WHAT IS A NUTRITION DEFICIENCY?
Dr. Shajahan Mohammed in UAE-AESMC, explains that your child’s body requires micro nutrients- different vitamins and minerals for growth and prevention of disease. Since micro nutrients are not produced naturally in the body, your little one has to get them from his/her diet.
A nutritional deficiency arises when the body doesn’t absorb or get micro nutrients in adequate quantities from food. Deficiencies can lead to a variety of health problems related to digestion, skin disorders, stunted or defective bone growth and dementia.
For concerns regarding nutrition deficiency in your child, please call AESMC for a consultation with a child pediatrician in Abu Dhabi.
WHAT CAUSES NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES?
Unhealthy diet lacking in essential nutrients. Disease or medication that hinders the absorption of nutrients. For specific information about nutritional requirements for your child, call Adam and Eve Specialized Medical Center to consult with a child pediatrician in Abu Dhabi.
IS YOUR CHILD’S DIET NUTRIENT-RICH?
Your child needs different amounts of nutrients at different ages. According to the latest American Dietary Guidelines, a wholesome diet for your child should provide the following nourishment:
Grains
Encourage your child to have whole grains such as whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice. Limit the intake of refined grains such as white bread, pasta and rice. Protein
Encourage seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, unsalted nuts and seeds. Dairy
Get your child to eat/drink fat-free or low-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese or fortified soy beverages. Fruits
Include a variety of fresh, canned, frozen or dried fruits in your child’s diet. Limit fruit juice. Go for 100 % juice without added sugars and limit the number of servings. Vegetables
Serve a variety of fresh vegetables-dark green, red and orange, beans and peas, starchy and others, each week. If you use canned or frozen vegetables, look for options that are low in sodium. WHAT FOODS SHOULD YOU LIMIT IN YOUR CHILD’S DIET?
Added sugar- brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, honey. Substitute this with naturally occurring sugars found in fruit and milk. Saturated fats– fats from animal source such as red meat, poultry and full-fat dairy products. Trans fats-foods that contain partially hydrogenated oil. For questions regarding your child’s nutrition or diet, talk to your child’s pediatrician-Dr Shajahan Mohammed in UAE, one of the best pediatricians in Abu Dhabi.
WHAT ARE THE TWO MOST COMMON NUTRITION DEFICIENCIES OBSERVED IN CHILDREN WORLDWIDE?
- Iron deficiency
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 30 percent of the world’s population is anemic.
Please refer the link below for more information:
https://www.healthline.com/health/iron-deficiency-inadequate-dietary-iron
WHAT ARE GOOD SOURCES OF IRON?
Dark leafy greens, red meat, egg yolks.
- Vitamin D deficiency
The Harvard’s School of Public Health suggests that about 1 billion people worldwide don’t get enough vitamin D. Please refer the link below for more information:
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vitamins/vitamin-d/
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF VITAMIN D IN YOUR CHILD’S BODY?
Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones. It helps the body maintain the appropriate levels of calcium needed for the development of teeth and bones.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY?
Stunted or poor bone growth Osteoporosis, caused by deficiency of calcium and vitamin D WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SOURCES OF VITAMIN D?
Natural food sources of Vitamin D are few:
Fish liver oils Fatty fish Mushrooms Egg yolks Liver WHAT IS THE BEST NATURAL SOURCE OF VITAMIN D?
The best source of vitamin D is sunlight. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), five minutes to half an hour of midday sun exposure twice a week on the face, arms, neck, or back can provide your child with enough vitamin D.
For consultation with one of the best pediatricians in Abu Dhabi, please call AESMC today. Dr. Shajahan Mohammed in UAE has over a quarter century of practice in acute and chronic pediatric cases with specialized experience in nutrition deficiency, growth/development and pediatric allergy.
