
7 min read
Kids Gut Health: The role of nutrition in the digestive health of children
Posted By
Digital Spirit Collaborator
TITLE: Kids Gut Health: The role of nutrition in the digestive health of children
AUTHOR: Emma Wiseman
They say your eyes are the windows to your soul.
Well I say your bowel movements are the window to your gut health.
I’m the type of mum who checks my children’s poo’s. The words ‘great poo sweetie’ often flow out of my mouth and in reply I hear a “thanks mum”. This is normal talk in my house. Sometimes I catch myself out and think what has my world come to? But the truth is, your bowel movements and bathroom habits offer great insight into your gut health and in turn, your overall health.
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that the first 1000 days of life (conception through to twenty four months of age) are of critical importance when it comes to child nutrition as this time marks a major developmental period in a child’s life1. There are a number of factors that can affect the health of a child’s gut during this time period:
How a child is born - vaginal or c-section birth2
- How a child is fed as a baby - breast fed or formula fed3
- The timing of solid introduction and type of foods eaten
- The frequency and quantity of medications (eg. antibiotics), specifically in the first two years of life4
- Genetic predispositions and environmental factors that may activate these genes to cause disease
There are also a number of things that can affect a child’s gut health during childhood.
- Food – highly processed foods (high saturated fat and sugar, low fibre) are thought to have a negative effect on gut health5
- Bacterial exposure – a diet that lacks diversity is thought to have a negative effect on gut health.
I see a lot of children in my clinic with bowel inconsistencies and signs that their digestion isn’t working at an optimal level from a very young age. Below are some signs that your child may be having digestive issues:
- They are passing stools less frequently than usual (or less than once per day)
- Stools are hard to pass, or the child is experiencing pain or discomfort whilst going to the bathroom
- They have loose, non-formed stools
- Experiencing excessive gas, or complaining of stomach-aches
- The child is getting sick frequently - compromised immune system
- Low energy and mood
To ensure you are getting the correct information about your kids gut health, the best and first step should always be to speak to your professional healthcare provider.
And while we can’t go back to the first 1,000 days to change anything, there are a number of ways we can help improve the gut health of our children, even when they’re older. Such things include:
- Diet
Offer children a wide variety of fruits and vegetables as part of their normal diet. This exposes their guts to a diverse range of bacteria, which in turn helps to strengthen their digestive health6. If you have a picky eater or are looking for tips to incorporate more fruits and vegetables check out our recent interview with Nutritionist Casey Lee Chambers for some practical tips!
- Stop over sanitising
Allow your kids to get dirty, play dirty and expose them to more natural surroundings. This will help build the immune system, which develops with our gut microbiome.
- Talk to your children
Sometimes what appears to be gut problems, aren’t gut problems at all. And for kids who are not quite able to put how they feel into words, sometimes tummy troubles are the physical manifestation of an underlying psychological problem. Stress is one of the biggest contributors to tummy troubles, so try talking to you child to see if there might be something else to consider.
- Consider a nutritional supplement
Reaching a child’s recommended daily intake of nutrients can be tough, especially if you have a picky eater. Offering your children a product such as Nuzest Kids Good Stuff can act as a buffer to ensure nutrient dense ingredients are being consumed. Nuzest Kids Good Stuff also includes fibre, enzymes and pre- and probiotic ingredients, which all work together to support good gut health. This delicious gut-loving Wild Berry Breakfast Smoothie is a hit with my kids…the cup is empty every time it does the rounds in my house without fail!
References
- Schwarzenberg S, Georgieff M. Advocacy for Improving Nutrition in the First 1000 Days to Support Childhood Development and Adult Health. AAP. 2018;141:2
- Stokholm J, Thorsen J, Chawes B et al. Cesarean section changes neonatal gut coloization. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2016;138;881-889
- Guaraldi F, Salvatori G. Effect of breast and formula feeding on gut microbiota shaping in newborns. Font Cell Infect Microbiol 2012;14
- Gibson M, Crofts T, Dantas G. Antibiotics and the developing infant gut microbiota and resistome. Curr Opin Microbiol 2015;27;51-56
- Dawson S, Dash S, Jacka F. The Importance of Diet and Gut Health to the Treatment and Prevention of Mental Disorders. Int Rev of Neurobio 2016;131;325-346
- Li F, Hullar M, Schwarz Y et al. Human Gut Bacteria Communities are Altered by Addition of Cruciferous Vegetables to a Controlled Fruit – and Vegetable – Free Diet. J. Nutr. 2009;139;1685-1691
Related news
min read
An Introduction to Gut Health & Nutrition – 5 Must See Articles
Gut health significantly affects overall wellbeing, influencing brain function, immunity, and metabolism. A balanced gut microbiota, influenced by diet and environment, can potentially enhance health, aid digestion, and reduce allergies. The roles of probiotics and prebiotics in gut health are also discussed.
