Early Years of the Child and Nutrition
By kids Dietician in Mumbai Geetanjali Mengi 

■ Start young! Get your children into good eating habits now and they’ll thank you for it in later life. Follow the practical advice in this blog to help them reach their five-a-day fruit and vegetable intake.

■ Get moving according to Pediatric Dietician in Mumbai– walk to school, go to the park, clean the car, turn off the TV – anything you can do to get your child moving will benefit their growing bones and muscles and pay big long-term dividends.

■ Make sure that your child wears heavy school bags across both shoulders. Young bodies are still developing and poor postural habits now could lead to muscle imbalances that exacerbate musculoskeletal problems in later life.

The bones of the foot are not fully set until around the age of 18, so poorly fitting shoes in childhood and adolescence can significantly increase your child’s risk of foot problems in adult life.

■ Most bone mass is laid down before the age of 17, so a calcium-rich diet during childhood and adolescence will protect the skeleton throughout life. Research suggests that for every 5 per cent increase in bone mass during childhood, the risk of later fractures is cut by up to 40 per cent.

You don’t have to live with aches and pains. Whatever your age or activity level, there are things you can do that will help you – small changes that will make a big difference to your musculoskeletal health. Act now, and you could save yourself a lot of pain and discomfort.

If you lay down the right foundations during childhood and continue to strengthen and exercise your body in later years, you should find that your bones and muscles continue to support and protect you well into old age. Everyday factors can take their toll but the right diet and lifestyle will maximize your bone and muscle health and keep you strong, whatever your age.

kids Nutritionist in Mumbai Geetanjali Mengi explains clearly why problems occur and outlines strategies for encouraging and safeguarding bone, joint and muscle health from childhood to old age.

Taking control of your musculoskeletal health means being aware of your body and understanding how it changes: we don’t all age at the same rate or experience the same health problems in our daily lives – but during certain periods of your life there are some particular points that could be helpful to bear in mind.