Abstract

Mini Review

Impact of Balanced Lifestyles on Childhood Development: A Study at Crèche

P Vasundhara and P Nagaraju*

Published: 09 January, 2024 | Volume 8 - Issue 1 | Pages: 001-008

Introduction: In our fast-paced world, children’s dietary habits and behaviour are increasingly concerning, with a tendency toward indulging in sweets and snacks. Insights are derived from observations of 20 children at a crèche facility.
Temptation of sweets: Children’s inherent attraction to sweet and salty snacks challenges maintaining a healthy diet. Excessive consumption can lead to health issues, recognizing the pivotal role parents and caregivers play in guiding children toward healthier choices.
Significance of a balanced diet: A well-rounded and nutritious diet is crucial for a child’s physical and mental development. Providing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins is essential.
Role of activities: Diversifying a child’s routine with engaging activities is a powerful strategy to redirect their focus from unhealthy snacks. Sports, arts, outdoor play, and educational games promote physical fitness, creativity, and cognitive development, contributing to a well-balanced lifestyle.
Strategies for encouraging healthy choices:
•    Lead by example: Modelling healthy habits inspires children to adopt similar behaviour.
•    Educate about nutrition: Imparting knowledge about the nutritional value of foods equips children to make informed choices.
•    Make healthy options accessible: Stocking the kitchen with nutritious snacks makes it convenient for children to opt for healthier alternatives.
•    Limit unhealthy choices: Setting clear limits on sugary snacks helps children develop moderation and self-control.
•    Create a fun and active environment: Fostering an enjoyable environment involves family outings, games, and making exercise a natural part of daily life.
Results: Encouraging results were observed among the 20 children. Two children, aged around 12, demonstrated awareness of healthy habits. Excluding these two, others showed positive changes in behaviour towards sweets and snacks through activities and counselling.
Conclusion: Maintaining a balance between a child’s consumption of sweets and snacks and engaging in diverse activities is crucial for overall development. A combination of nutritious choices and engaging activities guides children toward a path of health and happiness

Read Full Article HTML DOI: 10.29328/journal.jatr.1001028 Cite this Article Read Full Article PDF

Keywords:

Children’s dietary habits; Balanced diet; Sweet and salty snacks; Nutrition education; Physical activity; Positive behavior; Well-being; Obesity; Dental health; Parental influence; Healthy choices; Lifestyle; Crèche facility; Child healthy habits

