms.
• For example, the weights of rice and pulses are taken as per the allotted weights by the Ministry of Education in India.
• Nutritive values and bioavailability have been taken into consideration for vegetables in the decreasing order of values.
• Government-prescribed proportions are maintained for oil and sugars.
• Both Group A and Group B vegetables are included as prescribed by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).

The menu calculations focus on providing micronutrients that are crucial for the child’s growth and development, keeping in mind mainly antioxidants and trace minerals, such as calcium and magnesium.

In 2022, the NGO in India also started the Breakfast Feeding Programme and introduced millets in the mid-day meal (MDM) menu for children to level up the nutrition they receive.

When you contribute to Akshaya Patra, you will support many such initiatives that help these children run, play, learn, grow healthy and make the world a better place with their innovations!

Donate to feed the hungry children and transform their lives today!

I'm a social volunteer, lives in Bengaluru. I do work for NGOs to make society better. Currently I'm working for The Akshaya Patra Foundation. It's an NGO in India which provides wholesome nutritious mid-day meals to government school children to end classroom hunger. https://www.akshayapatra.org/