Effect of Nutrition on Toddlers’ overall Health and Growth

Toddlerhood represents striking changes in children’s growth and development. Between birth and age of 3, toddlers‘ body weight increases by 3- 4 times height almost doubles. Balanced diet during toddlerhood is essential not only for healthy growth and development during this key stage of life, but also for the development of the gastrointestinal tract and the gut microbiota.

In turn, a healthy gut microbiota has multiple beneficial effects on healthy growth, development and well-being of toddlers. This tutorial brings information about effects of nutrition on toddlers’ health and its relation to GI gastrointestinal development, including that of intestinal microbiota and its impact on growth and development.