11-12_BT_Nov-Dec 2021

Baby & Toddler
Nutrition
NUTRIENT-
DENSE FOOD
FOR CHILDREN’S
OPTIMAL GROWTH
Thanks to the advancement of technology in food
production, we have a large array of food types for our daily
consumption. With the variety of food available today,
ensuring the right food selection poses a challenge, as the
practice to consume nutrient-dense food is still relatively
low in Malaysia. According to research on Malaysian’s
dietary intakes in 2019, the Malaysian diet is relatively
energy-dense and nutrient-poor 1 .
Consuming energy-dense food — in
other words, calorie-dense food — has
proven to result in common adverse
effects namely overweight and obesity.
However, research conducted locally
among urban Malaysian children in
2016 found that a high calorie-dense
diet correlates to stunting 2 .
In a typical Malaysian household, it
is very common for a child to be fed
five times a day. Parents may think
that the usual number of servings is
sufficient, in reality, it might not be
the same for the nutrient intake, as
calorie-dense food usually does not
contain the proper amount of essential
nutrients to support growth. Parents
might need to consider swapping
these high-calorie foods with better
choices — for example, fast food
burgers vs. sandwiches, ice-cream vs.
plain yoghurt with cut fruits, sweet
candies vs. fresh fruits, flavoured
milk vs. formulated milk and fried
vegetables vs. steamed vegetables. That
said, nutrient-dense food is pivotal for
children’s growth, as they need the
right fuel to grow, learn and develop.
Lacking the right nutrients, children in
Malaysia are at risk of being stunted,
and unlike gaining weight, stunting
is irreversible.
Nutrient-dense food is defined as
foods that are rich in vitamins,
minerals and other nutrients
important for health and growth,
without an excessive amount of
saturated fat, added sugars and
sodium. Additionally, nutrition
plays a more dominant role which
determines 80% of the children’s
height 3 , therefore, debunking the
common perception that height is
exclusively influenced by genetics.
Though grocery shopping is restricted
due to the lockdown, it is best to
encourage a diet with a nutrient-dense
selection amongst children to ensure
they reach their full potential for
optimal growth.
Making sure the children’s growth is on
track is not just solely on nutrient-dense
food consumption, as active growth
tracking is also crucial to help minimise
risks and identify problems at an early
age. Growth issues detection by
parents usually happens when
24 BabyTalk | November/December 2021