Nutrition plays a pivotal role in the health and development of children. During these formative years, children experience rapid growth and increased physical activity, making it crucial to provide a balanced diet that supports their overall well-being. A well-rounded diet helps in cognitive development, immune function, and maintaining energy levels.

At ages 5 to 8, children are transitioning into a more structured lifestyle with school and extracurricular activities. Their dietary needs evolve as they grow, requiring a focus on balanced nutrition to support their development. Proper intake of essential nutrients is vital during this period to ensure optimal health and growth.

A balanced diet for children in this age group should include a variety of foods from all food groups. Key nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals are essential for physical growth and cognitive development. Include lean proteins like chicken, fish, and legumes to support muscle growth, and ensure ample intake of fruits and vegetables for vitamins and fiber. Whole grains and dairy products are also important for providing necessary energy and calcium.

Essential Nutrition Tips for Parents

2. Opt for whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables over processed foods to provide essential nutrients and fiber.

3. Include sources of lean protein such as chicken, fish, beans, and tofu to aid in muscle development and growth.

4. Reduce intake of sugary snacks, sodas, and processed foods to prevent weight gain and health issues.

5. Offer nutritious snacks like fruits, yogurt, and nuts between meals to keep energy levels stable and avoid unhealthy cravings.

6. Ensure your child drinks plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and support overall health.

7. Serve appropriate portion sizes based on your child’s age and activity level to avoid overeating and encourage healthy eating habits.

8. Engage your children in planning and preparing meals to teach them about nutrition and encourage healthier food choices.

9. Establish consistent meal and snack times to create a routine and prevent irregular eating habits.

10. Keep track of your child's intake of essential nutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamins to ensure they meet their growing needs.

Ensuring a well-rounded diet for children is essential for their growth, development, and overall health. Pay close attention to your child's dietary needs, focusing on balanced nutrition and limiting processed foods. Foster healthy eating habits early to support your child's growth and prevent future health issues. Regularly review their diet and consult with a healthcare provider to ensure they are meeting all nutritional requirements.

The effects childhood obesity could extend into adulthood. Similarly, a person's fitness level as a kid could have a significant impact on their wellbeing, especially mental health. New research suggests there may be a link.

A study led by researchers at the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research found that children and adolescents with better cardiorespiratory fitness were less likely to develop depression as adults. The findings, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, are based on more than 30 years of follow-up.

Study Conducted Over A Span Of 30 Years

Also read: WHO Cautions Against GLP-1s As First-Line Treatment For Childhood Obesity, Prioritises Lifestyle Changes

Researchers studied data from the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health Study, which began in 1985. More than 1,000 Australian participants were assessed when they were between 7 and 15 years old and followed into adulthood, when they were aged 36 to 49.

Childhood fitness was assessed using physical tests including a 1.6-kilometre run, which measured cardiorespiratory fitness, and a standing long jump to assess muscular power.

A smaller group also underwent tests of muscular strength and fitness using a cycle ergometer. More than three decades later, participants completed a World Health Organization diagnostic interview to assess depression.

The strongest and most consistent association was between cardiorespiratory fitness and lower risk of depression later in life. The relationship appeared stronger among females, while the links involving muscular fitness were less consistent.

Dr Brooklyn Fraser, a researcher at the Menzies Institute, said the study offered a rare opportunity to examine the relationship across such a long period.

“The data collected over 30 years has given us a rare opportunity to examine how early-life fitness relates to mental health later in life,” Fraser said. “We found that children and adolescents with better cardiorespiratory fitness had a lower risk of developing depression as adults.”

Fitness In Childhood Linked To Mental Health Decades Late

Also read: Sedentary Lifestyle Linked To Rise In Back Pain Among Indian Schoolchildren, Say Experts

The study does not establish exactly why childhood fitness was associated with better mental health later in life. But one possibility is that cardiorespiratory fitness reflects a combination of physical activity, cardiovascular health and other behaviours that can influence mental wellbeing. Staying active during childhood may also contribute to healthier habits that persist into adulthood.

Exercise itself has been linked with several aspects of better mental health, including mood, sleep and stress regulation. Social interaction through sports and physical activity could also play a role. But researchers caution against reducing depression to a single lifestyle factor.