References

  1. Gherasim A, Arhire LI, Niță O, Popa AD, Graur M, Mihalache L. The relationship between lifestyle components and dietary patterns. Proc Nutr Soc. 2020 Aug;79(3):311-323. doi: 10.1017/S0029665120006898. Epub 2020 Apr 1. PMID: 32234085; PMCID: PMC7663317.
  2. Zhao C, Guan H, Shi H, Zhang J, Huang X, Wang X. Relationships between dietary diversity and early childhood developmental outcomes in rural China. Matern Child Nutr. 2021 Jan;17(1):e13073. doi: 10.1111/mcn.13073. Epub 2020 Sep 9. PMID: 32902154; PMCID: PMC7729803.
  3. Scaglioni S, De Cosmi V, Ciappolino V, Parazzini F, Brambilla P, Agostoni C. Factors Influencing Children's Eating Behaviours. Nutrients. 2018 May 31;10(6):706. doi: 10.3390/nu10060706. PMID: 29857549; PMCID: PMC6024598.
  4. Sylvetsky AC, Kaidbey JH, Ferguson K, Visek AJ, Sacheck J. Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children's Sugary Drink Consumption: A Qualitative Study. Front Nutr. 2022 Mar 16;9:860259. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.860259. PMID: 35369093; PMCID: PMC8966582.
  5. Xu H, Wen LM, Rissel C. Associations of parental influences with physical activity and screen time among young children: a systematic review. J Obes. 2015;2015:546925. doi: 10.1155/2015/546925. Epub 2015 Mar 19. PMID: 25874123; PMCID: PMC4383435.
  6. Woo KS, Chook P, Yu CW, Sung RY, Qiao M, Leung SS, Lam CW, Metreweli C, Celermajer DS. Effects of diet and exercise on obesity-related vascular dysfunction in children. Circulation. 2004 Apr 27;109(16):1981-6. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000126599.47470.BE. Epub 2004 Apr 5. PMID: 15066949.
  7. De Lepeleere S, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Cardon G, Verloigne M. Do specific parenting practices and related parental self-efficacy associate with physical activity and screen time among primary schoolchildren? A cross-sectional study in Belgium. BMJ Open. 2015 Sep 7;5(9):e007209. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007209. PMID: 26346871; PMCID: PMC4563237.
  8. Mollborn S, Lawrence E, Root ED. Residential Mobility Across Early Childhood and Children's Kindergarten Readiness. Demography. 2018 Apr;55(2):485-510. doi: 10.1007/s13524-018-0652-0. PMID: 29492798; PMCID: PMC5898794.
  9. Bestle SMS, Christensen BJ, Trolle E, Biltoft-Jensen AP, Matthiessen J, Gibbons SJ, Ersbøll BK, Lassen AD. Reducing Young Schoolchildren's Intake of Sugar-Rich Food and Drinks: Study Protocol and Intervention Design for "Are You Too Sweet?" A Multicomponent 3.5-Month Cluster Randomised Family-Based Intervention Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Dec 21;17(24):9580. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17249580. PMID: 33561071; PMCID: PMC7767356.
  10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Obesity prevalence among low-income, preschool-aged children - United States, 1998-2008. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2009 Jul 24; 58(28):769-73.
  11. Anderson SE, Whitaker RC. Prevalence of obesity among US preschool children in different racial and ethnic groups. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009 Apr;163(4):344-8. doi: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2009.18. PMID: 19349563.
  12. Davis JN, Ventura EE, Cook LT, Gyllenhammer LE, Gatto NM. LA Sprouts: a gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention for Latino youth improves diet and reduces obesity. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Aug;111(8):1224-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2011.05.009. PMID: 21802571.
  13. Tsoi MF, Li HL, Feng Q, Cheung CL, Cheung TT, Cheung BMY. Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in the United States in 1999-2018: A 20-Year Analysis. Obes Facts. 2022;15(4):560-569. doi: 10.1159/000524261. Epub 2022 Mar 31. PMID: 35358970; PMCID: PMC9421675.
  14. Natale RA, Messiah SE, Asfour L, Uhlhorn SB, Delamater A, Arheart KL. Role modeling as an early childhood obesity prevention strategy: effect of parents and teachers on preschool children's healthy lifestyle habits. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2014 Jul-Aug;35(6):378-87. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000074. PMID: 25007060.
  15. Council on School Health; Committee on Nutrition. Snacks, sweetened beverages, added sugars, and schools. Pediatrics. 2015 Mar;135(3):575-83. doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-3902. PMID: 25713277.
