How Nutrition Affects Your Child’s Brain Health and Development

Nutrition has a major impact on a baby’s developing brain. What a mother eats while pregnant, as well as the baby’s diet, all affect the child’s current and future brain health.

Chloe Plummer, MS, RD, LD, a clinical dietitian at ProMedica, explains that while proper nutrition is important for everyone, it is especially important from conception through the toddler years. “Receiving the right amounts of essential nutrients is most crucial for pregnant women and during the first few years of a baby’s life,” Plummer shares. “It’s important to put a little more focus on what you and your child are consuming during this time.”

Where To Find Essential Nutrients

A few key nutrients to ensure your child is receiving include protein, iron, choline, omega-3 fatty acids and folic acid. Each of these nutrients plays a different role in brain health and development. Inadequate consumption can have lasting effects.

The best way to ensure your child is getting the nutrients they need is to provide a balanced, healthy diet rich in protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and calcium-rich foods. The following foods are great sources of five essential nutrients for brain health and development.

• Protein: Lean meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans and nuts.
• Iron: Lean meat, poultry, nuts, fortified bread and cereal, beans and dark green leafy vegetables.
• Choline: Eggs, liver, red meat, chicken, fish and dairy.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Nuts and fish ­– opt for fish low in mercury such as salmon, canned light tuna, tilapia or cod.
• Folate/Folic acid: Dark green leafy vegetables, fortified breakfast cereals, enriched grains, beans and peas, fruit and liver. This nutrient is particularly important during pregnancy.

Effects of Nutrient Deficiency

Studies have demonstrated that low levels of these essential nutrients can lead to overall poor neural development, neural tube defects, decreased brain function and even smaller brain size.

“Proper nutrition during the fetal stage and first few years of a child’s life is extremely important. If a child is deficient of certain nutrients during this time, there is a higher risk for lasting effects,” Plummer shares. 

What To Do About Picky Eaters

“The good thing about picky eating is it’s usually just a phase,” Plummer encourages. “Continue to offer a variety of foods for snacks and mealtimes, even if you don’t think your child will eat it.” Simply exposing kids to healthy foods is a great first step in them trying them down the line.

If you feel that you or your child are not able to obtain enough nutrients from diet alone, there may be nutritional supplements available. Talk to your primary care provider or dietitian about consuming a healthy diet and what supplement(s) might be right for you.