Hillman, C.H.; McDonald, K.M.; Logan, N.E. (Boston, MA)
Nutrition Effects on Childhood Executive Control
Willis, N.; Khan, N.A. (Urbana, IL)
The Importance of Motor Skills for Development
Adolph, K.E.; Hoch, J.E. (New York, NY)
The Importance of Providing Opportunities for Health Behaviors during the School Day
Castelli, D.M. (Austin, TX); Barcelona, J.M. (Detroit, MI); Crim, B. (Austin, TX); Burson, S.L. (Detroit, MI)
Summary on Health Behaviors and the Developing Brain
Hillman, C.H. (Boston, MA)
For more information on related publications, please consult the NNI website: www.nestlenutrition-institute.org
Published online: December 3, 2020
Black MM, Singhal A, Hillman CH (eds): Building Future Health and Well-Being of Thriving Toddlers and Young Children. Nestlé Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. Basel, Karger, 2020, vol 95, pp VII–IX (DOI: 10.1159/000511525)
The health and well-being of young children are not only central to their families, but also central to the United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goals and to the health and well-being of future generations. Thriving children are dependent on nutrition and physical activity: beginning with the health of parents prior to conception and continuing through the prenatal period into infancy, toddlerhood, early childhood, and across adolescence. Nutrition, which includes not only food but also eating patterns, influences the rapid physical and brain development that occurs throughout this period, establishing the foundational processes that influence health throughout life, including the origins of chronic illnesses. Likewise, physical activity early in life contributes to children’s health and cognitive functions, and leads to healthy patterns of physical activity throughout life.
Children’s nutrition and physical activity habits are formed at home, with influences from the broader society, including neighborhoods, child care centers, and schools. Influences also extend beyond the local setting to include the geopolitical environment, climate, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. The importance of thriving children and building healthy habits is the topic of the 95th Nestle Nutrition Institute Workshop entitled Building Future Health and Well-Being of Thriving Toddlers and Young Children, which was held virtually (due to COVID-19) in September 2020.
The first section of this book comprises 5 chapters that cover broad aspects of nutrition in toddlers and young children. The first chapter sets the scene and describes how behaviors such as increasing autonomy and impulsivity can make toddler mealtimes uniquely challenging. These behaviors also render the assessment of toddler diets particularly difficult, but despite limited research in this age group, it is clear that many toddlers and young children throughout the world are at risk for both under- and overnutrition: the so-called double burden of malnutrition. Using Brazil as an example, the section considers how changes in lifestyle and eating habits have led to problems of malnutrition in young children worldwide. Malnutrition during a critical developmental period, in turn, has major consequences on health throughout life, as described in the chapters reviewing the impact of poor nutrition in young children from low-, middle-, and high-income countries. In particular, the section highlights the complex causes and health consequences of obesity in preschool children, a major global public health issue. Collectively, this section emphasizes the common nutritional problems seen in young children worldwide, their consequences on short- and long-term health, and why solutions to these complex problems must involve families, schools, governments, and the food industry.
The second section of the volume includes 5 chapters that address the food and eating transition that occurs from infancy to toddlerhood and early childhood. As child care enrollment increases among infants and toddlers, child care settings are increasingly important in the development of healthy nutritional habits for young children. The section includes an illustration of the development of nutrition recommendations for children in licensed child care settings, ranging from breastfeeding infants to facilitating healthy eating patterns among toddlers. The development of taste begins with prenatal flavor experiences through the maternal diet and the emergence of the olfactory and gustatory systems, which are linked to children’s subsequent acceptance of solid foods. Caregivers play important roles in introducing new food and helping their children develop food preferences and healthy eating habits as they gain expertise in self-feeding. However, toddlerhood brings increases in children’s autonomy and self-regulation. Toddlers may be hesitant to try new foods or demanding regarding favorite foods. Caregivers desire information and strategies to help their children participate in family meals and develop a healthful relationship with food and eating. This section also addresses the changing nutritional needs of toddlers, with information on toddlers’ micronutrient needs and the controversial role of sugar in children’s diet.
The third section of the volume includes 4 chapters that focus on the influence of various health factors and lifestyle behaviors (e.g., motor skill acquisition, physical activity, and nutrition) on the developing brain from early childhood to adolescence. Each chapter is focused on a set of distinct, yet related, health factors that affect brain development (including brain structure and/or function), as observed via alterations in cognitive or behavioral outcomes. As such, this section represents a cohesive collection that provides a window into lifestyle factors that may shape health and wellness during childhood and across the lifespan. Health behaviors such as physical activity and nutritional intake are essential to optimizing brain development, which is a necessary precursor for school-based learning and achievements. Specifically, the building blocks of motor skill acquisition and provision of key nutrients are fundamental to the development of physical activity and healthy eating behaviors during childhood and adolescence, respectively, which have demonstrated benefits for brain health, cognition, and academic achievements. Given that children have become increasingly inactive and that diet quality has deteriorated in recent years, such behaviors have contributed to public health and educational concerns. By incorporating opportunities for physical activity and the provision of a high-quality diet, children are best positioned to thrive both physically and cognitively.
Maureen M. Black
Atul Singhal
Charles H. Hillman
Published online: December 3, 2020
Black MM, Singhal A, Hillman CH (eds): Building Future Health and Well-Being of Thriving Toddlers and Young Children. Nestlé Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. Basel, Karger, 2020, vol 95, pp X–XI (DOI: 10.1159/000511523)
According to the World Health Organization, the early child period, i.e., from birth to 5 years of age, is considered the most important developmental phase throughout the lifespan.
This period of a child’s life is fundamental in building the foundation for physical growth, development, health, and social and emotional skills. In fact, the first 3 years