New Delhi, July 3 -- Childhood lifestyle diseases are no longer rare. Hormonal imbalances, obesity, early-onset metabolic issues, and gut-related disorders are now seen in children as young as seven. While the triggers may vary, one truth stands clear: the foundation of lifelong health is built early, and it begins at the plate.

What we eat in the first few years of life becomes information for our genes, hormones, neurons, and every single cell. Food is more than fuel. It programs the body, influences how children grow, how they feel, and how they function. It wires emotional balance, metabolism, cognition, and resilience.

This is where the role of early nutrition becomes crucial - not just for growth, but as a form of preventive healt...