Importance of childhood nutrition |
Posted: June 20, 2018 |
‘Nutrition’ has been a never-ending topic of discussion among mothers, paediatricians, and dieticians, and of lately, has seeped into the conversations of the health-conscious generation too. It may appear overrated or it may sound cliched, but the fact is nutrition indeed is a vital aspect of a healthy life and deserves conscious and considerable attention; especially during the growth years of children. Importance of nutrition during formative years Childhood is the most eventful of all developmental stages - be it physical, cognitive, social, emotional, or language and communication – children are the most active learners during this phase. However, children must be provided with adequate nourishment for them to achieve various developmental milestones age-appropriately. A balanced nutritious diet comprising of the right amount of essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, vitamins and minerals become vital for proper growth and development of children. Heeding to this NGOs like The Akshaya Patra Foundation have taken up food and nutrition as their core cause. Akshaya Patra is an NGO that implements the Mid-Day Meal Scheme and has been providing nutritious meals to children of government schools and government-aided schools since 2000. Benefits of good nutrition There are several advantages of good nutrition for children. Here is a handful of them:
Role of mid-day meal in nourishing children The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is a government initiative to provide healthy and nutritious meals to children of government schools and government-aided schools. The children of these schools hail from not-so-privileged socio-economic backgrounds and for them, the mid-day meal becomes the only source of nutrition, and many times it is the only proper meal they get for the entire day. The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is aimed to counter classroom hunger, address malnutrition, increase school enrolment, increase school attendance, and improve socialisation among children belonging to different castes. Favourably, several studies report a positive impact of the mid-day meal on all the mentioned aspects. So, that the mid-day meal and its nutritious value benefit more children, Akshaya Patra is strategically and sustainably expanded its reach across the country. Gift a nourished childhood A well-nourished child grows up to be a healthy and confident adult, something that is important not only at a personal level but also at a societal level. Imagine there are 100 children in your neighbourhood and 80 of them are under-nourished. Do you think they will be interested in anything else apart from getting some food? Do you think they will grow up to be resourceful? Unfortunately, not. Hence, it is the responsibility of the ‘haves’ to take care of the ‘have-nots’ so that the latter is empowered enough to become self-dependent and resourceful. By supporting Akshaya Patra you can ensure healthy and wholesome food for millions of children. Choose to offer a donation for children because every child deserves the right to nutritious food and the right to attend school.
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