Can Nutrition Play a Role as a Stimulant for COVID 19 in Children?

Abstract

Background: Nutrition plays a major role in the growth and well-being of children and forms the basis of their existence. A pandemic like COVID19 poses some serious questions and challenges in the minds of practicing pediatricians as to what support they should offer children, their parents and carers alleviating their anxiety about their children's diet and nutrition, that is critical at this time of crisis. Although the evidence for pediatric nutrition and COVID19 is not strong, this article aims to critically look into pediatric nutrition during the COVID19 pandemic and bring the most recent evidence into the limelight to facilitate making the right choices with respect to pediatric nutrition.

Methods: We performed a search on recent literature using the search terms "Covid19" + "Children" + "Nutrition" to analyze the current evidence supporting nutrition as a stimulant for covid19. A review article based on the above search results was written to highlight the importance of nutrition during this pandemic.

Results: Strong recommendations remain unchanged for breastfeeding, healthy complementary feeding, use of supplemental formula where appropriate, oral nutritional supplements, zinc, n-3& n- 6 fatty acids, and probiotics all have a certain role to play as a stimulant for Covid19 in children.

Conclusion: Current evidence emphasizes the use of additional nutritional supplements, especially in the "at risk" groups, low socio-economic status and children with chronic medical problems. Paediatric nutrition should never be overlooked and "one size does not fit all" as every child is different and children's individual nutritional needs vary. This review points to the importance of nutrition as a stimulant to covid19 in the pediatric population.

Keywords: COVID19; ONS; children; diet; nutrition; vitamin D.