min read
Probiotics vs. Prebiotics
Unleash gut health with probiotics and prebiotics! Strengthen digestion, immunity, and overall well-being. Try Nuzest's Good Green Vitality for convenient support with 8 billion CFU of probiotics. Take charge now!
min read
The Link Between Gut Health & Allergies - Plus 5 Top Tips to Help
Discover the link between gut health and allergies, and how the gut microbiome influences the body's immune response to allergens. Learn how adopting a balanced diet with prebiotics and probiotics can support gut health, reducing the risk of allergic reactions. Explore solutions for allergy relief and fostering a healthier gut with Nuzest’s multi-nutrient formula, Good Green Vitality.
min read
The Great Diet Debate: Unravelling the Tapestry of Popular Eating Plans
Exploring popular diets such as the Mediterranean, Ketogenic, Plant-Based, Paleo, and Intermittent Fasting, this overview highlights their principles, benefits, and considerations. It emphasizes the importance of finding a dietary pattern that aligns with individual health goals and preferences, while suggesting the potential benefits of incorporating a multi-nutrient supplement for overall health.
min read
The Gut Connection: How to Improve Your Digestion and Gut Health in 6 Steps
Discover the significance of gut health and its impact on digestion and overall well-being in this insightful article. Learn six practical steps, including maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated, managing stress, and using antibiotics wisely, to promote a healthy gut and enhance vitality.
min read
Does Gut Health Affect Your Immune System? | Do These 6 Things
The gut microbiome, which consists of trillions of bacteria in our digestive tract, plays a crucial role in supporting our immune system and overall health. Consuming probiotics and prebiotics, staying hydrated, managing stress, limiting processed foods, and engaging in outdoor activity and exercise are effective strategies to promote a healthy gut and enhance immunity.
min read
What is Collagen? Types, Sources and Benefits of Supplementation
Collagen is essential for joints, bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, skin, hair and nails.2 It is one of the primary structural proteins of connective tissue and plays a crucial role in the body by cushioning, strengthening, hydrating, binding, and connecting tissues together.3 Connective tissues are able to provide physical and mechanical support through the collagen, elastic and reticular fibres
min read
Kids Good Stuff for Skin Health
How can you ensure your kids have healthy skin? A part from the obvious, what nutrients can we provide our kids to ensure their skin stays in tip top shape?
min read
Maximising Mood In Your Kids
Almost 1 in 7 children and adults aged 4-17 had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. Amy Butler discusses good nutrition and lifestyle modifications, that can help to reduce the risk.
min read
Long-Lasting Energy For Kids
Children and adolescents are going through massive periods of growth and development. To keep up with the demands of school, extracurricular activities, sports and friendships, kids often need a bit of an energy boost. In our latest blog we break down some specific nutrients for energy, to help support growing kids, and the best places to source them from.
min read
Setting Health Goals & Staying Motivated in 2021
Use this tried and tested goal strategy to set smaller, specific goals to avoid the overwhelm of unrealistic and vague health objectives.
min read
Is Ageing The Secret To Happiness?
Aging, mental health and happiness are all deeply intertwined phenomena, their relationship is actually bit more complex than you might imagine. Andy De Santis explains how an older adult can optimize their chances of being on the right side of the health and happiness curve as they age.
min read
Eating for a Healthy Headspace
Andy De Santis takes a deeper look into the connection between diet and mental health. What can we do to protect ourselves from depression and anxiety?
min read
How Inflammation Works: Heart Disease
How is inflammation associated with heart disease? What things can we do to help prevent this disease and others similar?
min read
What Does ‘Natural Flavour’ Really Mean? We Explain.
Everything you need to know about 'Natural Flavours' - Cliff Harvey
min read
Post Lockdown: What We Learnt During Isolation
We asked Nuzest employees around the world for some of the top things they learnt during their time in isolation.
min read
Interview with retired Olympian Martin Reader: Life After Professional Sport
Prior to the global pandemic closing office spaces across Australia, Nuzest HQ were fortunate enough to have had 2012 London Olympian, Martin Reader, attend their office to present a keynote speech on mastering personal performance. They were so inspired by his story of hardship, struggle, challenge and success throughout his career as an athlete, that they asked if he would feature in our blog to talk about his experiences transitioning out of professional sport.
min read
The Truth About Sports Supplements
We’re going to have a migraine-free look at some of the more common sport supplements you might come across and see if they really work, so you can decide what is right for you and what’s best left on the shelf.
min read
Fueling Your Performance: An Interview with Sports Dietitian Jonathan Steedman
So, you’ve set yourself a goal. A charity run? Perhaps an ironman event? Or maybe you’re an athlete aiming to improve your training and stamina? Regardless of the goal, the food that you eat and drink plays a large role in your performance.
We recently spoke to Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Jonathan Steedman (or Jono as he is known to thousands of people on Instagram) about his advice for fuelling for endurance, speed, strength, and power performance.