The golden time to 'boost' your child's growth.

Many parents make the mistake of overfeeding their children all the time, hoping they will grow tall, without realizing that there is a crucial time to "boost" their growth, so they remain short.

Associate Professor Dr. Le Danh Tuyen, Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, stated that there have long been two opposing viewpoints regarding the factors affecting children's height.

The first group believes that a child's height is determined by genetics and prenatal factors, while the other group attributes it to the influence of external factors.

"In fact, most biologists agree that body growth is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, especially nutrition," Associate Professor Tuyen shared.

While basic height is determined by genetics, if nutritional and environmental conditions are not met, development will not be commensurate with genetic potential.

1,000 days to decide

Associate Professor Tuyen stated that modern medicine acknowledges that external factors, especially nutrition during the first 1,000 crucial days of life, play a decisive role in a child's future height.

The height achieved by age 3 will determine a child's height in adulthood. Nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life plays a crucial role among external factors.

1,000 days is counted from the time of conception until the age of 2. This is divided into three stages: 9 months of pregnancy, the first year of life, and 365 days of the second year.

"This is the crucial stage where active intervention is needed to help adults reach their genetic potential in height. Missing out on proper care during the first 1,000 days of life is irreparable," Associate Professor Tuyen emphasized.

Specifically for children, the WHO recognizes that height achieved at age 3 will determine adult height.

Specifically, if a 3-year-old child is severely stunted, only 81.2cm tall, they will only reach a maximum height of 158cm as an adult (even with good care later on). A child with mild stunting who is 89.3cm tall at 3 years old will only reach a maximum height of 167.3cm later, and a normal child who is 94.5cm tall at 3 years old will reach a maximum height of 170.9cm.

During those 1,000 crucial days, breast milk plays a vital role – a precious source of nutrition and the most effective natural vaccine for early life protection.

"Serious scientific studies indicate that cow's milk (formula) is the culprit behind infections, diarrhea, and increased mortality rates in infants under 1 year old (infant mortality rate - IMR - is 12 times higher than in the breastfed group)," Associate Professor Tuyen informed.

What interventions are needed during the first 1,000 days?

Children everywhere have the potential to develop fully, both mentally and to reach their full potential, if they receive optimal care.

During pregnancy, expectant mothers need to minimize prolonged energy deficiency, which can reduce the risk of illness for the fetus by one-third. Pregnant women should ensure they eat a varied diet, consume sufficient micronutrients, and get adequate rest.

Upon birth, infants should be breastfed within the first hour and exclusively breastfed for the first six months. There is no need to give the infant any other food or drink, including plain water.

From the 7th month onwards, children need to be given a sufficient amount of solid and nutritious foods and continue breastfeeding until 24 months of age to ensure their continued healthy development.

According to Associate Professor Tuyen, in Vietnam, nearly 50% of parents make the mistake of introducing solid foods too early to their children, often resulting in insufficient nutrients.

This means that children are not eating the right and sufficient amounts of essential foods (rich in iron, animal protein, fruits and vegetables, milk, grains, and vegetable oils).

Speaking about the role of sports training, Associate Professor Tuyen said that it is a necessary activity to improve health and endurance, but it is not the key to increasing height.

According to Vietnamnet