Children’s diets are constrained even by social, cultural, and gender barriers. Mothers remain primarily responsible for the feeding and care of young children. Yet, mother’s status in patriarchal norms and unequal power lacks autonomy to decide what food is purchased or fed to their children. There is mounting time pressure on mothers, and many turn to the convenience of processed and fast foods to feed their children.Unhealthy processed foods and drinks are widely accessible and heavily marketed. In several countries including India, it was found that one in three children were fed at least one processed or ultra-processed food or drink daily. These products are highly available, cheap and convenient, and some are marketed with misleading nutrition claims because legislation to prevent inappropriate marketing is missing, inadequate or poorly implemented.Children living in rural areas or from poorer households are significantly more likely to be fed poor diets, compared to their urban or wealthier peers. In 2020, for example, the proportion of children fed the minimum number of recommended food groups was twice as high in urban areas (39 per cent) than in rural areas (23 per cent), the findings revealed. Poor feeding patterns have persisted throughout the last decade, the study has found.The report has warned that poor diets can scar children for life. An insufficient intake of nutrients found in vegetables, fruits, eggs, fish and meat at an early age puts children at risk of poor brain development, weak learning, low immunity, increased infections and, potentially, death. Children under the age of two are most vulnerable to all forms of malnutrition, including stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight and obesity.
Source link
