NUTRITION AND MOTOR DEVELOPMENT DURING EARLY CHILDHOOD: STARTWELL GROW – TRANSFORMING CHILDHOOD NUTRITION FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Abstract

In South Africa, 1.6 million children under 6 years old are enrolled to attend Early Learning Programmes. A staggering 65% of children attending an Early Childhood (ECD) centre in South Africa fail to thrive by the age of five. This shortcoming places a high percentage of school beginners at risk for developmental problems associated with inadequate motor skills. Motor development has been reported as a crucial part of a learner's overall development and is intertwined into many different facets of the growing child. The growth and development of young learners can be influenced by many factors, with nutrition and the surrounding environment being highlighted as major contributing factors. StartWell GROW cereal is a groundbreaking nutrient-rich ready-to-eat meal, which could revolutionise childhood nutrition in learning environments in South Africa. This innovative cereal, boasting a unique blend of multi-wholegrains, multi-legumes, dairy, and essential vitamins and minerals, has the potential to become a game-changer in the quest to nourish underprivileged children and provide them with the fuel they need to thrive. The aim of this review article is to provide a foundation for the upcoming quantitative research study which will determine the effects of the StartWell GROW nutrient-rich-ready-to-eat meal on the fundamental movement skills, visual-motor integration, and body composition of children in ECD centres.