Health Day | Malnutrition, the evil that affects the youngest children in Peru

Although most of the time the feeding It has only been linked to the weight of a person, the role it plays, especially with children and adolescents, is of vital importance for their development and growth. Thus, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEFfor its acronym in English) indicated, through its annual report of the State of the World’s Children 2021, that 11% of Peruvian children of preschool age (between 0 to 4 years old) suffered from malnutrition and delayed growth between moderate and serious.

“Creating good eating habits in our children and maintaining them during adolescence will bring various benefits to their health. From maintaining a healthy weight, reducing risks of suffering from diseases such as being overweight, anemia or diabetes; to ensure proper growth and development, “said general practitioner Giannina Berdejo.

How to achieve it?

Berdejo indicates that, during childhood and the school stage of children, both parents and teachers play a vigilant and important role. It can be frustrating to have children eat a variety of foods.

Also, to achieve eating habits that are healthy, the American Academy of Pediatrics indicates that the following should be taken into account:

• Offer a variety of foods from the start. Take advantage of the fact that before the age of 9 months, children’s tongues and taste buds are developing, to offer them different flavors and textures.
• If your child is a picky eater, wait until he’s hungry to give him foods that he has not wanted to eat before.
• At each meal, offer your child at least one healthy food that he likes.
• Let him pick out a new healthy food at the store. He will be more likely to taste the food that he himself chose.
• Tell him where the food comes from. If possible, try to plant herbs or vegetables. It’s a great way to get him interested.
• Never use food as a reward or punishment. He may be less likely to eat if you push him.