Rapid brain development occur during pre school age. 90% brain develepment completed when a child reaches 6 years. Nutrition play a important role in brain and cognitive development in early childhood.macro and micro nutrients influences the brain development in children. micro nurients such as zinc, iron, iodine, vitamin D, B12, C and essential fatty acid are the primarily important nutrient. Deficiencies in these nutrients interfere with the brain functions and cause loss of memory, ASD, ADHD cognitive impairment etc.

1. EFFECT OF NUTRIENTS ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
IN PRE-SCHOOL AGE
PREESNTED BY,
MEGHA T P
MSC FOOD & NUTRITION

2. PRE-SCHOOL AGE
 Children between 1-6 years.
 During this period the brain development and neural
connections and the foundations for cognitive
development and social-emotional skills, is laid.
 Provide the right nutrients during this critical phase.

3. BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOL AGE
 Rapid and dramatic postnatal brain development , and
fundamental cognitive development .
 Nutrition plays a key role in optimal brain function.
 when a child is adequately fed, the basis for smooth brain
function is created.
 Nutritional deficiencies may affect the child’s cognitive
skills and behavior.
 This period may be sensitive to deficiencies in the diet.
 Diet is one of the most important factors .

4.  The first 3 years of a child’s life is a critical period
for brain formation.
 Nutrients provide structural elements which play a
critical role in cell multiplication, DNA
composition and the neurotransmitter and
hormone metabolism.
 fatty acids play a central role in brain tissue.
 Iron deficiency causes disturbances in attention,
memory and behaviour and have lower school
performance.

5.  zinc, iodine , vitamins D and B12 deficiencies adversely
affect brain function and memory.
 primarily important nutrient in early childhood are
essential fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, vitamins B12
and D

6. NUTRITION REQUIREMENTS FOR PRE SCHOOL
CHILDREN
ENERGY
 The RDA suggested by ICMR in 2010 reduced from earlier
recommendations the energy requirement of children
aged 1-2 years by 7 percent .
 Energy is required for growth, activity.
 Insufficient calorie intake can lead to protein deficiency.
PROTEIN
 protein is important for bone growth and muscle growth,
and also essential for the growth and repair of brain
tissue.
 protein intake of 1.3g/kg body weight.

7. FAT AND ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID:
 Fat energy including invisible fat for children should be 25 per
cent of total energy.
 To provide 25 percent fat calories, the minimum level of visible
fat in the diet of children should range between 25-27g/day.
 Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA are essential for brain
development and function . most severe form of brain
damage resulting from iodine deficiency is cretinism.
CALCIUM:
 RDA of calcium is 600mg/day.
 Deficiency of calcium can affect the bones of growing
children.
 Milk is the best source of calcium. Hence the diet of preschool
child should include 1-2 glasses of milk per day.

8. IRON
 During growth, for an increase in each kilogram in body
weight 30 mg of iron is required.
 The daily requirement of iron for growth will be 0.2 mg.
 Iron is essential for the production of hemoglobin,
 Iron deficiency in preschool can lead to cognitive
impairments and learning difficulties .

9. MICRONUTRIENT INFLUENCES AND
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN PRE-SCHOOL
AGES
1.ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
 The brain is a lipids rich organ.
 Essential fatty acids are its vital structural components
from which it has been shaped, and without them,
brain cells cannot function to the optimum degree.
 Important -for the functioning of the nerve tissue.
 The n-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the n-6 fatty
acids are the basic polyunsaturated fatty acids.

10.  The enrichment of diet with fatty acids has a positive
impact on the child’s learning skills, memory, language
progress and cognitive competence in general.
 The accumulation of n-3 fatty acid within the cell
membranes contributes to enhanced information
processing, and thus, to enhanced problem solving.
 The insufficient intake of n-3 fatty acid reduces DHA in
the brain, leading to brain damage or abnormal brain
disorder.
 Fatty acid deficiency causes- neuro-developmental
disorders, such as Attention Deficit Disorder –
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum
disorder(ASD).

11. 2. ZINC
 Zinc is a vital nutrient for the brain, with important
structural and functional roles.
 Cofactor for more than 200 enzymes that regulate diverse
metabolic activities in the body, including protein and
DNA synthesis.
 It also plays a role in neurogenesis, maturation and
migration of neurons as well as in synapse formation.
 Improves -reading skills and school progress.
 Deficiency - reduced neuronal growth and brain volume
leading to possible retardation of cognitive function.

12. 3. IRON
 Iron is an essential nutrient during all stages of human
development.
 Iron deficiency-lead to irreversible damage to brain
structure and cognitive function.
4. IODINE
 Iodine is the basic element the thyroid needs for thyroid
hormone composition.
 Iodine’s sole role in brain development is to support
thyroid hormone synthesis.
 Most severe form of brain damage resulting from
iodine deficiency is cretinism.

13. 5. VITAMIN B12
 Normal brain development and function.
 Vitamin B12 deficiency may cause pernicious anemia.
 Total inadequacy - neuropathy, through degeneration of
fibres, and irreversible brain damage.

14. REFERENCE
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4981537
/
 B Srilakshmi ,dietitics, 8th edition
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC360780
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