Good health starts in childhood
Vitamin supplementation is a common practice among adults, but did you know that vitamins strengthen children's immunity and provide benefits for their development?
At birth, babies have immature immune systems that are incapable of fighting infections. However, as they grow, it becomes stronger, thanks to vaccinations and moderate exposure to micro-organisms in the environment, which act to create the body's natural defenses. These are the famous antibodies, responsible for increasing resistance to common diseases at this stage of life.
The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues and organs. They work together to identify and eliminate pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. When a child first gets sick, their body needs to learn to recognize and produce an effective immune response. Once the child's immune system produces a successful defence, it will be able to recognize and fight off enemies more easily in the future.
That's why, during the growth process, it's essential that little ones receive all the nutrients they need to strengthen their immunity. But the reality may be different.
In some cases, children find it difficult to get the right amount of vitamins and minerals from their diet, whether due to cultural, health or socio-economic reasons. According to the National Study of Infant Feeding and Nutrition (ENANI-2019), an unprecedented survey commissioned by the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), anemia, regardless of type, is most common in babies aged 6 to 23 months - with a prevalence of 18.9%. The percentage was 5.6% among children aged 2 to 5 years. The study found that the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in children under 5 is 14.2%.
These figures are worrying. After all, it's worth noting that the main consequences of low nutrient intake for child development, in addition to the occurrence of anemia, are poor growth, low cognitive performance, night blindness and a compromised immune system, which can lead to other more severe diseases.
That's why, when it comes to children's health, extra attention must be paid to ensuring that they can eat all the food groups on a daily basis. The more variety, the more likely they are to consume the right amount of vitamins, which are present in eggs, red meat, vegetables, leafy greens, beans, other grains and a variety of fruits according to the season.
Each vitamin plays a different role and we'll tell you a little about some of the ones you may have heard of:
. Vitamin A: is essential for the proper functioning of the vision and immune system and contributes to the maintenance of the skin.
. Vitamin B6: aids in the formation of red blood cells.
. Vitamin B12: is involved in different metabolic functions, including the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and protein synthesis. Its role is also fundamental to the process of cell division, the formation of blood cells and the synthesis of proteins and myelin (an important substance in the central nervous system).
. Vitamin C: aids in the formation of collagen and the absorption of iron from food.
. Vitamin D3: Vitamin D helps in the formation of bones and teeth, the maintenance of calcium levels in the blood and the absorption of calcium and phosphorus.
. Vitamin E: acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Do you realize how interconnected they all are? After all, the human body is like a soccer team: it takes different players with different skills to win the game together! That's why it's important to start training for this championship at an early age by encouraging healthy and natural eating, as well as including children in activities that strengthen the immune system, such as swimming, walking, cycling and jumping rope.
Keeping medical appointments and exams up to date is essential to make sure everything is going well. With a pediatrician's recommendation, it's easier to know when and how to offer the vitamins and the important minerals for each stage of childhood.
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