Growing Up

Nutrition requirements for children over 2 years old are a little bit different from adults. Nevertheless, the recommendations for children are intended to encourage optimal growth and development and therefore may not be as restraining as for adults. A variety of foods loaded with essential nutrients is necessary for growing bodies.

As showed in food guidance pyramid, parents should provide their child with foods rich in carbohydrate such as grains, fruits and vegetables which is a must to provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, and energy to the body in their diets. Moreover, mother also asked to give their kids sufficient amounts of dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese, lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs and beans in their kids’ diet which will provide nutrients for proper growth and development. Normally, children will grow about 2 inches and increase weight from about 4 to 7 pounds a year. Between the ages of 6 and 12, young people will grow with a standard of 1 to 2 feet and almost double in weight. A decreased in weight-for-height might show a keen under-nutrition whereas a decreased in height-for-age may imply a chronic under-nutrition. Such conditions may be due to malnutrition, eating disorders, underlying chronic disease or infection.

Children definitely have food that they like and dislike, therefore, most nutrition experts suggested that parents should make availability of a wide range of foods and encourage them to taste new foods in small amounts without forcing their kids’ in their diets. In addition, nutrition experts often advise parents not to be firm to their children to finish everything on their plate. This is because children will get advantage by choosing their own portion size, with the given food is healthy and nutritious. Lastly, parents are should never use food as a reward for their child.

As children grow older, when they becoming a teenager or adolescence, their calories and nutrition needs will differ relying on their growth rate, the level of their physical maturation, body composition, and physical activity level. Nevertheless, extra nutrients are needed in their diets for them to hold up their growth. As well to other nutrients, parents should provide them with sufficient quantity of iron and calcium which are very important as their body is experiencing a rigorous growth. From 9 to 18 years old, both males and females are encouraged to take in a calcium-rich diet to make sure that there are enough calcium deposits in the bones and this will aid in reducing the risk of getting osteoporosis in their older years. Calcium intake can be reached by consuming at least 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk everyday or the some low-fat yogurt or low-fat cheese. There are also many other sources of calcium available other than milk, such as dark green, leafy vegetables and other calcium-fortified foods and beverages.