How Healthy Foods and Early Feeding Practices Can Be Effective in Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases



Heidaribeni M¹ ; Kelishadi R²
Source: Healthy Food: Perspectives, Availability and Consumption Published:2020

Abstract

Dietary patterns and food habits during early childhood have longterm impacts in subsequent health outcome in later life. Moreover, parenting style, early feeding practices and child eating behavior are established in early years of life. Growing body of evidence has documented that a healthy dietary pattern is associated with lower risk of the development of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Early feeding practices of parents and caregivers would determine the type, amount and frequency of foods of their children as well as various eating disorders. These feeding practices are established by five years of age, and would strongly affect eating patterns in childhood and in adulthood. The degree of parental control including restriction, monitoring and pressure over early feeding might have strong impacts on the preferences and intake of healthy or unhealthy foods of children. Unhealthy food intake with nutrient deficiency and poor dietary variety in early life is an important health concern with adverse early- and late consequences for children. Prolonged unhealthy diet can lead to growth failure as well as delays in cognitive and developmental issues. Nutrition is a major modifiable factor related to incidence of chronic diseases. Intake of healthy foods in early life may not only influence current health, but may also be a determinant of the development and progress of NCDs much later in life. This chapter aims to summarize the current literature on the effect of healthy foods and early feeding practices in childhood on primordial prevention of NCDs and their risk factors. © 2020 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.