Children look to primary caregivers, be they family, teachers, babysitters, or peers, as role models. It is important to teach good eating habits by adults by demonstrating them to children. Parents and caregivers have a responsibility to help instill these lessons so that they become habits rather than just one-time instructions. A healthy diet that follows the food pyramid and respect for calories allows for prosperous growth in children. Good nutrition is vital for mental, emotional, physical, cognitive development and reproductive health. Even before birth, a correct diet is essential to nourish the fetus and make it feel good. The needs of a growing child are rapid and the nutritional diet must match the ratio. The World Health Organization states that “malnutrition is the most important risk factor for disease and death globally, contributing to more than half of child deaths worldwide; Child malnutrition was associated with 54% of child deaths in developing countries in 2001” (WHO, 2004). Children deserve to have their caregivers help them achieve the highest levels of nutrition. They make choices about what is available and what is familiar to them. If a child sees an adult always eating candy, then obviously the child will turn to candy first rather than if the adult ate an apple as his first choice. A balanced diet is one that includes all food groups. Here is the list of food groups in the food pyramid from most important to least. The Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta group is at the bottom, and you should get six to eleven servings a day from this group, but a child only needs five to nine servings. The next group is the plant group. This group is quite complicated because if you cook most of your vegetables, you actually lose nutrients and vitamins… middle of the paper… finding out your diet plays a key role in your IQ percentage. Using the food pyramid along with a concise calorie intake will provide the best opportunity for children's overall growth. Teaching a healthy lifestyle gives children the opportunity to thrive by learning good habits that they can pass on to their own children. This is very important as our children of today will be our future leaders of tomorrow. ReferencesNutrition. (2004). In the Encyclopedia of Women's Health. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/sprwh/nutritionWorld Health Organization. (2011). Malnutrition. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/child_adolescent_health/topics/prevention_care/child/nutrition/malnutrition/Vitamins and Trace Elements. (2000). A Cambridge World History of Food. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/cupfood/vitamins_and_trace_elements