Abbott’s “Grow Right” Initiative to Help Parents Achieve Holistic Growth in Toddlers
Abbott’s “Grow Right” Initiative to Help Parents Achieve Holistic Growth in
Toddlers
Chennai, 19th February 2020: Abbott brought together leading experts to form India’s first
ever Grow Right Guild that developedthe Grow Right Charter guidelines across four critical
growth parameters – nutrition, play, nurture, and impact. The Grow Right charter defines right
growth as a combination of physical, cognitive and mental progress that should be observed
carefully and holistically during the foundational years of childhood. The guidelines include: Right Nutrition guidelines will help parents better manage mealtimes and ensure a
complete and balanced diet for their toddlers. Right Play addresses the growing concern among parents about unchecked screen-time
and inadequate playtime by defining appropriate ways to creatively engage with toddlers. Right Nurture guidelines are designed to assist evolving behavioral trends in response
to increasingly dynamic influences a toddler faces in today’s digitized world. Right Impact guidelines will help toddler parents identify and manage red flags in key
growth and development markers.
Dr. Irfan Shaikh, Head Pediatric Nutrition – Scientific & Medical Affairs, Abbott Nutrition said,
“Problems with eating habitsmay lead to significant negative nutritional, developmental and
behavioral issues in toddlers. Early recognition and management are key to addressing this
concern. During early childhood, the brain develops rapidly and is particularly sensitive to the
external environment. WHO also recommends 60-minutes of vigorous physical activity or play
per day as it provides additional health benefits.It is alarming to see that most Indian children
are not meeting the recommended levels of physical activity*.”
Addressing a frequently asked query by toddler moms, Grow Right Guild member, nutritionist
Dr. Eileen Canday,decoded micronutrient deficiency saying, “Hidden hunger or micronutrient
deficiencies are the most common issues we see in toddlers today. As foods become more
accessible outside homes — at malls, restaurants, and through online food delivery, parents’ job
of ensuring that their toddler is receiving the right nutrition becomes tougher. While these make
the child seem full, they lack key micro and macronutrients. One way to deal with this is to, pick
the occasions carefully to eat out! You can eat out, but make sure to choose healthy foods, and
let the selection of the meals be guided by the ingredients.”
Dr. Priya Chandrasekhar, emphasized on the importance of understanding growth in toddlers,
“Childhood is a period of rapid growth and development and is a critical phase, which lays the
foundation for markers of a healthy adult life. The average growth* of a child from the age of two
till the growth spurt at puberty continues at a rate of approximately 6–8 cm per year, and 2 kg
per year. However, every child has a unique pace of growth which may vary, and parents must
rely on established standards – like the World Health Organization growth charts for growth
measurements.”
