Research shows that 60% of a child’s growth in height happens within the first five years of life. While genetics play an important role, proper nutrition is critical in realizing a child’s full growth potential.
However, achieving good nutritional status can be challenging during the first five years of life, and growth issues may arise if those nutritional needs are not adequately met. Unfortunately, stunted growth – a prevalent form of malnutrition – affects 1 in 5 children aged five and below in Malaysia.
Further, 57% of parents are unaware that their children could be at risk of stunting. Without timely intervention, stunted children are not only physically smaller but may experience long-term effects on their health, school performance and future work capacity.
To help parents recognize signs of nutritional inadequacy and keep children’s growth on track, they can now try out PediaSure GrowthCam, a height measurement tool and online resource focused on supporting parents and helping children grow to their full ability.
It’s an innovative Augmented Reality (AR) Filter that enables parents to measure and track their children’s height in just seconds and gauge if they are at the right height based on their gender and age.
Parents can also access other tools and useful resources through:
- Height Predictor – a height calculator and predictor that parents can use to measure their children’s growth status and obtain the appropriate nutrition recommendation.
- Dietary Guidelines & Sample Meal Plans – based on the Malaysian Healthy Plate, an easy-to-understand visual guide that encourages healthier eating habits through the quarter, quarter, half principle
- Recipes for Kids – a list of simple and nutritious recipes for picky eaters and active toddlers that requires more frequent feeding.
- Abbott’s Nutrition Careline – nutrition counselling for parents
On another note, undernutrition has long-term effects on individuals and societies, including poor cognitive development, less income, recurring illness and poor self-esteem. The consequence is largely irreversible if not corrected at the early years of life, and once stunted at early childhood, a child remains shorter than their peers and is unlikely ever to catch up fully.
Parents and caregivers should continually assess their child’s growth and speak with a healthcare professional if they believe their child is falling behind. For children who have trouble meeting their nutritional needs through food alone, nutritional supplements such as PediaSure Plus can help. For more than 30 years and through 20 clinical studies, PediaSure has been scientifically proven to bring visible growth in weight, height and stronger immunity in children.
It has 38 growth nutrients (including Arginine and natural vitamin K2) and a triple protein complex to support longer and stronger bone growth and promote catch-up growth in early childhood. PediaSure is the no. 1 child nutritional supplement recommended by experts in Malaysia.