Why Food Diversity Is the Key to Children’s Digestive Health?

JAKARTA – Many parents often only focus on the number of calories or portions of children’s meals so that they feel full. However, there is one crucial thing that is often forgotten: food diversity. In fact, the variety of types of food is not just a matter of taste, but the main foundation for digestive health that determines the quality of life of children in the future.

Clinical Nutrition Specialist from the University of Indonesia, Dr. dr. Diana Sunardi, M.Gizi, Sp.GK(K), revealed that food diversity has a close relationship with the ecosystem of microorganisms in the child’s stomach.

“There are things that are often forgotten, especially for children’s intake, namely food diversity. In fact, from this food diversity we can get a lot of nutrients that have an effect not only on the health of the digestive tract but in general,” said Dr. Diana as quoted by ANTARA.

Gut Microbiota: The War Between Good and Bad Bacteria

Children’s digestive health is highly dependent on the balance of bacteria in the gut. Ideally, good bacteria should be more dominant than bad bacteria. This is where the important role of food diversity comes in.

Varied food provides various types of dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber. This fiber serves as “food” (prebiotic) for good bacteria so that they remain strong and able to carry out their functions optimally.

Health Flow: From the Gut to Intelligence

Why is digestion so important for growth? Dr. Diana explains the interconnected flow:

Smooth Metabolism: A healthy digestive tract ensures that nutrients are digested perfectly.

Optimal Absorption: If the intestines are healthy, the process of absorbing nutrients into the blood runs optimally.

Physical & Cognitive Growth: Well-absorbed nutrition not only makes children grow tall and strong physically, but also supports brain development (cognitive).

“If the nutrients are absorbed well, then the end will definitely be to the overall health of our children,” he added.

Beware of Signs of Digestive Disorders

Many parents think that digestive disorders are just diarrhea. In fact, a problem digestive system can give other signals that often make children feel uncomfortable without being able to express it clearly.

Some symptoms that parents need to be aware of include:

The child becomes fussy for no apparent reason.

The stomach feels uncomfortable or bloated.

Nausea and vomiting.

Disturbance of defecation pattern (constipation or diarrhea).

Tips For Parents

To prevent these disorders, dr. Diana advises parents to always ensure that their children’s plates contain complete and balanced nutrition. Make sure there is a variety of sources of carbohydrates, animal and vegetable proteins, as well as vegetables and fruits rich in fiber every day.

By maintaining the health of the digestive tract early on through food diversity, you are building a long-term investment for your baby’s health and intelligence.

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