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To be in fine fettle, there are multiple nutrients that your body needs daily, as the absence of nutrients could lead to various deficiencies. Not only adults have nutritional disorders, but also infants and young children who have to undergo nutritional deficiencies. Their dietary habits and eating patterns have changed drastically over the years. In the past few decades, children have been more inclined to fats and sweetened beverages than fruits, vegetables and healthier options. That’s how essential and nutritional dietary sources are being missed out, and nutritional disorders have been occurring among children in India.
This article highlights the 5 most prevalent nutritional disorders among children in India. Read on to understand which nutrition your children must lack in their daily life.
What is Nutritional Deficiency in Children?
A growing child requires nutrients that help them develop optimally and prevent them from nutritional diseases. Kids’ body doesn’t produce micronutrients, vitamins and minerals naturally; thus, kids need to get them from their diet.
When a child doesn’t consume the recommended amount of specific nutrients, it can result in micronutrient malnutrition or a nutrient deficiency. Deficiencies can also occur when the body cannot adequately absorb a specific nutrient. Numerous deficiencies lead to stunted growth, digestive disorders, poor bone development and skin conditions. These deficiencies result from nutritional disorders in the body.
In 2020, 149 million children under five were considered too short, and 45 million were underweight to their height, resulting in malnutrition.
Most Prevalent Nutritional Disorders Among Children
As we all know, infancy and childhood are the phases in children when they grow and develop. In this development window, nutrition becomes absolutely important to set the stage for lifelong good health. Nutritional deficiency is a prevalent problem worldwide among children. Below are the 5 nutritional deficiencies among children-
1. Iron Deficiency
Iron aids in the movement of oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body as it helps supply the body with oxygen, maintaining connective tissue, physical growth, cell functioning, and producing some hormones. Your child might develop an iron deficiency if they aren’t taking iron rich diet.
Being prevalent among children, iron deficiency in children can occur at many levels varying from mild deficiency to iron deficiency anaemia. It is a health condition in which blood doesn’t have healthy red blood cells that may affect your child’s growth and development.
2. Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that significantly improves bone health and calcium homeostasis. Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children and osteomalacia both in infants and adults. In severe Vitamin D deficiency, one may also experience hypocalcemia resulting in tetany or seizures.
It has been perceived that Vitamin D deficiency is majorly found with the highest frequency among malnourished populations living in rural and resource-limited regions. Children in resource-rich countries may also get rickets if they do not consume adequate Vitamin D. One can intake Vitamin D through supplements, nutrient-rich foods, and sufficient sunlight.
>> Read More: Vitamin D Deficiency Common in Indians
3. Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency was formerly found to be rare among children. However, recent research says the condition has been more prevalent for the past few years. Vitamin B12 deficiency in children causes developmental issues, irritability, weakness and low energy.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can exist even with normal Vitamin B12 serum values and without specific symptoms of megaloblastic anaemia or neuropathy. If the deficiency is detected in time, there is an adequate treatment that can prevent severe damage and improve the child's development.
4. Vitamin C Deficiency
Undernutrition can result in vitamin C deficiency, but severe deficiency that leads to scurvy is rare. Fatigue, sadness, and connective tissue abnormalities are symptoms such as gingivitis, impaired wound healing, petechiae, rash and internal bleeding. Also, deficiency may hamper bone development in children and newborns.
Vitamin C plays an essential role in synthesising collagen, carnitine, hormones and amino acid. It is crucial for maintaining the health of blood vessels and bones, facilitating wound healing, and easing burn recovery. The immune system is supported by vitamin C, and iron absorption also gets supported.
5. Zinc Deficiency
Zinc is a trace element helping children grow and develop normally. It is made of more than 100 enzymes in the body. Its deficiency may lead to growth retardation, loss of appetite and impaired immune function. In severe cases, it can result in diarrhoea and hair loss. Zinc deficiency is found to be more prevalent in people living in developing countries where a high phytate diet is consumed. Vegetarians are perceived to be more prone to zinc deficiency. It can be easily treated through diet and multivitamins containing zinc.
Role of Health Insurance in Protecting Your Child Against Nutritional Disorders
Health insurance protection is essential since it offers protection in the event of any health-related emergency. When considered for children’s protection, the significance becomes even more apparent. Children are more susceptible to sickness since their immune levels are lower than adults. While a number of variables, such as family dynamics and the structure of the healthcare system, affect children's access to quality care, as many lack financial assistance during a medical crisis.
A prevalent belief that health insurance is crucial only for the elderly is an absolute myth. As mentioned above, children can also go through various deficiencies that could lead them to fall sick and need immediate medical assistance. That’s when Care Health Insurance for children and family comes to your rescue, and you don't have to shell out of your pocket. So, protecting your children is paramount in such bleak times of medical inflation and diseases.
