Importance of Nutrition for Growth in Children & Adolescents | Healthy Eating Guide

Good nutrition is particularly important during the growing years for many reasons. Growth is an energy- and nutrient-requiring process, and it will not proceed normally unless the diet supplies enough of both. 

Children are born with regulatory processes that help them decide how much to eat. Internal cues signal when they should eat and when they should stop eating. However, parents are responsible for deciding what kinds of foods to offer their children.

Parents must ensure that essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water are provided to children and combined in the right way at every meal or snack time. Eating well and learning healthy food habits have implications that go beyond childhood. Early diets may have long-term effects on the risk of developing various diseases later in life.

Characteristics of Growth

Growth is very rapid in the first year of life. Between the ages of 2 and 10, growth slows down. Children usually gain 2–3 kg and 5–8 cm in height per year. Gains in weight and height occur in spurts rather than continuously and gradually. Just before a growth spurt, a child's appetite increases, and they may ask for more food. They will store some fat, appear plump for a short period, and then suddenly grow 2–3 cm. During this time, the stored fat is used as energy for the growth spurt.

The Adolescent Growth Spurt

The adolescent growth spurt usually occurs between the ages of 10 and 15 in girls and 12 and 17 in boys. One boy may start his growth spurt at 11 and reach his full adult height by 15, while another may start at 14 and reach his full height by 16–17. This variation differs from child to child.

During a growth spurt, a child may ask for larger quantities of food, spend more time eating at the table, and become irritable if a meal is missed or delayed.

Parents must ensure that a variety of carbohydrate-rich foods, such as bread, chapati, or rice, are provided alongside milk, curds, dals, pulses, and eggs. Additionally, fruits like apples, oranges, and bananas, along with both cooked and raw vegetables, should be included in their diet.

Care must be taken to avoid deep-fried snacks, sweets, pastries, chocolates, and fatty meals such as burgers, pizzas, and deep-fried non-vegetarian foods. These should not become part of the daily menu. They may be consumed only on special occasions and not more than once a week.

If fatty foods are consumed too frequently, excess fat may accumulate in the body, leading to a higher number of fat cells, which increases the risk of obesity in adulthood. This can also contribute to the development of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer later in life.

Can We Predict or Influence Adult Height?

On average, children tend to achieve adult heights that fall between the heights of their biological parents. However, studies show that Chinese and Japanese children who consume diets higher in calories and protein, as well as more nutrient-dense foods, have grown an average of 2 inches taller with each generation.

There are no supplements, powders, or special diets that can accelerate growth. The key factors that support healthy height development include:

• A nutritious diet during the growing years

• Adequate physical exercise

• Freedom from frequent bouts of illness