Food For The growing Years...
Eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet can help your child avoid health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure. By making healthy eating a family affair, you can involve your child in the process and teach her to make healthier food choices.
Food for Growing up.....
Ages 1-3 4-9 9-13 14-18
Vitamin A(mcg) Boys 300 400 600 400
Girls 300 400 600 700
Vitamin D(mcg) 5* 5* 5* 5*
Vitamin E(mcg) 6 7 11 19
Vitamin C(mcg) 15 25 45 65-75
Niacin(Vit B3)(mcg) Boys 6 8 12 16
Girls 6 8 12 14
Thiamine(B1)(mcg) Boys 0.5 0.6 0.9 1.2
Girls 0.5 0.6 0.9 1.0
Riboflavin(B2)(mcg) Boys 0.5 0.6 0.9 1.3
Girls 0.5 0.6 0.9 1.0
Folate(mcg) 150 200 300 400
Vitamin B6(mcg) Boys 0.5 0.6 1.0 1.3
Girls 0.5 0.6 1.0 1.0
Vitamin B12(mcg) 0.9 1.2 1.8 2.4
Calcium(mcg) 500* 800* 1300* 1300*
Iron(mcg) Boys 7 10 8 11
Girls 7 10 8 15
Zinc(mcg) Boys 3 5 8 11
Girls 3 5 8 9
{Asterics (*) represent daily Adequate Intake(AI) .. }
Components....
Offering your child healthy foods from all of the food groups creates balanced nutrition..WHO
recommends four milk product servings, two to three protein servings, four or more grain servings and four or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily for kids aged three to six. Choose whole grains and lean proteins when possible for the best overall health value.
Environment...
A positive environment toward healthy eating encourages your child to take the same approach. Family meal time gives everyone a chance to communicate. Your child may also eat more healthy foods, specifically grains, vegetables and fruit. Your child may also be less likely to choose unhealthy snacks. The family meal gives you a chance to model healthy eating habits...
Child Involvement.....
Getting the child involved in the meal planning and preparation gives her hands-on experience with proper nutrition. She learns what goes into a healthy meal during the planning phase. Your child also learns how to prepare healthy foods when you allow her to help with the cooking. Picky eaters may be more likely to try a new food if they helped create it.
Considerations.....
A house full of healthy, nutritious foods makes it easier for your child to develop proper nutrition habits. Provide your child with lots of healthy snack and meal options. Kids Health recommends giving your child some choice from a selection of healthy options. This empowers him while limiting his options to nutritious foods. Avoid power struggles over eating healthy foods, which may cause your child to resist even more.
Fat Considerations....
Young children need fat in their diet for proper development. Bright Futures recommends not limiting fat consumption before the age of 2. They also recommend serving whole milk until age 2 as a source of healthy fat for development. You should gradually reduce the amount of high-fat foods after age 2. At age 5, you should limit a child's fat consumption to 30 percent of his daily calories.
Iron Intake....
Iron deficiencies resulting in anemia are common in young children. Watch your child's diet to ensure she gets enough iron. Bright Futures recommends waiting until after 12 months to start a child on cow's milk, which does not offer iron like fortified formula. Limit the consumption of cow's milk to 16 oz. per day and feed her foods with a lot of iron. Meats and fish offer iron, while foods with vitamin C help the body absorb the iron better.
Schedule Meals and Snacks...
A regular schedule for eating meals and snacks gets your child into a routine. A schedule also ensures your child gets enough nutrients through frequent eating. A schedule also helps you balance the nutrients you offer to your child. He may not always eat well at each meal or snack time, but he will get the nutrients he needs throughout the day with frequent meals.
Offer Healthy Food Choices....
Kids need a variety of nutrients in the early childhood years. Keep a variety of healthy foods available in the home and offer your child these nutritious foods at meal and snack time. Continue offering healthy foods to your young child, even if she refuses them initially. It may take more than 15 tries before your child will actually eat a new food item, according to Bright Futures. However, if you keep healthy foods available for your child, she will eat them eventually.
Schedule Meals and Snacks....
A regular schedule for eating meals and snacks gets your child into a routine. A schedule also ensures your child gets enough nutrients through frequent eating. A schedule also helps you balance the nutrients you offer to your child. He may not always eat well at each meal or snack time, but he will get the nutrients he needs throughout the day with frequent meals.
References...
- Kids Health: Healthy Eating
- Bright Futures: Early Childhood
- Pitchford P. Healing with whole foods.
- Foods that harm foods that heal
- Harvard school of public health
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes:
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