The more time I spend with my youngest granddaughter Hazel Honey, the more I find myself brushing up on my knowledge of kids’ nutrition. I suppose it’s a proud grandpa thing. Hazel is an active toddler with an inquisitive mind, so like her parents, I want to make sure her diet fully nourishes both her body and brain. As I suspected, nutrition experts continue to point to one nutrient—the trace mineral iron—as a nutrient of concern. In other words, to make sure young kids get enough iron every day to fuel their rapid growth and development, extra vigilance is needed. 

The expected and surprising benefits of iron for young children

Why is an adequate intake of iron so important for young children? The answer is both expected and surprising. You could boil it down to three important reasons. First, iron supports the cognitive function that a young mind needs to learn. Second, it supports motor coordination that a child needs for active play. These are the nutritional actions of iron that many folks recognize.

The third reason may surprise you. An adequate intake of iron also plays a role in a child’s ability to connect with others. Experts call this “social-emotional” health. Parents and grandparents recognize it as a happy child who enjoys interacting and playing with others.

Children under 5 years of age need only a trace amount of iron each day to meet their body’s (and brain’s) needs. Yet, failure to consume an adequate amount remains a public health concern worldwide. Globally, one in four preschool children, on average, consume an inadequate intake of iron. If you think this is only a public health concern for developing countries, think again. For example, in the United States, 7% of young children, aged 1 to 5 years, fall short of an adequate intake of iron. Among the youngest group—kids 1-2 years of age—the prevalence doubles to 14%. No matter how you crunch the numbers, an inadequate intake of iron is a serious public health concern for young children around the world.

There is one more challenge, and it could be the most problematic.

An inadequate intake of iron during the formative years could have a lasting effect of a child’s ability to reach their full potential later in life. To me, this is a prime example of how focusing on prevention as early in life as possible can reap a lifetime of rewards.

The good news is iron supplementation and food fortification programs are among the most cost-effective ways to ensure young children get enough iron, especially for cognitive function, according to the World Health Organization. For this reason, many nations have programs that focus on iron intake, including supplementation and fortified food and drinks.

I’m so proud that Amway is contributing to this important cause through the Power of 5 Campaign. It’s a global collaboration of people and organizations with a singular focus: Helping prevent childhood malnutrition. I shared five reasons why this program just keeps getting better and better in a previous post. Now, we can add another: Through the Power of 5 Campaign, Nutrilite™ Little Bits™  daily supplement is specifically formulated to help meet the needs of undernourished children, aged 6 months to 5 years of age. As you probably guessed, iron is one of the nourishing nutrients in the formula.  I encourage you to learn more about Power of 5 Campaign (and how you can get involved) by visiting the campaign’s website at powerof5.amwayglobal.com.

Of course, the Nutrilite brand also offers supplements like Kids Chewable Daily for otherwise healthy children to help fill nutrient gaps, including iron, as well as some brand new, just launched, supplements that I know Hazel will be excited to try!

Be sure to nourish the young kids in your life with good nutrition, so they are prepared to reach their full potential. After all, the benefits of early nutrition last a lifetime. Add plenty of love, learning and encouragement, and the sky is the limit!

Cheers,

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases