The Impact of Nutritional Status on Child Learning and Development: What's the Connection?

• In Event: The Impact of Healthful Nutrition Practices in Early Childhood Classrooms on Child Learning and Development

Abstract

Objectives
For young children, meeting nutrient needs and the mealtime experience itself are critical components and routines for physical and social growth and development. Caregivers, including teachers and parents, can create healthful children’s environments to foster robust taste preferences, encourage positive perceptions of healthful foods, support fine motor and social skill development, and establish healthy habits promoting lifelong health. Objectives for this presentation are to address the following: 1) nutrients, foods, and energy balance; 2) the influence of early childhood nutrition on physical, social and cognitive development; and 3) recommendations for early childhood teachers.

Overview
Nutrients are constituents in foods needed to promote healthful bodily function.1 In addition to nutrients, foods and beverages contain energy (i.e., calories) which contribute to energy intake.2 Some foods contain high nutrients per each calorie and are referred to as “nutrient-dense” foods.3 Other foods are high in energy, yet limited in nutrient value and are referred to as “energy-dense” foods.3 Energy balance (the balance between energy spent on maintaining life and movement, versus energy consumed) results in healthy growth without gaining excess body fat.4

Optimal growth during early childhood is dependent on adequate nutrition and energy balance. In early childhood, adequate consumption of iron and zinc are related to cognition and verbal skills,5 and stunted growth is in turn related to poor academic performance.6 Consumption of adequate calcium, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin D are necessary for proper growth, including height and bone development.7 Higher quantities of such nutrients are found in nutrient-dense foods including low-fat dairy, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. When considering energy balance, and that young children need maximal nutrients but little energy, each meal should contain an assortment of nutrient-dense foods that provide ample nutrition, with few energy-dense foods of low nutritional value i.e., candy, processed snack foods, and fast foods.8 Children who overconsume energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods are at risk of experiencing the nutrition paradox9 defined by energy imbalance leading to overweight, concurrently observed with malnutrition. Importance of a healthful mealtime is further emphasized by added benefits, including child development of social skills,10 fine motor skills,11 autonomy,10 and preference for nutritious foods. 12,13

To promote adequate consumption of nutrients without exceeding relatively limited energy needs in early childhood, it is recommended young children consume nutrient-dense foods such as low-fat milk/dairy, lean meat and beans, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.14-18 Importantly, a single serving of most fruits and vegetables is 1/3-1/2 cup for young children; therefore, meeting recommendations requires 3-4 servings each for fruits and vegetables per day. MyPlate and Dietary Guidelines for Americans additionally indicate that energy intake vary based on a child’s age and movement.14,15

Scholarly Significance
Maximizing nutrients while maintaining sufficient energy balance is critical for facilitating physical, social and cognitive development during the early childhood years. This paper/session will draw information from the literature reviewed to present a series of policy and educational implications for both early childhood programs, as well as preservice and in-service early childhood teachers.

Authors

• Susan Sisson, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

• Bethany Williams