Research has shown that malnutrition has a profound impact on children's physical ability and overall development. Protein energy deficiency and trace element deficiency can lead to a 12-15% decrease in height and weight in children, and significantly weaken their motor function, manifested as an 18% decrease in grip strength and a 22% decrease in lung capacity. At the same time, neuropsychological development is also constrained, with cognitive test scores decreasing by up to 30%. It is worth noting that targeted nutritional interventions can effectively reverse some of the damage, such as continuous supplementation of vitamin B12 and folic acid for 6 months, which can increase the exercise capacity of large muscle groups by 45%, while a comprehensive plan combined with ball sports can improve the BMI index of overweight children by 28%. Based on these findings, experts propose combining dietary optimization (such as increasing daily intake of high-quality protein by 15 grams), systematic growth monitoring (quarterly assessment of developmental indicators), and regular exercise (three times a week of moderate intensity training), especially during the growth spurt stage of 5-12 years old, to form a multidimensional health promotion mechanism.

Yu Yao, Yu Li. Research progress on the impact of malnutrition on children's physical fitness. Frontiers in Sport Research(2025), Vol. 7, Issue 1: 60-64. https://doi.org/10.25236/FSR.2025.070109.

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