Growth: healthy status and active food model in pediatrics

The brain integrates peripheral signals of nutrition in order to maintain a stable body weight. Nutritional status defined as the results of introduction, absorption, and utilization of the nutrients could be interpreted with the base of the relationship between nutritional status and healthy status. In this view, energy balance, body function, and body composition are three entities correlated to each other to the healthy status.

To discuss the nutritional status in relation with healthy status, and its relationship with growth and nutrients.

A review of the available literature on food patterns and active food model was carried out.

In the reviewed studies, strategies that could offer promising results to prevent overweight and obesity were discussed, in particular in the light of functional foods that effect energy metabolism and fat partitioning.

At this moment it is necessary to proactively discuss and promote healthy eating behaviors among children at an early age and empower parents to promote children's ability to self-regulate energy intake while providing appropriate structure and boundaries around eating.