Food & Nutrition Guidelines for Young Children

In the book, “Child of Mine”, Ellyn Satter, R.D. states, “It is your job as a parent to avoid whenever possible, making the inevitable battles of the toddler period battles over food.  During the time form 18 months to three years, your child’s rapid infant growth rate slows down, she becomes a “demon explorer,” and she shows, at times, a fierce contrariness in her attempts to establish that she is a person separate from you.  Her food intake decreases, and you will naturally become concerned.  However, if you emphasize or enforce eating too much, you will arouse her need to exert her individuality and the battle will be on.  Toddlers would rather exert their independence than eat.  Successfully negotiating this tricky time demands a division of responsibility: you are responsible for what you child is presented to eat, she is responsible for what and how much she eats.”  This is an excellent book filled with the common sense approaches; the subtitle “Feeding with Love and Good Sense” pretty much says it all.

Dietary Guidelines

For a printable copy of the new dietary guidelines to help your family plan nutritional meals, go to ...familyeducation.com. At this site, you can also learn more about how to help your family maintain a healthy diet.

Topics of interest include:

1. *What Counts as One Serving?
   

2. *New Dietary Guidelines from the USDA
   

3. *Tips for Eating More Fruits and Vegetables
   

4. *Why Fruits and Vegetables are Important
   

5. *Understanding The Nutrition Facts Label
   

6. *Simple Steps to a healthier Diet
   

7. *Getting a Smart Balance of Fats
   

8. *Healthy Cooking :   Oils                 

There’s New Dietary Guideline...Now What? According to Alison O’Leary Murray, “They’re not as out of reach as you might think...” She offers the following ideas for Deciphering the Dietary Guidelines:

       *Adults should eat four or more cups of fruits and vegetables a day;

            children (ages 2 and up) should increase their intake of a “rainbow” of

            fresh food (rich in color and variety);

       *Reduce the number of fast-food meals consumed each week  

       *Drink less juice, soda, and sports drinks 

The guidelines also call for breads and starches to be whole grain whenever possible -- meaning, for example, that families should switch to whole-wheat bread and brown rice instead of white.  And, according to the guidelines, all family members should exercise for at least an hour each day. 

For complete article, go to...parenthood.com

Or, for a direct link to the latest government dietary guidelines, go to...health.gov

Other Ideas on Food Amounts

for Young Children

TODDLER -- allow 1 tablespoon for each year or approximately 1/4 or an adult portion except keep Milk and Dairy at the equivalent of 2 cups daily

PRESCHOOLER -- 1/2 - 2/3 of an adult portion except keep Milk and Dairy at the equivalent of 2 cups daily.

DR. BARRY BRAZELTON likes to say all a young toddler needs to eat is...

            *1 pint of milk or it’s equivalent (4 oz. of cheese, or a pint of yogurt, ice

            cream, etc.) (calcium is also provided by peas, beans, sardines)

            *2 ounces of meat or 1 egg (an iron supplement may provide needed

            iron, if necessary)

            *1 ounce of orange juice or a piece of fresh fruit will provide Vitamin C

            *1 multivitamin preparation to provide needed micronutrients not

            obtained by eating vegetables. (Alternatively, colored fruits may

            provide sufficient Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Minerals.

Many raw fruits & vegetables such as grapes, blueberries & other small pieces of fruit,  raisins, raw carrot slices & sticks, apple slices, hot dog, * meat chunks, hard candies, nuts, popcorn (*use ground meat for a young child)

May cause food allergies in young children.

Caffeine products (such as those in soft drinks) should not be fed to children until at least age 2.  Drinking too much fruit juice isn’t good for a child, according to a study commissioned by the Institute of Pediatric Nutrition.  Most parents give fruit juice to their babies, but experts recommend no juice before the age of 6 months.  Older babies should drink less than 8 ounces a day.

Other Nutritional Concerns Related to

Young Children

Overweight Child

Dealing with overweight children is tricky, and parents should consult with their child’s physician for advice.  Severely restricted reducing diets that adults follow are not recommended for children, because the low amount of calories allowed may leave out some nutrients that children need for growth.  The best approach is to try to control the overeating, particularly empty-calorie foods, and to encourage physical play for over-weight children.  One key to preventing obesity appears to be teaching sensible eating and exercise habits in early childhood.

Sugar

Sugar has been blamed for obesity, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and hyperactive behavior in young children.  However, scientific studies have not shown a direct link between sugar and any of these conditions.  So far sugar has only been shown to increase dental caries. 

The Sugar/ Tooth Decay Connection-- The amount of sugar eaten  is no the only concern.  The form that the sugar is in and when the sugar is eaten are perhaps even more important.  A sticky caramel that clings to teeth, for example, may cause more dental problems than a soft drink.  Sugared food eaten between meals are more likely to cause cavities than the same foods eaten with a meal, because other foods in the meal help to dilute effect of sugar on the teeth.

Artificial Sweeteners

Aspartame (marketed commercially as “Nutrasweet”) is used in gelatins, puddings, dessert toppings, cereals, candies, and soft drinks.  An amount of aspartame equivalent in sweetness of one teaspoon of sugar provides 1/10 of a calorie; a teaspoon of sugar has 18 calories.  Aspartame is composed of two amino acids; (which makes protein) aspartic acid and phenylalanine.  A few people have a genetic deficiency known as PKU disease that prevents the body from handling phenylalanine properly.  This warning is found on food products containing aspartame.  The FDA has set an Acceptable Daily Intake for aspartame of 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day.  In other words, a child who weighs about 50 pounds can safely consume 1,135 milligrams a day of aspartame.  A 12- ounce diet soda contains about 200 milligrams of aspartame.

Fiber

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend giving high-fiber diets to children, since these diets may not contain enough calories for their rapid growth.

Salt/Sodium

The taste for salt is learned during childhood, and studies have shown that children get their salt-eating habits from their parents.  Sodium is an essential nutrient and should not be eliminated bus as we know, most Americans take in more sodium than they need.  High sodium intake is one of several factors believed to contribute to high blood pressure and those with a family history of high blood pressure are more likely to develop this condition.  Sodium is naturally found in many foods and an additive in many processed foods.  To help establish health eating habits, parents can ‘go easy’ on the salt shaker. 

Fats and Cholesterol

When it comes to children, there is disagreement among the medical community over whether cholesterol and saturated fats should be restricted.  The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that all healthy children 2 years of age and older should consume a diet reduced in total fat.  The AHA believes that atherosclerosis has its roots in childhood and that following a prudent diet early in life will lessen the risk of adult heart disease.  The American Academy of Pediatrics does not believe in limiting fat and cholesterol in diets of children under the age of five.  The Academy feels that there is not enough research evidence to suggest fat restrictions.  Although the experts disagree as to the exact age when children should start eating a low saturated fat diet, they all agree it shouldn’t be before the age of two.  At this time the benefits of a low-fat diet for children seem to outweigh the risks.  The AHA also recommends that children who have a family history of early heart disease, or who have parents or grandparents with elevated blood cholesterol, should be tested some time after age two.  Teaching a young child heart-healthy habits seems an easier preventive measure than taking away established eating pattern of an adult.

(Above Information from Cornell University)