Nutrition is not only fundamental to an individual’s cognitive and physical growth, it is also the cornerstone of all development efforts, whether improving education, health and nation’s economy.

Hence the most important time for good nutrition according to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is in the 1,000 days from the beginning of a woman’s pregnancy to the second birthday of her child.

The first 1,000 days of life – the time spanning between conception and a baby’s second birthday – is a unique period of opportunity when the foundations of optimum health, growth, and neurodevelopment across the lifespan are established.

Speaking during a media advocacy for COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access ( COVAX) and Routine Immunization ( RI)​ uptake in Lagos by UNICEF and National Orientation Agency , Ada Ezeogu, Nutrition Specialist, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), South West reiterated : “The first 1000 days of a child’s life starts from conception and covers the period of pregnancy. So if you calculate the period of pregnancy, say, 270 days plus the first year; 365 plus another 365 days, you arrive at 1000 days. This covers the period of conception up to when the child is two years old, that’s the second birthday.

“That is a time of tremendous development for the child. It’s a time when the brain is being developed. It is also a time when you lay lifelong health benefits for the child. And it is also a time that you can ensure that the child has a good start in life because it grants everybody equal opportunity to lay down those foundations.

“A lot happens within that period because the child gets all their nutrients from the mother. If a mother is not well nourished, it affects the growth of the baby within her. The baby can come out with a low birth rate or is already stunted from the womb. The baby comes into life already disadvantaged because you need to put in special intervention to make sure the baby survives and strives.”

“Babies who are malnourished in the womb have higher risks of dying in infancy, and face more lifelong cognitive & physical deficits and chronic health problems. Undernutrition of under age two can be life-threatening,

this weakens the child’s immune system and makes him/her more susceptible to dying from common illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria. The impact of undernutrition on infants is largely irreversible , devastating later years in life with long-term effects on health, cognitive and physical development and can be  intergenerational.”

She also outlined strong evidence generated by economists, to show that eliminating malnutrition in young children has multiple benefits.

According to her ,” it can boost gross national product by 11% in Africa and Asia , prevent child deaths by more than one third per year , improve school attainment by at least one year , increase wages by 5-50%,reduce poverty as well-nourished children are 33% more likely to escape poverty as adults, empower women to be 10% more likely to run their own business ,break the inter-generational cycle of poverty “.

Speaking on benefits of good nutrition, the nutrition specialist observed that without good nutrition, the mind and body cannot function well while the foundations of economic, social and cultural life are undermined.

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Good nutrition leads to  higher earnings and mental acuity, which in turn support macroeconomic and societal growth , Poor nutrition (under nutrition, overweight and obesity) impairs productivity, which acts as a drag on national growth. Without appropriate investments poor nutrition persists, contributing to the global burden of disease and impaired quality of life.”

So , to tackle malnutrition , she explained that actions targeted at this critical period include ,” appropriate nutrition prior, during and post natal, early initiation and continued exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6months of life, appropriate complementary foods for infants over 6 months with continued Breastfeeding for up to 2 years , micronutrient supplementation for women and children to address deficiencies, deworming of children 1-5yrs , management of Severe acute malnutrition.”

She maintained that these investments in nutrition – particularly in the earliest years of life can yield dramatic results for children, their families and communities.