India is currently suffering from vast problems of malnutrition among children. The term malnutrition does not mean thin, starved or under-fed children. Malnutrition is an umbrella term that encompasses both under and over nutrition.

According to UNICEF, under-nutrition is the cause of 50% under-five deaths in India. On the other hand, in Delhi alone, there are nearly 24.2% obese adolescent children. Obese children are not concentrated in public schools alone. The prevalence of obesity in adolescents is 29% in public schools and 11.1% in government schools.

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Using attractive names for healthy foods increases kid’s selection and consumption of these foods, a new study has found.

Researchers Brian Wansink, David Just, Collin Payne, and Matthew Klinger of Cornell university conducted a couple of studies to explore whether a simple change such as using attractive names would influence kid’s consumption of vegetables.

Get a complete diet plan for your child

In the first study, plain old carrots were transformed into “X-ray Vision Carrots.” 147 students ranging from 8-11 years old from 5 ethnically and economically diverse schools participated in tasting the cool new foods.
Lunchroom menus were the same except that carrots were added on three consecutive days. On the first and last days, carrots remained unnamed.

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Got a health query? Ask our experts

It’s that time of the year again. The weather is changing and every other person you meet is nursing a cold or a fever. As your child sits in a class of many, he may be vulnerable to contagious diseases, as his immunity is not fully developed yet. These pointers will ensure that your child returns home happy and healthy!

Regarding illnesses

The old adage – ‘Starve a cold, feed a fever’ has no medical basis. If your child is ill, giving him home-cooked light and nutritious food is most important for his speedy recovery.

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Consulting Pediatrician and Neonatologist, Dr. Asha Ajgaonkar graduated from Seth G.S. Medical College & KEM Hospital, Mumbai.

She completed her post graduation from Wadia Children’s Hospital, Mumbai and has been practising as a pediatrician and neonatologist for the last 33 years.

Dr. Asha practises at her private clinic Jaya Child Care Clinic and specialises in the treatment of asthma in children.

The expert took time off her busy schedule to answer Sify readers’ questions on child health. Read the chat transcript here.

Dr. My son is 1yr 4 mnths old. I hv two problems. One, his weight is 7.5kgs. But active. Second, making him to eat is herculean task. Pl clarify, whether his weight is OK & how to increase his weight & is it normal at this age child resist to eat
If he was a normal full time baby weighing around 2.5-3kgs at birth, his weight should have been around 9 and a half kg by one year.. Stop using the bottle feeding. Reduce the intake of milk so that he starts eating. He should take only 2-3 milk feeds in a day.

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Moms over 40 years take heart – your kids are not only healthier but also smarter than offspring of younger women and less likely to have accidents, a new study said.

Their kids will also develop a broader vocabulary from a young age and achieve higher scores in IQ tests in a range of measures up to the age of five, the study said.

The research is a rare piece of good news for the rising number of women who are delaying motherhood.
Previous studies have highlighted the growing infertility rates for older women and the greater risk of them developing diabetes and pre-eclampsia disorder. But the latest research seems to show gains for older mothers once they have given birth, possibly due to their greater experience and maturity.

The number of mothers who gave birth over the age of 40 increased in Britain from 15,000 in 2000 to 27,000 in 2010, the Daily Mail reported.

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Breast-fed babies have healthier gut than formula-fed infants, thanks to the mother`s milk, which encouraged beneficial bugs to grow and protect the infants from illness and pathogens, says a study.

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Dr. MD Shah has been Consulting Pediatrician and Pulmonologist at Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai for the last 38 years.

Also running a private practice, Dr Shah is advisor to the Indian Academy of Pediatrics.

This pediatrics expert is skilled at managing respiratory problems in children.

Dr. Shah took time off his busy schedule to answer Sify readers’ questions on child health in an exclusive chat. Read the complete transcript here.

Sir, My son age is 2 years. he is not drinking any milk. He is refusing to drink milk. He was drinking mothers milk properly and still he is asking for mother milk. please suggest any solution for this.
It appears that he is addicted to mother’s milk and so he is refusing the other milk.. stop breast feeding immediately and it should not be re started even if the child refuses to take any milk.. after a few months he shall get de addicted to breast feeding and will start taking other milk.. other milk could be combined by sugar, Bournvita, Horlicks,etc. to make it more palatable..

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A lot of factors have to be taken into consideration while planning a diet for children. Children need more calories and protein for growth and tissue repair. All nutrient requirement is increased during the growing stage.

This article of mine is meant for new mothers who are searching for information on the weaning foods for their loved little ones.

Weaning can be started at the age of 3 to 4 months along with breast milk. Nutritional supplementation can be started with soft and mashed cereal foods. Always the new food should be introduced at lunchtime, when the infant gets adjusted with that food it can be extended gradually to other times. Some infants get mild indigestion in the beginning. These foods should not be bottle-fed; it has to be spoon-fed. Rice is good to start as first cereal and it has to be cooked soft. It can be given with salt and ghee or mixed with curd.

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Children as young as eight are suffering adult injuries such as repetitive strain injuries (RSI) and neck pains from using hand-held electronic devices, experts say.

According to chiropractors, children using `tech toys` such as iPhones, iPads and hand-held games are complaining of repetitive strain injuries of the thumbs, wrist and elbows, stiff necks, headaches and sore shoulders, which are injuries usually associated with adults working with computers.

Ayurveda for carpel tunnel syndrome

Chiropractors association spokesman Dr Kerein Earney said children were risking permanent damage because of excessive game play.

Dr Earney said she saw an eight-year-old with an opposite neck curve from playing hand-held games.

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