In many families today, children are adequately fed in quantity, even with excess energy, but still face a form of malnutrition that is less noticed: "hidden hunger".
This is a condition where the body lacks essential micronutrients even though the diet still meets daily calories. This phenomenon is becoming a silent threat to the growth and comprehensive development of children.
According to nutritionist Divya Achrekar, working at Narayana Health SRCC Children's Hospital, Mumbai, India - malnutrition is not always manifested by a thin physique. Many children have weight and height within the normal range but are chronically deficient in important vitamins and minerals, directly affecting immune function, brain development and long-term health.
Why do children who eat enough calories still lack micronutrients?
The most common cause comes from a diet rich in processed foods. Fast food, sugary drinks, refined grains and packaged meals provide a lot of energy but are poor in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Children get full quickly but the body does not receive enough nutrients needed for growth.
In addition, picky eating habits in young children make the diet less diverse. When children only accept some familiar dishes and eliminate green vegetables, fruits or protein-rich foods, the risk of iron, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency increases significantly.
Convenient, picky foods and busy lifestyles push children into a "hidden hunger".
Food marketing also contributes to exacerbating the problem. Eye-catching packaging, cartoon character images and labels such as "natural" or "healthy" make it easy for parents to ignore the high levels of sugar, salt and additives in products. Meanwhile, busy life makes many families prioritize quick, easy-to-prepare meals instead of balanced nutritional meals.
According to Dr. Susan Calder, Professor of Immune Nutrition at the University of Southampton, UK, micronutrient deficiency, even at a mild level, can cause cognitive retardation, immunodeficiency, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and increase the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis in the future.
Experts recommend that parents prioritize pure foods, diversify meals, limit processed foods and consult nutrition experts when suspecting a child is deficient in nutrients. Ensuring children "eat enough" is not enough; more importantly, eating correctly and eating balancedly to prevent the "hidden hunger" that is silently affecting children's health.
