Early childhood nutrition: Why a diverse diet is crucial for long-term health
Eating habits established during infancy and early childhood have a significant long-term impact on both physical and mental well-being, playing a key role in preventing conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
Nutrition specialists consistently stress the critical need for dietary diversity among young children, noting that in some regions, only three-quarters of infants consume the minimum diverse diet recommended.
Introducing complementary foods, often referred to as weaning or diversification, is medically recommended to begin at six months of age, starting with fruits and vegetables. This phased approach was outlined by Maria-Victoria Racum, Head of the Nutritional Health Section at Moldova's National Agency for Public Health (ANSP).
The expert advises that parents should gradually introduce gluten-free cereals (porridges), meat, fish, and dairy products. At this developmental stage, professionals recommend two solid meals per day.
"It is important to recognise that there is no single, rigid scheme for introducing complementary feeding today. While the process is adaptable, fruits or vegetables are generally recommended as the first foods," Ms Racum stated in an interview with Radio Moldova. "We should not begin with meat, dairy, or eggs; these should follow later."
She specified the timeline: "At around seven and a half to eight months, parents can introduce gluten-free and milk-free porridges, such as buckwheat, corn, and oats. Egg yolk can also be added around eight months. Crucially, start with the yolk first, followed by the egg white two weeks later."
Avoiding 'food violence' and encouraging acceptance
The specialist also highlighted a common parenting challenge: a child may need to consume a new food at least ten times, prepared in various forms, before accepting it.
Ms Racum cautioned against aggressive feeding practices. "Overly demanding or forceful feeding behaviors from an adult fall under the concept of 'food violence.' When we insist, like older generations used to—saying, 'you don't leave the table until you finish everything on your plate'—we actively discourage the young child from engaging with food."
"It is vital to be persistent but gentle," she advised. "If the child only takes one spoonful today, they might take two tomorrow, and then gradually more. If they taste the food ten times in different presentations, they are much more likely to accept it."
The four consequences of poor nutrition
Failure to ensure a sufficiently diverse diet during a child’s crucial early years can lead to consequences that hinder harmonious growth and development, according to the nutritionist.
"The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF identify four main categories of nutritional consequences," Ms Racum explained.
Stunting: When a child is too short for their age.
Nutritional deficiencies (also termed 'hidden hunger'): The child appears healthy but lacks essential vitamins and micronutrients.
Overweight and obesity: This is often linked to nutrient deficiencies. Providing only one or two food groups does not supply necessary nutrients. The problem is exacerbated when children consume sugary items like juices and carbonated drinks, resulting in high calories but low nutritional value. This significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes later in life.
Underweight: When a child's weight is very low. This condition is typically accompanied by poor immunity and delayed development.
Ms Racum concluded by noting that cognitive potential is also affected. "The child cannot assimilate information at school as effectively because they lack critical nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, and iron."
In Moldova, health specialists continue to stress the need to ensure all children receive the necessary quantity of nutrients for healthy and balanced growth, particularly since official figures show that only three-quarters of infants up to six months old meet the minimum dietary diversity standard.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