“There are many contributing factors to depression, meaning no single factor explains risk on its own. Fitness may be one piece of the puzzle,” said Dr Kylie Smith, the study’s lead author.

The researchers measured fitness at one point in childhood and then examined depression decades later. Factors throughout those intervening years, including genetics, social circumstances, physical health, stress, lifestyle and other experiences, can all influence depression risk.

“While we cannot say a lack of fitness during childhood causes depression in adults, the findings suggest that childhood fitness may have benefits beyond physical health,” Smith said.

A 2026 review and meta-analysis involving more than 4 million people found that higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a lower risk of depression in adults.

The study adds to evidence supporting opportunities for children to move regularly, play outdoors, participate in sports they enjoy and build fitness. Professor Grant Tomkinson of Adelaide University said fitness is important because it is something that can be changed.

“We already know that being physically active is good for our mental health, and previous research has shown that fitter adults are less likely to develop depression,” Tomkinson said. “But we know relatively little about whether being fit early in life is linked to better mental health decades later.”

The World Health Organization has issued its first global guidelines for tackling obesity in children and adolescents. Prioritising lifestyle changes, it has placed diet, physical activity and behavioural support ahead of clinical weight-loss treatments like GLP-1 drugs.

The guidelines come as obesity poses a greater threat to children and adolescents. In 2024, around 400 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were overweight, including 170 million living with obesity. The rate of obesity in this age group has quadrupled since 1990, jumping from 2% to 8%.

The WHO's recommendations come amid growing use of GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Saxenda among younger patients in some countries.

The use of GLP-1 medications weight-loss medications among children under 12 in the US has risen in recent years. According to a recent research data, in 2019, only about 0.03% of children had been prescribed a GLP-1 drug like Wegovy and Saxenda, made by Novo Nordisk, and Eli Lilly's Zepbound. By June 2026, that figure had risen to 9.3%.

WHO Does Not Recommend GLP-1s For Children Under 10

Also read: Are GLP-1 Drugs Safe for Children? Study Finds Nutritional Deficiency in Nearly 17% Within a Year

WHO does not recommend weight-loss medicines, bariatric surgery or weight-management devices for treating obesity for children aged 0 to 9 years.

Instead, it recommends lifestyle interventions, including dietary changes, physical activity and behavioural programmes for children and their caregivers. WHO's guidelines are linked to the limited evidence available on the long-term safety and effectiveness of obesity medicines in younger children.

The guidance is more nuanced for adolescents aged 10 to 19, the. Approved obesity medicines, including GLP-1 therapies, may be considered when a supervised, structured lifestyle programme fails to achieve the desired results.

This means the WHO is not ruling out medication for teenagers but does not place it ahead of lifestyle changes.

“The foundation of obesity care for children and adolescents is not medicine or surgery, but access to comprehensive support that enables healthy eating, physical activity and sustainable behaviour change,” said Luz María De Regil, director of WHO's Department of Nutrition and Food Safety.

Why Is WHO Cautious About GLP-1 Drugs For Children?

Also read: Wegovy & Zepbound Are Not Approved By US FDA For Children Under 12: So Why Are Prescriptions Rising?

GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy have transformed obesity treatment in adults, but the evidence base in children and adolescents is limited. De Regil said there is currently insufficient evidence on GLP-1 drugs in younger populations. The WHO director also said that research is in progress to study their effectiveness and safety, which could revise the health body's position.

Questions around long-term safety, how treatment affects growth and development, how long medication needs to be continued and what happens after stopping treatment remain important areas of research. It's crucial as children may have to be on GLP-1 treatment for a long time.

Some GLP-1 drugs are already approved for certain younger patients. In the US and European Union, Wegovy and Saxenda can be used for weight management in some adolescents aged 12 and older, while the EU also permits Saxenda for certain children aged 6 to 11.

Even though evidence is limited about side-effects of GLP-1 drugs in children, a new study found that nearly 1 in 6 children, or 17%, treated with GLP-1 medications developed a diagnosed nutritional deficiency within one year.

The research, conducted by scientists at Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, found that vitamin D deficiency was the most common nutritional deficiency, identified in 12.4% of children within one year of starting GLP-1 treatment.

