Busting the popular myth, a recent medical research advocates healthy and adequate food for quick recovery of children who are ill. “Disease consumes calories. Food restriction during illness leads to calorie deprivation and malnutrition. Malnutrition causes mucosal damage and lowers immunity, leading to a vicious cycle of infection and malnutrition,” clarifies senior researcher Dr Asha D. Benakappa, who led a research study on the myths associated with diet during childhood illness.
The department of paediatrics, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, collected data on the food myths among child caregivers belonging to different religious communities and social strata. The researchers from the Institute led by Dr Asha found that even educated parents and doctors followed food myths and deprived the ill child of the much-needed nutrition to recover from illness and boost the immunity. The concept of “hot” and “cold’ food is a popular myth.
“Fifty to 70 per cent of the burden of childhood diarrrhoea and respiratory infections is attributable to lack of nutrition. It is compounded by food restriction during illness due to false beliefs. In the long run, it decreases the child’s productivity,” she told this correspondent.The research suggested that when a child is recovering, an extra meal for two weeks is needed. A child’s illness is a crucial moment for counselling of child feeding.
In case of diarrhoea, a child needs more animal protein. It is a myth that non-vegetarian food should not be given to ill children, particularly when they are suffering from diarrhoea. The animal protein is relatively better than protein from vegetable sources.