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Nutrition Essay Sample
Nutrition Essay Sample: Question
Nutrition Essay Sample: Explain why nutrition is important for child development, and how it has evolved within the family unit. Apply this concept to the lifestyle of busy parents and the impact it has had on the child, and within the family. How has the food industry responded? How has our government responded? How have schools responded both with what they serve students and also what they teach students? Part two- How does infectious disease and immunizations impact a child’s health? What concerns should parents have? How do parents evaluate false claims, and what is the impact of false claims? |
Factors Influencing Child Development
One of the factors influencing child development is nutrition, as the child requires energy and nutrients to grow healthy and strong. According to Black et al. (2015), good nutrition during pregnancy and before the second birthday is vital in physical and cognitive development. Poor nutrition may result in childhood malnutrition, over-nutrition, and under-nutrition. A child with undernutrition is likely to have inadequate energy and little interest in learning, affecting their academic performance and cognitive development. Children are also at risk of obesity (over-nutrition) which affects a child’s competence and confidence during physical activity.
Nutrition is an important element to busy parents who leave their children with nannies or daycares. Such parents may not supervise whether their children are getting the essential nutrients with the right amount resulting in under-nutrition and over-nutrition. However, the government has responded by having supplements to ensure children attain all essential minerals and vitamins. The food industry is also leading in this fight by including fortified products with essential minerals. Another stakeholder has responded to the significance of nutrition in schools, providing healthy and balanced food. Schools eliminate unhealthy food choices to prevent obesity by preparing and serving meals with less sugar-appropriate portions for children.
The second factor influencing child development is infectious disease and immunization. According to Stephensen (1999), the infectious disease may impair linear growth by causing micronutrient malnutrition where for example, a child with respiratory infections, diarrhea, or chickenpox develops Vitamin A deficiency. One of the prevention strategies of communicable diseases is immunizations which trigger the immune system to reduce the development of a particular disease. This is an effective preventive strategy that promotes physical and cognitive development (Anderson, 2014). However, parents have concerns regarding immunization safety as the threat of infectious diseases reduces. Such parents may have fears about vaccine safety (like the false claim that MMR causes autism) or lack understanding regarding the threat of vaccine-preventable illness. These false claims reduce the vaccination rates and the public health strategy to attain herd community.
