According to the World Health Organization (WHO) as many as 34% of the world’s children have had their development stunted due to a lack of clean water or proper nutrition.1 Due to these factors we see many negative effects upon both their immediate and long-term health. It has been shown through many studies that under-nourished or otherwise unhealthy children are at risk of cognitive development deficits. In what is becoming a constantly more globalized world, that is increasingly propelled along by both social and technological ingenuity any deficit in cognitive development may prove damaging to an individual’s future. By extension, a state made up largely of cognitively impaired persons is at risk to be left behind. The majority of the
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As the literature in this area has grown we have begun to realize that there is more to nutrition than just a certain number of proteins and calories that must be ingested for proper neural development. Neurologists have identified the ages of 0-2 as a “window of opportunity” when a child has an immense opportunity for both neural and physical growth, but it is important that children are properly nourished and stimulated.3 During this early time in a person’s life thousands of synapses are being developed in the brain, with proper nutrition, approximately 12,000 more connections are formed per neuron during this window of oppurtunity. (u of maine) This explosion of mental activity is important in developing a multitude of abilities from movement to acquisition of language.(citation) However, without approximately 2200 calories a day in childhood a long-term mental deficit is developed.(3.6) Furthermore, Anita J. Fugelstad, highlights nutrients such as long chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, and selenium all as playing important roles in developing various parts of the brain.4 The effect of the different aspects of nutrition on neural processes are being explored more and more each day but a lack of the previously listed nutrients has been linked with a variety of different cognitive deficiencies such as: ADD, impaired problem-solving abilities, lower IQ scores and impaired school performance.5 Sadly, many of the aforementioned vitamins and often even the base amount of calories for a healthy diet are missing in developing countries and therefore this “window of opportunity” transforms into a “point of vulnerability,” where children develop a cognitive deficit that they carry forward with them into their adult life. “The macronutrients are the energy-yielding nutrients — proteins, carbohydrates and fat — and micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals. The
As the literature in this area has grown we have begun to realize that there is more to nutrition than just a certain number of proteins and calories that must be ingested for proper neural development. Neurologists have identified the ages of 0-2 as a “window of opportunity” when a child has an immense opportunity for both neural and physical growth, but it is important that children are properly nourished and stimulated.3 During this early time in a person’s life thousands of synapses are being developed in the brain, with proper nutrition, approximately 12,000 more connections are formed per neuron during this window of oppurtunity. (u of maine) This explosion of mental activity is important in developing a multitude of abilities from movement to acquisition of language.(citation) However, without approximately 2200 calories a day in childhood a long-term mental deficit is developed.(3.6) Furthermore, Anita J. Fugelstad, highlights nutrients such as long chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, and selenium all as playing important roles in developing various parts of the brain.4 The effect of the different aspects of nutrition on neural processes are being explored more and more each day but a lack of the previously listed nutrients has been linked with a variety of different cognitive deficiencies such as: ADD, impaired problem-solving abilities, lower IQ scores and impaired school performance.5 Sadly, many of the aforementioned vitamins and often even the base amount of calories for a healthy diet are missing in developing countries and therefore this “window of opportunity” transforms into a “point of vulnerability,” where children develop a cognitive deficit that they carry forward with them into their adult life. “The macronutrients are the energy-yielding nutrients — proteins, carbohydrates and fat — and micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals. The