How to optimize your child’s growth and brain development? Check it out… For info log on to www.healthlibrary.com. 'Nutrition for Healthy Growth in Children' By Dr. Zubeda Tumbi held on 5 Oct 2015.

1. NUTRITION FOR HEALTHY
GROWTH IN CHILDREN.
Dr Zubeda Tumbi
Clinical Nutritionist and Dietician
Health Watch Clinic
Ph No. : 022-6331498/9820401253/9930244548
Email ID: zubedatumbi12@gmail.com /
zubedatumbi@yahoo.com
Website: www.healthwatch.co.in

2. Nutrition during infancy
• Nutrition in the first year most imp as Growth
and Development most rapid.
• Birthweight doubles at 6 mths & triples at 1yr.
• Height ↑from 50 cm at birth- 70-75cm at1 yr.
• Body composition changes;
body water ↓ from 75to 60%
Body fat ↑from12 to 24%

3. • Childhood Nutrition has a lifelong impact on
growth , productivity, and quality of life .

4. Nutritional Considerations
• First 5 years period of rapid growth.
• Energy req-80-90 cal kg body wt per day.
• Protein -1.6gkg body wt per day.
• 40 % of energy from fat .
• Calcium req- 500mg per day.
• Phosphorus-750mg per day (Ca:P)ratio1:1.5
• Iron-87 mcgkg body wt per day.
• Iodine-30mcgkg body wt per day .
• Vit A 350 mcgday.
• Vit C- 25 mgday.
• Folate- 25 mcg day.

5. • National Health Survey 3 (2005-06)for INDIA
Average rate of malnutrition – 47%
Anaemia – 70%
Every second child under 5 yrs age malnourished
8.1 Million seriously malnourished
Stunted growth 48%
Underweight 43%

6. Protein Energy Malnutrition
• PEM – highest incidents in young children
between 6months – 2years
• Impairment in brain development and future
productivity is irreversible when malnutrition
occurs in pregnancy or in early formative
years.
• Females are highly marginalised in health
nutrition and medical status.

7. PEM Causes
• Inadequate or unbalanced diet
• Problems with digestion or absorption
• Certain medical conditions like tuberculosis,
HIV, chronic diarrhoea, frequent illness like
cold.
• Deficiency of protein and energy rich foods

8. General Symptoms of Malnutrition
in Children
• Failure to grow at expected rate, both in terms
of weight and height
• Changes in behaviour (irritable, sluggish,
apathetic)
• Changes in hair and skin colour
• Protuberant abdomen
• Swelling of legs, abdomen and whole body

9. Rickets – Vitamin D Deficiency
• Disorder of a growing child
• Caused due to lack of vitamin D
• Leads to softening and weakening of bones
• Occurs in children during periods of rapid
growth at age 6-24 months.

10. Causes of Rickets
• Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin
• Regulates calcium and phosphate levels
• Absorbed from food or produced by skin when
exposed to sunlight
• Hydroxylated first in liver and then in kidney
into the active form

11. Sources of Vitamin D
• Fish, liver, egg, yolk, milk and milk products as
well as oil are good sources
• 20mins of exposure to ultraviolet band of
sunlight

12. Calcium: Nutrient for Bone Health
most abundant mineral in the body,
maximizes bone growth and skeleton
during childhood and beyond.
Small amt of calcium in the bloodstream is needed for a
normal heartbeat, bloodclotting, and muscle function.
The body withdraws the calcium it needs from bones
to maintain blood levels, which is why children need
adequate calcium every day.
Many kids don't get enough for their nutritional needs.

14. Vitamin A from Foods
• Its important for growth
• Immunity especially for chest infections
• Helps good eyesight, skin and hair.

15. Dietary Guidelines
• First 4-6 months : exclusive breast feeding with start of colostrum .
• Breast milk has high level of whey protein lactalbumin which is easy
to digest .
• High Taurine and lactose in breast milk helps in brain development
also promotes gut bacteria.
• Better absorption of iron calcium and zinc from breast milk.
• Immunoglobulins in breast milk improve immunity.
• Beyond 4-6 mths :
supplement breast milk with cereal ,protein ,fruits, vegetables, fats
and sugar.
• Germination and Malting of cereals starch becomes easy to digest .

16. Weaning food concepts
• Combination of cereals and pulses with fats
like butter, coconut oil, cow ghee , nuts and
sugar or jaggery ensures adequate
calories and high quality proteins.
• Weaning foods shd be easy to digest.
• Weaning should have proper
• consistency & texture.
• Hygienic and lightly seasoned.

17. Balanced formula for healthy recipe
• A) Carbohydrate-
cereals , millets ,ARF,
sugar
• B) Protein food –pulses,
milk,curds,egg, nuts • C) Fruits & Vegetables:
Green leafy vegetables
used alternatively, use
of orange or yellow
vegetable fruit.
• D) Oil/Nuts/Oilseeds or
Jaggery

18. Some easy nutritious recipes
• Orange juice , mashed boiled applemashed
chikkoo .
• Banana smoothie apple milk shake
• Green peapalak soup with white sauce
• Curd rice
• Rice kheerrava kheerdahlia kheerragi kheer
• Khichdi, soft veg pulao, upma , pohe aloo.

19. Nutri rich Recipes
for 2-5 yr olds
• Vegetable soups
• Spinach rice
• Fruit custards
• Pancakes made with moong,
oats, rava, ragi, banana flour.
• Dosas & idli
• With curd or coconut chutney
and light sambhar
• Veg sandwiches

20. Guidelines for feeding
practices.
• Introduce one food at a time in small quantity.
• Start with soft mushy foods &
• Move to semi solid foods.
• Be patient; allow the baby to learn the art of eating &
enjoy the eating process.
• Avoid too many choices at a meal to avoid confusion.
• Avoid artificial colours ,preservatives n processed foods
• Use boiling ,steaming, braising & baking ; avoid frying.
• Reduce volume of food, making food nutrient dense as
child cant eat large amounts.

21. Guidelines for feeding practices.
• Avoid microwaving baby foods; as
temperature inside food higher may burn
baby mouth.
• Never criticize food; leaves a negative impact.
• Attractive spoons and bowls motivate child to
eat.
• Healthy eating habits in infancy helps prevent
childhood obesity ,high blood pressure and
diabetes as child grows.

22. Finger foods
• Finger foods are directly eaten without any
spoon, fork or knife.
• Introduce when the child starts holding objects
with fingers and thumb; signals start of self
feeding.
• Allow child to indulge in the eating process but
prevent choking by cutting in pieces less than half
an inch in size.

23. Feeding guidelines for 2-5 years
• Encourage the child to eat family meals
• Avoid bulky food in one serving size with less
nutrient density, e.g. kurmura, bhel
• Never bribe a child to eat a particular food/meal
• Train children to distinguish between unhealthy
or healthy foods
• Schedule meal time before the child is very
hungry. Let meal time be family meal time.

24. • Avoid chocolates, soft drinks, refined and sticky
foods that could increase the risk of dental caries.
• Children should not be allowed to watch TV while
eating or be left unsupervised.
• Preschool children attracted by commercials on
TV often remember and want advertised items.
• Reduce TV time as it encourages inactivity –
excess weight gain, dental caries as sugar laden
foods are often preferred while TV viewing.

27. Physical Activity in children
• Regular physical activity
improves strength,
endurance, enhances
self esteem, and
prevents obesity in
children.
• Children should be
made to play actively
for 60 min a day.(IOM-
1997)

28. Wishing you happy meal times 
Thank You!!!