What to do if children and adolescents are stunted?

Give full play to the advantages of modern nutrition and traditional food and western medicine, integrate food and medicine into a reasonable diet, improve the individualization and operability of dietary guidance, and assist in preventing and improving growth retardation in children and adolescents.

Stunting among children and adolescents remains one of the current public health problems

Growth retardation refers to the age-specific height cut-off range due to insufficient dietary intake of protein or energy, vitamins, minerals, etc., which is long-term malnutrition. According to the Report on Nutrition and Chronic Diseases of Chinese Residents (2020), the stunting rate of children under 6 years of age is 4.8%, and the stunting rate of children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 is 1.7%. The difference between urban and rural areas in the rate of stunting among children and adolescents has always been more obvious, and it is about 2 to 3 times that in rural areas.

Growth retardation affects the physical and intellectual development of children and adolescents, resulting in physical decline, poor academic performance, etc., which can easily lead to diarrhea, pneumonia and other diseases in severe cases, and increase the incidence and mortality of infectious diseases. In addition, it may also affect their adult height, increase the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases, and reduce labor productivity. Stunting of children and adolescents is still one of the important public health problems facing China.

Regular monitoring of physical development in children and adolescents

Regular monitoring of the physical development of children and adolescents is helpful to timely understand the dynamic changes of growth and development indicators of children and adolescents. The guidelines recommend that children and adolescents should be dynamically and longitudinally tracked for at least 6 months (preferably 12 months) according to their gender, age and nutritional status, and evaluate their growth status according to the growth rate or deviation of growth curves of children and adolescents, and adjust the guidance program in time. At the same time, learn more about the diet, exercise, sleep and psychological conditions of children and adolescents, scientifically assess the dietary and nutritional status of individuals, formulate personalized guidance programs according to the assessment results, and guide parents and children and adolescents to formulate appropriate meal plans and avoid forced eating. For children and adolescents with micronutrient deficiencies, rational use of nutrient supplements if necessary under the guidance of a physician or nutrition instructor. Children and adolescents with long-term unsatisfactory growth and development, poor improvement effect, or growth retardation caused by disease should go to the hospital.

Advocate the combination of regular exercise and diet

Suitable physical activity can enhance appetite, promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, and improve digestive function; For children and adolescents in the critical period of growth and development, it can promote the growth and development of bones and muscles, and help height growth.

Adequate sleep is an important guarantee for physical activity and growth and development of children and adolescents. "Stomach discord is restless", poor digestion will affect sleep, which in turn affects the secretion of growth hormone, and short stature appears. Children and adolescents should be trained to develop good sleep habits to ensure sleep time and quality.

In terms of diet, the food choices of children and adolescents with stunting should be comprehensive, balanced and diverse. Ensure three meals a day, regular quantification, regular diet, adequate energy and nutrient intake. The diet of each meal should include 3 or more types of foods such as cereals, potatoes, vegetables and fruits, livestock, poultry, fish eggs, milk and soybeans. On the basis of a reasonable diet, food and drug quality can be selected for different symptom types. "The quality of food and medicine selected in the food formula is both food and medicine published by the National Health Commission." The relevant person in charge of the National Health Commission said that under the advice of physicians or nutrition instructors, according to the specific conditions of children and adolescents, food and medicinal substances with the effects of strengthening the spleen, appetizing, stagnation, and benefiting the kidneys can be selected, such as malt, hawthorn, lotus seed, potato fruit, yam, etc., as well as the corresponding dietary formula. The guidelines specifically point out that children and adolescents with stunting caused by non-disease causes often involve picky eaters, partial eaters and other reasons, and pay attention to the exchange of similar foods in the daily meal matching process, enrich food varieties, and pay attention to the color and variety matching of vegetables.

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