The nutrition one gets when they are a smile child, an infant, even, has a lasting impact on one's health for their entire life.
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Childhood nutrition is tied to a number of adult-age health aspects, including a healthy BMI, reduced risks of diabetes, and a less likelihood of developing an eating disorder. Additionally, well-balanced diets in childhood are linked to healthy brain development, strong reasoning skills, and better mental health outcomes.
Schools which offer a comprehensive, well-balanced meal service to students are key in giving children a better outcome through nutrition alone. In one particular study, not only were students who received early childhood nutrition from schools healthier over their lifetimes, they were also likely to earn 3% more in their total income than peers who did not have nutritional support. It's not only physical and mental health that can be improved through a lifetime with just early nutritional intervention, it is also financial health that seems to be connected.
As important as the early childhood nutrition is, it's important to include prenatal health in this equation. Maternal health has long been proven to have a serious impact on the health of a fetus pre-birth, but maternal nutrition specifically is responsible for the earliest sources of vitamins and proteins to a fetus, and it's proven this early nutrition is key in reducing the risk of developing a wide-range of noncommunicable diseases.
Ultimately, comprehensive nutritional services must be available for both mother and child to best influence the health of someone through their entire life.
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