WHO Wants Obesity Treatment To Go Extend Weight Loss

The new guidelines also emphasise that treating childhood obesity should not be reduced to the weighing scale. WHO recommends addressing diet, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep and behavioural factors, while tailoring interventions to the child and family.

Mental health also forms part of the guidance as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and social withdrawal can both contribute to unhealthy behaviours and be consequences of living with obesity. Children with obesity can also face stigma and bullying, making psychological and social support an crucial part of obesity care.

“Our priority must be to ensure that every child and adolescent can access quality care and supportive environments from an early age, helping them achieve and maintain a healthy weight and laying the foundation for lifelong health and well-being,” De Regil said.

Timely care during pregnancy, delivery, the newborn period and early childhood can help reduce some risks associated with cerebral palsy, a group of lifelong neurological disorders affecting movement, muscle tone and posture, experts said on the occasion of World Cerebral Palsy Day.

Observed annually on October 6, World Cerebral Palsy Day aims to raise awareness, advocate for equal rights and support the more than 50 million people living with cerebral palsy (CP) worldwide.

Speaking to HealthandMe, experts said preventing cerebral palsy may not always be possible, but appropriate care before and after birth and early recognition of developmental concerns can help reduce some risks and ensure timely support.

"While cerebral palsy cannot always be prevented, reducing avoidable risks around pregnancy and childbirth, recognizing complications such as reduced oxygen supply promptly, and providing appropriate newborn and developmental care can make a meaningful difference to a child’s health and functioning," Dr Neelam Suri, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi, told HealthandMe.

Pregnancy and Birth: How Can The Risk Be Reduced?

Also read: Rare Pregnancy Infections Linked To 3-Fold Higher Autism Risk: What Is TORCH?

Dr Suri stressed the importance of regular antenatal care to identify and manage infections, high blood pressure, diabetes, fetal growth problems and other pregnancy complications.

Preventing or appropriately managing preterm birth is also important, as premature babies have a higher risk of developing cerebral palsy.

"One important concern around birth is birth asphyxia, where there is reduced oxygen supply to the baby’s brain, particularly during labor or delivery," Dr Suri said.

Timely recognition of fetal distress and appropriate intervention during childbirth can help reduce complications associated with reduced oxygen to the brain. Monitoring the baby during labor and having access to timely obstetric and newborn care are therefore important.

Dr Gurneet Singh Sawhney, Director, Stereotactic & Functional Neurosciences and Senior Consultant, Department of Neurosurgery & Spinal Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Mumbai, said the risk can also be lowered through regular antenatal check-ups, controlling diabetes and blood pressure, getting the rubella vaccine, treating infections promptly and avoiding smoking and alcohol.

"If a baby is likely to be born early, delivering at a well-equipped center makes a real difference. So does quickly treating newborn jaundice or breathing [problems]," he added.

After Birth: What Should Parents Watch For?

Read More: Unsafe Sleep Factors Linked To 73% Of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths In US: CDC

Premature or medically vulnerable babies may need closer monitoring for breathing difficulties, infections, seizures and other problems that can affect the developing brain. Babies who experienced complications around birth may also require neurological and developmental follow-up.

Parents should pay attention to developmental milestones rather than waiting for delays to resolve on their own.

Early Warning Signs Parents Should Not Ignore

READ: World Meningitis Day: Why 1 In 3 Meningitis Deaths Occur In Children Under 5

"Parents are often told their child is just a late bloomer, but some signs need a doctor's attention," Dr Sawhney, told HealthandMe.

Parents should consult a doctor if their baby:

• Cannot hold up their head by four months

• Is not sitting by nine months

• Feels unusually stiff or floppy when picked up

• Favors one hand before the first birthday

• Has legs that cross like scissors

• Shows persistent toe-walking

Why Early Intervention Matters

"The first two to three years are when a child's developing brain adapts most easily. Starting physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy early helps children build healthy movement patterns. It also stops muscles from tightening into permanent contractures," Dr Sawhney said.

Regular hip and spine monitoring, bracing and, where needed, corrective surgery can also support mobility and independence.

"With regular hip and spine monitoring, bracing and, where needed, corrective surgery, many children go on to walk, play and attend school independently," he added.

The focus, experts said, should be on timely care from pregnancy through early childhood, with developmental concerns assessed as early as possible.