From Child Development to Country Development with Food

One of the main factors affecting the development level of countries is having well-educated individuals. The growth, development, health and productivity of well-educated individuals depend on adequate and balanced nutrition. Adequate and balanced nutrition; It is the intake of all the nutrients that the body needs for the development, renewal and functioning of tissues in sufficient and necessary proportions and their appropriate use in the body. Adequate and balanced nutrition not only meets human physiological, psychological and sociological needs, but also contributes to physical and cognitive development [1, 2]. The most important feature that distinguishes humans from other living creatures is their ability to use their brain in cognitive events. The brain, which begins to develop from the womb, undergoes a development process depending on internal and external factors. One of the most important factors in this process is healthy and quality nutrition. Nutrition is extremely important in a child's mental and cognitive development as well as physical development. The brain, one of our most important organs for cognitive development, completes two-thirds of its development in childhood between the ages of 0-6. The experiences gained during this period are the starting point of human development and determine the way the brain works. Cognitive thought; It includes the development of functions such as thinking, memory, learning, perception and attention. Cognitive development is also a determinant of success in childhood and later years. Studies have proven that cognitive development depends on adequate and regular nutrition as well as genetics [3, 4]. With this development starting from early childhood, depending on adequate and regular nutrition, the contribution of well-educated individuals to the development of the country will undoubtedly increase.