Keep children away from consuming unhealthy foods

Nutrition is crucial for transforming populations into assets. Malnutrition diminishes human productivity and potential, deprives children of adequate development, and hampers a nation's economic progress. Despite significant advancements in nutrition in recent decades, many children in Bangladesh still suffer from inadequate diets. This situation poses a significant challenge for the nation's well-being.

After birth, a child's primary source of nutrition is typically breast’s milk from the mother. Nutritionists and child specialists emphasize the importance of providing nutritious, homemade foods to infants after they reach six months of age. However, the reality in Bangladesh, as revealed by demographic and health surveys, shows that nearly 50% of children aged 6 to 23 months consume diluted fluids and commercially processed foods high in salt and sugar. According to surveys, these foods are considered unhealthy. Doctors, nutritionists, and researchers also consider these foods unhealthy. According to them, the situation is alarming because such unhealthy foods contribute to childhood obesity and can lead to various diseases.

According to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on the crude birth rate, crude death rate, and population, the number of children aged six months to two years in the country could be around 47 lakh. However, considering the survey rate of the report, it appears that more than 23 lakh children are consuming unhealthy food, which presents a dire situation for the country's healthcare system.

Data indicates that the artificial drinks consumed by children in the country contain high amounts of sugar and preservatives. These preservatives and sweetening agents often have various harmful components, which can lead to abnormal physical growth in children.

Chips, burgers, and instant noodles typically contain high amounts of regular salt. Consuming excessively salty foods at a young age can cause harmful reactions in a child's body. Additionally, excess salt intake can lead to high blood pressure in children, which increases the risk of heart disease. Children who grow up consuming these unhealthy foods are at risk of developing various diseases, including diabetes, in adulthood. This means that due to their early dietary habits, many children are inviting long-term health issues, which is alarming.

Researchers believe that a child's mental development is most significant during the first three years after birth, alongside their physical growth. For this, a balanced diet is essential. However, if children fill up on unhealthy foods, they do not consume the nutritious foods they need.

This leads to constipation and vitamin deficiencies. Therefore, parents need to be aware and keep their children away from these foods. To improve parents' nutritional knowledge and maintain healthy eating habits, more extensive promotion from the government is needed. In this context, it has become essential for the authorities to take necessary steps to eliminate malnutrition in the country.