Importance of Baby and Toddler Nutrition in Early Childhood Development

By Alexandra Tully, NZRD, SG Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Early-Life Nutrition Specialist

We all want to give our kids the best possible start in life and know that a healthy diet is part of this. But how much of an impact can nutrition have on shaping our children and what can we do to ensure that they are getting everything that they need to thrive?

Brain development

We have an incredible opportunity from preconception to when our child turns two to boost their brain development to later impact on their IQ and cognitive abilities. Many nutrients contribute to optimal brain development but the key nutrients to include are iron, DHA (omega-3 fatty acids), and choline which are vital for the formation of brain cells and neural connections. Focusing on providing your child with these key nutrients now can support their memory and learning ability later on.

How to boost brain development through food:

• Provide meals containing fish ideally 2-3x each week to boost omega 3 intake

• Include iron and choline rich foods in your childs diet twice each day (e.g. beef, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, and lamb). 

• If your child is vegetarian then make sure to substitute animal proteins for alternatives like legumes, tofu, or tempeh.

Reaching growth milestones

Proper nutrition ensures that babies and toddlers reach important growth milestones, such as height and weight, and that their muscles and bones develop optimally. We have a critical window to increase our peak bone mass as much as we can until the age of 25, after which it starts to decline. So it’s up to us to get these key nutrients into our children early and support them to develop healthy food habits as they grow.

Calcium, vitamin D, and protein are critical for the development of strong bones and muscles however are unfortunately commonly found to be low in toddlers and babies diets (especially calcium). 

How to meet calcium requirements:

• Include calcium-rich dairy products in your childs day at 2-3 meals or snacks e.g. cheese slices on crackers, milk in overnight bircher muesli, yoghurt in smoothies etc. 

• If your child doesn’t tolerate dairy, make sure to find an alternative milk that is fortified with calcium and include this in their meals and snacks instead. 

• If your child tolerates dairy but doesn’t like it, then start with including it in food in less obvious ways e.g. yoghurt in pizza bases, cheese in pasta sauces- then build on this gradually

  
  

Immune system function

I think it’s fair to say that every parent wants to reduce their childs risk of bringing home coughs and colds as much as possible, and thankfully nutrition can help immensely with this! Focusing on building a strong gut microbiome and providing your child with essential vitamins and minerals for immunity can not only support them now, but it can also set them up for a stronger immune system in the future with reduced severity and duration of illnesses. 

The key nutrients we want to focus on for immunity include vitamins A, C, and E as well as zinc. Unfortunately, statistics show that vitamin A and zinc are often found to be low in childrens diets, with key sources of these being animal proteins (liver, fish dairy products, eggs) and some vegetables (pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, and leafy greens) and plant-based proteins (e.g. legumes, tofu). 

How to boost key nutrients for immunity? 

• Offer your child fruit 2-3 times every day (1 serve = 1 small piece of fruit or ½ cup chopped fruit)

• Include vegetables as part of their meals and snacks regularly (aim for 3 times each day)

• Ensure they are having some form of protein foods with their main meals whether it be animal proteins like meat, chicken, and eggs, or vegetarian options e.g. legumes, ideally 2x each day. 

  
  

You are already doing a great job with growing a healthy human and taking some of these steps detailed above can really help to create a great foundation for their future health. 

If you would like more information on childrens nutrition with helpful articles and recipes, then go ahead and subscribe to my email list where I drop free helpful child-friendly info into your inbox every month.

References

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2. Georgieff, M. K. (2007). "Nutrition and the Developing Brain: Nutrient Priorities and Measurement."

3. Black, M. M. (2008). "Effects of Vitamin B6, Folate, and Vitamin B12 on Cognitive Performance in Children."

4. Uauy, R., et al. (2001). "Essential Fatty Acids in Visual and Brain Development."

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2019). "Childhood Nutrition Facts."

6. National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2018). "Calcium and Bone Health."

7. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). (2018). "Nutrition and Immune System Function."

8. Maggini, S., et al. (2018). "Dietary Strategies for Healthy Immune Function."

9. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (2017). "The Role of Nutrition in Immune Function."

10. Birch, L. L., et al. (2007). "Influence of Early Feeding Practices on Development of Eating Behaviors."

11. Schwartz, C., et al. (2011). "Development of Eating Behaviors Among Children."

12. World Health Organization (WHO). (2011). "Iron Deficiency Anemia: Assessment, Prevention, and Control."

13. Holick, M. F. (2006). "High Prevalence of Vitamin D Inadequacy and Implications for Health."

14. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2019). "Obesity Prevention Source: Early Childhood."

15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2019). "Healthy Weight: The Importance of Good Nutrition."

16. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (2012). "Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk."

17. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). (2018). "Infant Formula: Overview."

18. World Health Organization (WHO). (2002). "Complementary Feeding: Report of the Global Consultation."

19. Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). (2003). "Guiding Principles for Complementary Feeding of the Breastfed Child."

20. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). (2018). "Water, Hydration, and Health."

21. American Dental Association (ADA). (2014). "Diet and Oral Health."

22. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). (2016). "Parental Influence on Children's Early Eating Behaviors."

23. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (2018). "The Pediatrician’s Role in Family Support and Education."