November 2013

VOL. #1 ISSUE #1

Malnutrition in Children
3 Reasons Why Vitamins Are Crucial to Your Childs Health
Taking vitamins may seem like a chore. Your kids may have a habit of hiding them under the couch cushion, or pretending to swallow them when really they just hide it in their mouth and spit it out when you arent looking. We all know the tricks, but why does taking a vitamin seem like such a difficult task? By increasing your childs desire to take vitamins by having gummy or chewable vitamins available, you can increase a childs desire to take vitamins. Doing so will be greatly benefiting their health. You may wonder, why are vitamins so crucial to my childs heath? Three main reasons answer this question: 1. The body requires micronutrients (small amounts of essential nutrients) from diet because the body does not make all the products it needs for optimum function. 2. Taking vitamins prevents malnutrition from occurring by supplying the body with the nutrients it needs. 3. It protects from iron deficiencies, which could lead to anemia. Anemia causes fatigue, may cause heart failure in severe cases, and may also affect brain function.

Healthy Kids Fair

Friday, November 15th 6:00-8:00 Marshall Middle School Gym Prizes, free food, and gift bags to take home!

Source:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com.proxy1.cl.msu. edu//article.aspx?articleid=199199

November 2013

VOL. #1 ISSUE #2

Why Your Childs Brain is Starving

And What You can do to Feed It
When a child is not receiving the proper nutrition that he or she needs, the body essentially shuts down due to malnutrition. If the body does not receive the energy it needs in the form of food, weight loss (mostly due to lack of muscle mass) will occur. Children with malnutrition have inadequate fat stores and very little muscle. Brain development can be impaired, and these children have a high incidence of disease because their bodies cannot fight infection. Brain impairment because of not receiving proper nutrition is a serious matter. Our brain needs nutrients in order to function properly. Without these nutrients, brain cells start to diminish. Feeding the brain is easy. By simply taking vitamins and eating foods high in iron and nutrients,

For more information, contact the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 800/370-2943 http://www.nichd.nih.gov

your childs brain can be working hard in no time. This is why it is important that children eat a healthy breakfast every morning.

Dont forget to feed your brain!

November 2013

VOL. #1 ISSUE #3

Malnutrition Linked to Violent Behavior in Children

When most think of malnutrition, the first image that comes to mind is the children and families in third world countries. Surprisingly, malnutrition has become more prevalent within developed countries like the United States. This could be because of the rise in eating fast food multiple times a week. Parents who feed their children fast food often are putting their childrens health at risk. Fast food does not provide the proper nutrients that children need to develop properly, thus, leading to malnutrition. A study showed that children who suffered from malnutrition at age 3 were more aggressive and were more likely to act out at ages 8, 11, and 17. The

Learn about nutritional values and portion sizes at ChooseMyPlate.gov

assumption is that the brain is literally starved when it is developing the most. This causes cognitive and behavioral problems later in the future. This data suggests that we look at the larger spectrum when assessing our childrens behavior. You never know when a poor diet could be the reasoning behind the actions.

Source:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC15701 26/

November 2013

Vol. #1 Issue #4

What you can do to Prevent Malnutrition in your Child

For Parents Everywhere What to Eat
Prevention of malnutrition is relatively simple. First, its important to have your child eat certain foods that are high in Iron. Preventing iron deficiency requires an adequate diet including iron-rich foods such as leafy green vegetables, beans, and red meats.
Some easy solutions to incorporating these foods into a diet could be: -Eating out one time or less a week. -Cooking pasta with vegetables and red meat. -Packing fruits and vegetables in your childs lunch as a snack.

Diets rich in vitamin A, B, and calcium are important to maintaining a healthy nutritional status. Eating high amounts of fruits and vegetables and less fast food will keep you on track to providing a healthy lifestyle for your child.

Source:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu// article.aspx?articleid=199199

November 2013

VOL. #1 ISSUE #5

Healthy Eating Could Boost Your Childs IQ

Findings
According to a recent study, there has been a link to the foods you eat in relation to your IQ (Intelligence Quotient) level. Eating chips, chocolate and cake may be damaging to a child's intelligence, according to researchers at Bristol University. Their study suggests a link between a diet high in processed foods and a slightly lower IQ. In order to boost IQ, researchers conclude that if eating a diet high in fat and low in nutrients causes a lower IQ, then the opposite must be in correlation with the findings.

Ways to Boost IQ Level in Your Child Focus on having them eat a healthy breakfast every morning Have children avoid processed foods and eat a more traditional or health conscious diet

Healthy Food=Smarter You!

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12381041