Outstanding height – Begins with overcoming poor appetite

Poor appetite is a common problem in children. According to statistics from the National Institute of Nutrition, the rate of poor appetite in children in Vietnam is 45.9-57.7 %. This prolonged condition will lead to nutritional deficiencies, affecting the health of children, not only that, it also hinders the height development process, making children shorter than their inherent potential. However, there should be no worries, if parents applied appropriate solutions then poor appetite would be improved effectively, children may eat better, thereby promoting height development and overall health.

1. Causes of poor appetite in children

In fact, poor appetite is not only a problem for children but also a concern for parents, as it directly affects the health, development and psychology of their children. In this article, the main causes of poor appetite in children will be analyzed in depth, giving parents better understanding and allowing them to take appropriate measures to overcome it.

– Psychological factors are the main cause of children’s poor appetite. The pressure of studying from the burden of knowledge and homework makes children fall into a state of stress and anxiety. An unharmonious family environment, frequent conflicts between parents can make children feel insecure and scared. Or when moving to a new environment, children can also feel confused and worried, especially for young children. It is these silent psychological barriers that cause children to lose their appetite, leading to neglect, little interest in meals or loss of appetite.

Academic pressure is one of the reasons that makes children fall into a state of stress and anxiety

– Poor appetite is not only a psychological problem but is also affected by many physiological factors of the child such as teething, minor illnesses, micronutrient deficiencies… Teething is a “nightmare” for 6-month-old babies, at which time, the baby often has swollen gums, fussiness, pain and leads to loss of appetite and refusal to breastfeed. Parents share that about 80% of children in the teething stage show signs of poor appetite. In addition, when suffering from minor illnesses such as sore throat, runny nose, diarrhea, children are often tired, their taste buds are also affected, making them lazy to breastfeed and refuse to eat. In particular, a lack of micronutrients such as zinc, iron, vitamin A, B1… is one of the common causes of poor appetite in children. As these micronutrients play an important role in transmitting taste signals to the brain, allowing children to perceive the taste of food in a delicious way. In the results of the 2019-2020 National Nutrition Survey of the Ministry of Health, the rate of zinc deficiency was 58.0%, preclinical vitamin A deficiency was 9.5% in children aged 6-59 months.

Teething is a “nightmare” for babies at 6 months old

– According to statistics in the report on the nutritional situation of Vietnamese children in 2020 by the National Institute of Nutrition, about 30-50% of children with poor appetite are related to digestive diseases, which proves the serious impact of this factor on children’s poor appetite. When suffering from gastrointestinal infections such as gastroenteritis, gastroduodenitis, irritable bowel syndrome, children will have abdominal pain, diarrhea, thereby affecting the ability to receive food and eventually leading to poor appetite. Or allergies to foods such as milk, seafood, eggs… also cause symptoms of red rash, itching, nausea, diarrhea in children, making children afraid, lose appetite for these foods and suffer from nutritional deficiencies.

However, parents should not stress about it, as appropriate solutions could enable improvement of poor appetite, better eating and development. A study evaluating the effectiveness of the micronutrient supplementation program for malnourished and stunted children in Vietnam also showed that after 1 year of intervention, children supplemented with micronutrients had an average height increase of 5.4 cm, 2.4 cm taller than the group of unsupplemented children.

Poor appetite is completely possible to be improved for better development

2. Nutritional solutions to grow taller for children with poor appetite

Poor appetite causes nutritional deficiencies that mainly affect children’s height development. Therefore, in order for an optimal height development of children with poor appetite, parents need to pay attention to supplementing all essential nutrients and applying a reasonable diet, as detailed below:

– Parents need to supplement important nutrients for height development such as protein, calcium, vitamin D… through foods in the daily menu for their children. The recommended amount of protein for the body also varies according to age and physical condition, specifically for babies it is about 10 grams/day, for school-age children it is about 19-34 grams/day, while for teenagers it is higher, about 46-52 grams/day. Protein-rich foods that parents can provide for their children include meat, fish, eggs, milk, beans, etc. According to the recommendations of the US Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2011), and referring to studies in Vietnamese people and Asian countries (Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.) on the recommended nutritional needs of calcium (mg/day) according to age, the calcium requirement for children from 6-11 months is 400 mg/day, children from 1-2 years old is 500 mg/day, 3-5 years old is 600 mg/day, 6-7 years old is 650 mg/day and children from 8-9 years old is 700 mg/day. Milk, cheese, yogurt, dark green vegetables, and so on are all calcium-rich foods for parents to consider. In addition, for vitamin D, the recommended amount for children from 1-12 years old is 600 IU per day. Children can get vitamin D from sunlight, some foods such as fatty fish, eggs, milk… and supplements.

