Fostering
good health in children is a life-long endeavor that begins with proper
nutrition and healthy food choices in the early years. Babies and
toddlers who are fed low-calorie, nutritious foods are healthier and do
better in school than kids who consume high-calorie foods. But when we
consider that the healthy development of a child is also dependent on
choices that her mother made while pregnant, it becomes apparent that
nutrition and good health are intrinsically linked in ways we are just
beginning to understand.
A
developing baby in utero draws all of her nutrition from her mother. If
a mother’s health is impacted by a poor environment or she doesn’t eat
well, the baby’s health and development are also at risk.
A
baby’s brain is perhaps even more sensitive to fluctuations in
nutrition. For example, recent studies show that babies with low birth
weight are more susceptible to obesity later in life. The reason for
this is that the area of the human brain that signals when you’re full
develops improperly in low birth weight babies, and so they are “wired”
for overeating and obesity. Low birth weight babies are also at risk for
other diseases in adulthood like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and
high blood pressure.
Good
nutrition and healthy eating choices are critical for pregnant mothers,
and even for women who are thinking of becoming pregnant. Since many
people often do not fill their dietary needs through food alone, health
experts strongly encourage pregnant women or women of childbearing age
to take prenatal vitamins that are high in folic acid and other
essential vitamins and minerals for healthy fetal growth.
For
communities where healthy food choices are limited, there are various
organizations and community groups throughout the country that are
making concerted efforts to provide healthy options. These include
farmers’ markets that are accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) benefits, and other nutrition incentives.
Read More:
In the News:
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Video
New CDC study finds that obesity rates among 2-4 year olds dropped in 18 states.
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This
initiative provides yet another example of how Hillary Clinton is
carrying forward, in the private arena, work that she set in motion as
Secretary of State. In her September 2010 introduction of the 1000 Days
Initiative she clarified, along with other world leaders, the effect
affordable, healthful nutrition, pre-natal through age two, can have on a nation.
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
InterContinental Hotel
New York City
September 21, 2010
