MALAYSIA: IT'S not enough to get straight As nowadays. Universities prefer to give scholarships to all-rounders, candidates who excel academically as well as in sports and who actively participate in extra-curricular activities. In short, the world wants winners - productive, healthy and well adjusted young adults who show the most promise of being successful in their careers, contributing positively to the community and the country for a long time to come.
As parents, isn't this what we all want for our children? But winners are not made overnight. We have to start at the beginning, when our children are very young, to lay the foundation. And one of the cornerstones of that foundation is nutrition.
Nutrition for school
When it is time for school, nutrition and learning go hand in hand. Let's see why.
When children's nutritional needs are met, they go into class alert, focused and ready to tackle the day's academic challenges.
Well-nourished children think sharper, score higher in exams, have better school attendance because they fall sick less often, and exhibit fewer classroom behavioural problems.
In sports and physical education, they have the energy and stamina to take them to the finish line.
How do parents ensure that every school day is optimal learning day for their child? Here are some tips.
Breakfast blast-off
Nothing starts the day better than breakfast, which fuels the brain and body. Wholegrain bread or sandwiches, fruits or fresh juices, porridge, cereals and milk are good breakfast choices.
Studies have confirmed that breakfast helps children concentrate, think, behave and learn. Also, when students routinely start their day with breakfast, they learn habits that carry over to their teen and adult years.
Send them packing
Once they've hopped onto the school bus, we no longer have any control over what our children will buy to eat in school. Canteen food may not be the most fresh or the most hygienic and there's always the temptation of junk food.
If recess-time meals are questionable, we can always supplement their intake with packed food from home. Change these meals everyday to give variation to your child's diet as no single food supplies all the essential nutrients necessary for growing bodies. Add a fruit or a few raw vegetables and top this up with a packet of milk.
Milk to wash down
The importance of milk cannot be overstated. Milk is a natural nutrient powerhouse. With nine essential nutrients including calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorous, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin, milk provides the catalyst for strong bones and teeth, cell growth, muscle mass development, nervous system health and so on.
Milk is what a child needs to grow up strong and healthy. Girls in particular need milk for calcium especially in preparation for the onset of menarche. So long as a child drinks milk, whether it's flavoured or the unsweetened plain variety, he will be well nourished. Not only that, research has found that children who drink milk are less likely to be overweight when they become teenagers.
After school snacks
Snacks are great concentration boosters because they satisfy hunger pangs, which can be distracting. They also provide a steady supply of nutrients and energy needed for all those after school activities like play or enrichment pursuits such as music, ballet, art and language.
Nutritious snacks eaten in between main meals fill the gaps for nutrients that children miss out at meal times. Do remember though that snacks are not meal replacements. They also should not be fried fatty foods. A good guideline for a nutritious snack would be to follow the Food Guide Pyramid, but here are some ideas:
* A cucumber sandwich with tuna
* Kuih apam
* Tau foo fah
* Chocolate milk and a banana
* Yoghurt and oat cookies
* Cheese and crackers
* Wholemeal toast with peanut butter
Nutrition and the brain
Nutrition plays a key role in the achievement of a child's full human potential. The most critical period is from birth to two years as this is the time of tremendous growth in all aspects of his development - motor, sensory, cognitive, mental physical and socio-emotional.
As the child grows during this time, his brain experiences rapid growth, in size, weight and density. Micronutrient deficiencies, protein and energy deficiencies that lead to underweight and stunting during these vital formative years will have negative repercussions.
Poor school performance, poor language development and poor health will lead to similarly poor outcomes in work capacity, reproduction and overall health during adolescence and adulthood.
A baby is born with about 100 billion neurons (or brains cells). By the time he is two years old, neuron density would have increased five-fold, with hundreds of trillions of connections, or synapses, between these cells.
Myelination (the fat insulation that connects one neuron to another), which affects the speed of information processing, is also the most rapid in this period. For instance, the myelination of motor and sensory neurons allow for better neuro-muscular control, which is why it typically takes one to two years before an infant can walk.
Nutrients are essential for brain growth during this time. Breast milk offers the best mix, but at weaning time around six months of age, iron supplementation is needed, which is why most infant cereals are fortified with iron.
Iron is critical for maintaining an adequate number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells necessary to fuel brain growth. Iron deficiency is linked to mental deficits in young children.
This article is courtesy of the Positive Parenting Nutrition Programme by Malaysian Paediatric Association and Nutrition Society Of Malaysia. The programme is supported by an unconditional educational grant from Abbott Nutrition International. For further information, please visit www.mypositiveparenting.org