Calcium-rich foods help children grow taller

– In addition to a balanced diet, parents can consult a doctor to supplement their children with nutritional products to support height development. With the common goal of contributing to supporting children’s height growth, especially in the first 5 years of life, Nutricare and the Nutricare Medical Nutrition Institute

– USA (NMNI-USA) have launched the nutritional product, Nutricare Smarta Grow with an improved formula that comprehensively meets the calcium content recommended by the US FDA and is suitable for the physical condition of Vietnamese children. With a set of 3 calcium, vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 imported directly from the US, along with 52 essential nutrients in the product, children will be supported to develop optimal height and strong bones. In particular, the product has been confirmed by the Institute of Health Science and Technology to have clinically proven results in supporting children’s height growth after 2 months of use. Specifically, after 2 months of combined use of Nutricare Smarta Grow nutritional products, children are 1.41cm taller and gain 0.4kg in weight. In addition, Nutricare Smarta Grow also enhances DHA, choline to support brain development, high-quality protein to help children gain healthy weight to catch up with growth, fiber, lysine in the product also supports healthy digestion. Therefore, parents can give their children 2 glasses of properly mixed Nutricare Smarta Grow powdered milk or 3 cartons of 180ml pre-mixed powdered milk per day to meet their calcium needs according to the recommendation.

– Milk is a rich source of calcium, protein and vitamin D for children. Parents should encourage their children to drink at least 500ml of milk every day. In addition, fruit juice also provides a variety of vitamins and minerals necessary for the child’s body. However, it is advisable to choose pure, unsweetened fruit juice and allow your child to drink it in moderation.

Proper consumption of milk can help children reach their potential height

– Sweets, fast food, and fried foods are often high in calories, saturated fat and sugar but low in nutrients. Consuming too much of these foods can affect children’s appetite, causing them to lose appetite and hinder height growth. Therefore, it’s required for parents to limit their children’s intake of sweets, fast food, and fried foods to ensure nutrition for children with poor appetite.

3. Remarks on application of solutions for children with poor appetite

Conquering poor appetite in children requires parents to be persistent and apply appropriate solutions. There are 3 important remarks for parents as follows:

– Be patient and don’t get discouraged in case of no immediate results. Patience is the golden key to helping your child overcome the poor appetite stage. Forcing or scolding only makes the situation worse. Instead, parents should create a happy, comfortable atmosphere during meals, turning eating into a positive experience for their children. Applying solutions consistently and scientifically, combined with care and encouragement from the family allow your child to gradually overcome the poor appetite stage. According to the National Institute of Nutrition, 70% of children with poor appetite can improve if appropriate solutions are applied within 3-6 months.

A happy and comfortable atmosphere during meals creates a good mood for children

– In addition, parents are the direct factor forming healthy eating habits from children’s early stages of life, helping to prevent and eliminate poor appetite in children. Feeding children on time, with enough meals, not skipping meals or being distracted when eating and maintaining a regular eating schedule bring good habits for children, ensuring adequate energy for the body’s development. Parents should encourage children to eat by themselves, explore food with their hands, helping children develop motor skills and increase confidence. In particular, parents should give their children a variety of foods, full of nutrients from different groups such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and healthy fats to ensure that children receive enough nutrients necessary for the development of their bodies.

Children are more independent and confident when parents encourage them to eat by themselves

– The last tip parents need to keep in mind is to consult a doctor or nutritionist. If the child’s poor appetite persists or is accompanied by unusual symptoms such as weight loss or malnutrition, the child should be taken to a doctor for diagnosis and advice on appropriate treatment. The doctor or nutritionist will assess the child’s poor appetite and provide the most appropriate solution, based on the cause, age and health of the child.

Conclusion: Despite being a common “barrier” in the development journey of children, parents can completely conquer poor appetite if appropriate solutions persistently applied. Keep in mind, the key to a child’s future of height lies in a scientific nutritional regimen and loving companionship from parents. Let every meal become a beautiful memory connecting the family, a place to nurture joy and outstanding height development for children.