  16. Paul VK, Sachdev HS, Mavalankar D, Ramachandran P, Sankar MJ, Bhandari N, Sreenivas V, Sundararaman T, Govil D, Osrin D, Kirkwood B. Reproductive health, and child health and nutrition in India: meeting the challenge. Lancet. 2011 Jan 22;377(9762):332-49. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61492-4. Epub 2011 Jan 10. PMID: 21227494; PMCID: PMC3341742.
  17. Anzman-Frasca S, Boulos R, Hofer T, Folta SC, Koomas A, Nelson ME, Sacheck JM, Economos CD. Validation of the Out-of-School-Time Snacks, Beverages, and Physical Activity Questionnaire. Child Obes. 2015 Aug;11(4):439-48. doi: 10.1089/chi.2014.0142. Epub 2015 Jul 15. PMID: 26176191; PMCID: PMC8104022.
  18. Kyttälä P, Erkkola M, Kronberg-Kippilä C, Tapanainen H, Veijola R, Simell O, Knip M, Virtanen SM. Food consumption and nutrient intake in Finnish 1-6-year-old children. Public Health Nutr. 2010 Jun;13(6A):947-56. doi: 10.1017/S136898001000114X. PMID: 20513265.
  19. Rattan SIS, Kaur G. Nutrition, Food and Diet in Health and Longevity: We Eat What We Are. Nutrients. 2022 Dec 18;14(24):5376. doi: 10.3390/nu14245376. PMID: 36558535; PMCID: PMC9785741.
  20. Kieslinger K, Wartha O, Pollatos O, Steinacker JM, Kobel S. Parental Self-Efficacy-A Predictor of Children's Health Behaviors? Its Impact on Children's Physical Activity and Screen Media Use and Potential Interaction Effect Within a Health Promotion Program. Front Psychol. 2021 Aug 12;12:712796. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.712796. PMID: 34456826; PMCID: PMC8397494.
  21. Vacheron MN, Veyrat-Masson H, Wehbe E. Quelle prise en charge du jeune présentant un premier épisode psychotique, quand la scolarité est mise à mal ? [What support of young presenting a first psychotic episode, when schooling is being challenged?]. Encephale. 2017 Dec;43(6):570-576. French. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2017.10.001. Epub 2017 Nov 8. PMID: 29128195.
  22. Fox MK, Pac S, Devaney B, Jankowski L. Feeding infants and toddlers study: What foods are infants and toddlers eating? J Am Diet Assoc. 2004 Jan;104(1 Suppl 1):s22-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2003.10.026. PMID: 14702014.
  23. Bento G, Dias G. The importance of outdoor play for young children's healthy development. Porto Biomed J. 2017 Sep-Oct;2(5):157-160. doi: 10.1016/j.pbj.2017.03.003. Epub 2017 Apr 6. PMID: 32258612; PMCID: PMC6806863.
  24. Saavedra JM. The Changing Landscape of Children's Diet and Nutrition: New Threats, New Opportunities. Ann Nutr Metab. 2022;78 Suppl 2:40-50. doi: 10.1159/000524328. Epub 2022 May 24. PMID: 35609530.
  25. Picciano MF, Smiciklas-Wright H, Birch LL, Mitchell DC, Murray-Kolb L, McConahy KL. Nutritional guidance is needed during dietary transition in early childhood. Pediatrics. 2000 Jul;106(1 Pt 1):109-14. doi: 10.1542/peds.106.1.109. PMID: 10878158.
  26. Siega-Riz AM, Deming DM, Reidy KC, Fox MK, Condon E, Briefel RR. Food consumption patterns of infants and toddlers: where are we now? J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Dec;110(12 Suppl):S38-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2010.09.001. PMID: 21092767.
  27. Halfon N, Larson K, Slusser W. Associations between obesity and comorbid mental health, developmental, and physical health conditions in a nationally representative sample of US children aged 10 to 17. Acad Pediatr. 2013 Jan-Feb;13(1):6-13. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2012.10.007. Epub 2012 Nov 30. PMID: 23200634.
  28. Mollborn S, James-Hawkins L, Lawrence E, Fomby P. Health lifestyles in early childhood. J Health Soc Behav. 2014 Dec;55(4):386-402. doi: 10.1177/0022146514555981. PMID: 25413801; PMCID: PMC6662652.
  29. Mollborn S, Lawrence E. Family, Peer, and School Influences on Children's Developing Health Lifestyles. J Health Soc Behav. 2018 Mar;59(1):133-150. doi: 10.1177/0022146517750637. Epub 2018 Jan 3. PMID: 29298103; PMCID: PMC5898799.
  30. Kelishadi R, Azizi-Soleiman F. Controlling childhood obesity: A systematic review on strategies and challenges. J Res Med Sci. 2014 Oct;19(10):993-1008. PMID: 25538786; PMCID: PMC4274579.
  31. Jakobovich R, Berry EM, Levita A, Levin-Zamir D. Developing Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Early Age-An Intervention Study in Kindergartens. Nutrients. 2023 Jun 2;15(11):2615. doi: 10.3390/nu15112615. PMID: 37299578; PMCID: PMC10255677.

Figures:

Figure 1

Figure 1

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 1

Figure 3

Figure 1

Figure 4

Similar Articles

Recently Viewed

Read More

Most Viewed

Read More

Help ?