Childhood Nutrition

By Jennifer Turley and Joan Thompson

© 2013 Cengage

Introduction• The physical, cognitive, and social triad

during childhood– Successful growth and development– The division of responsibility– Childhood eating behaviors

• Nutrition needs during childhood– Energy and nutrients– MyPyramid (MyPlate)– The school food environment

• Childhood fitness and lifestyle management– Active kids are healthy kids– Diet and health issues

Successful Growth and Development

• Toddlers, young children, and older children• Continued yet slower growth than infancy• Use of growth grids– Normal, underweight, and overweight

• Developmental milestones• Nutrition supports physical and cognitive

development• Nutrition is needed for skills acquisition

Age Growth & Development Feeding Skill & Food1-2 Slower height and weight gains; Appetite

declines; Soft spot on the head disappears; Development of large muscles; Pulls self up to stand; Walks alone; Baby teeth continue to come in; Takes one long nap a day

Uses finger and thumb to pick things up; Uses short-shanked spoon to help self feed; Lifts and drinks from a cup. Helps scrub, tear break, and dip foods

2-3 Slow and irregular height and weight gains; Development of medium hand muscles; Runs, climbs, pulls, pushes, walks upstairs, rides tricycle; Has all 20 teeth; When hungry expresses a need for food

Self feeds with fingers, spoon, and cup (spills frequently); Can spear food with a fork, wrap, pour, mix, shake, spread foods, and crack nuts (with supervision); Eats independently; May have one favorite food at times

3-4 Continued growth and height; Carries things without spilling; May substitute quite time for nap

Self feeder and drinks well from a cup

4-5 Continued growth and height; Development of small finger muscles; Hops, skips, and throws balls; Good coordination; Can do buttons and shoe laces

Can use knife and fork and a napkin; Is a good self feeder; Can roll, juice, mash or peel foods and crack egg shells

5-6 Continued growth; Legs lengthen; Fine coordination of fingers and hands; Begins to lose front baby teeth; Permanent molars appear

Can measure, grind, grate, and cut soft foods with a dull knife; May use hand mixer with supervision; May prefer plain, bland, and unmixed foods

6-9 Slower growth and height gains; Additional permanent teeth form; Eleven to 13 hours sleep needed

Appetite may decline with slower growth; Feeding skills are mastered; Taste preferences broaden

9-12 Legs lengthen; Growth spurts; Permanent teeth continue to form; Ten hours sleep needed

Good appetite; Hunger increases with growth spurt

The Division of Responsibility

• Parent or caregiver decides what, when, and where to feed the child

• Child decides whether to eat and how much to eat

• What is allowed is normalized• Every food choice makes a difference• A schedule, good atmosphere, and age-

appropriate foods are very helpful

Sample Meal and Snack Schedule

Sample daily lifestyle schedule for preschoolers

Childhood Eating Behaviors

• Parents or caregivers should eat with the children, model healthy eating behaviors, teach acceptable behavior, and avoid distractions.

• Children evaluate food by its color, texture, and taste.

• Prefer sweet, a little salty, dense in Calories, simply prepared, and familiar foods.

• Introduce new foods gradually.• Food jags and rituals make crop up but are short

lived.

Nutrition Needs during Childhood

CaloriesEER, TEE, Growth needs

Carbohydrate130 gm/day, 45-65% of Calories, 1.4 gm/100 Calorie Fiber DRI

Protein0.95 gm/Kg, 5-20% of Calories

Fat30-40% of Calories (1-3 yrs), 25-35% of Calories (4-18 yrs), DRIs & AMDRs for EFAs

Nutrition Needs during Childhood• Get essential vitamins, minerals, and water from

healthy foods and drinks over supplements.• Focus on calcium for bone growth, iron for the

prevention of anemia, and fluoride for tooth formation.

• Water needs met by 2 cups of milk, ½ cup of real fruit juice, drinking water, and fluid rich foods (fruits and vegetables).

MyPyramid for Children

The School Food Environment• The National School Lunch Program (NSLP)– Federally assisted meal program – Either low cost or free meals– 1/3 the DRI for Calories, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium

and iron• The School Breakfast Program (SBP)– ¼ of the nutrient needs specified in the NSLP

• Afterschool snack program for schools that offer after school activities

• The Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program (FFVP)– Strives to combat childhood obesity– Access to nutritious fruits and vegetables

Childhood Fitness and Lifestyle Management

Active Kids are Healthy Kids

Children need regular physical activity, 60 minutes per day

There are many age appropriate fun activities that children can do

Diet and Health Issues in Childhood

• Obesity– Sedentary lifestyle and

unhealthy meal patterns and composition

– Normal weight for height occurs when a child is in the 10th to 85th percentile

– Avoid mindless eating– Prevent obesity in

childhood

Diet and Health Issues in Childhood

• Heart disease, hypertension, and hyperglycemia from unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle practices taught or permitted during childhood– AHA primary prevention begins in childhood: eat

right, avoid tobacco use, and be physically active• Food allergy, a genetic condition, may have for

life if persists after age 3.– Food allergen avoidance or rotation diet

Diet and Health Issues in Childhood

• Lead toxicity – Negatively affects brain, blood, and kidney

functioning– Stunted growth, lower intelligence, and

behavioral problems– From lead-based paint chips, lead-soldered

pipes and water supply, unsealed ceramic dishware with lead paint leaches into food

– Exacerbated by iron deficiency• Pesticides from conventionally

produced foods

Summary

• Childhood growth is measurable by standardized growth grids and developmental milestones.

• Cognitive development is greatly influenced by nutrition, genetics and environment.

• Parents or care givers decide what, when, and where to feed and the child decides whether to eat and how much to eat.

• A daily routine with regular meals and snacks supports healthy eating.

• Getting children involved in meal time preparation promotes consumption of the meal.

• The DRIs, MyPyramid Food Guidance System, and school meals promote proper nutrition.

Summary

• Children need enough Calories to support their growth, development, and energy expenditure.

• Dietary recommendations for protein and fat are higher for children than adults.

• Calcium and iron are common nutrients of concern for children.• Active kids are healthy kids and tend to be free of diet and

health related issues including obesity and chronic disease.• Children with allergies may need to eat a modified and/or

rotation diet for life if the allergies persist after age three.• Care needs to be taken to eliminate toxin exposure (lead,

pesticides) in children.References for this presentation are the same as those for this topic found in module 7 of the textbook