Nutrition and Your Child

They went to the cupboard... Today, feeding children is based on concerns about heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure. There is reason to be concerned. More than 20 percent of Western children are overweight with a good chance that 50 to 70 percent of them will remain overweight as adults. It is important for parents to set good examples of healthful eating. Research shows that children develop eating habits similar to those of their parents. While it is a parent's job to provide balanced selections from the five food groups, children can be allowed a certain amount of freedom to choose what and how much they eat.

Poor eating habits and craving for sugar snacks and fatty foods may develop if parents fail to direct the decision making process. Remember that the issue isn't "good foods" versus "bad foods". If children balk at food put before them, don't worry. Studies show children will, over time, eat the amount of food that is right for them if they are offered healthful choices. You can't expect a child to want to eat broccoli if chips are offered, or drink milk or orange juice when parents are drinking sodas. Of course, an occasional high fat food, gooey dessert, sugary snack, or soda is permissible, provided they are not substitutes for nutritious foods. Parents can make eating a pleasure for the entire family by helping create positive attitudes about food that will lead to a lifetime of good health.

What are the five food groups, and how can we help the entire family eat a balanced diet? The food guide pyramid on this page shows how to select a balanced diet and how to teach your child to make wise choices.
How many servings do you need each day?
______________________Many______Children,_____Teen
______________________Women,____teen girls,___boys,
______________________Older_____active women,_active
______________________Adults____most men______men
______________________About_____about_________about
Calorie level*___________1,600_____2,200_________2,800
Bread Group Servings_____6_________9_____________11
Vegetable Group Serving__3_________4_____________5
Fruit Group Servings_____2_________3_____________4
Milk Group Serving______2-3**_____2-3**_________2-3**
Meat Group Servings____2, for a__2, for a______3, for a
______________________Total of__total of______total of
______________________5 ounces__6 ounces______7 ounces
--------------------------------------------------------------
Total Fat (grams)________53________73____________93

* These are the calorie levels if you choose low fat. Lean foods from the 5 major food groups and use foods from the fats, oils, and sweets group sparingly.

** Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers, and young adults to age 24 need 3 servings.

A balanced diet includes food from each of the following food groups:
1. Grains (bread, cereal, rice, and pasta);
2. Fruit (fresh, dried, or unsweetened canned);
3. Vegetables (raw or lightly cooked);
4. Meat (meat, poultry, fish, dried beans, eggs, and nuts); and
5. Dairy (milk, yogurt, and cheese).

Offer your children nutritious choices for meals and snacks. This way you can help them control their own diet. For example, you might offer a choice of an apple, an orange, or a banana. With older children (aged 7 and up) you can start by planning a menu together, letting the children check to make sure it includes all five-food groups.

Remember that each of the food groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients a child needs. Foods in one group can't replace those in another. No one of these major food groups is more important than another. For good health, all are necessary.

What's for breakfast? Many of us do not eat in the morning. Estimates suggest that up to 25 percent of all school-aged children leave the house without breakfast.

You may think that breakfast is just another meal. For a child, breakfast provides much needed energy (calories) to start the day off right. Adults may be able to make up for skipped breakfast by grabbing something on the way to work or while doing morning errands. Your child, however, does not have that opportunity. A nursery school child usually has a mid-morning snack 3 to 5 hours after waking up. After nursery school, few children are offered a morning snack.

Getting your child to eat breakfast isn't always easy. Try to tune into your child's morning personality. A sleepyhead may need a quick breakfast. An early riser may like to eat breakfast before getting dressed. If this conflicts with your morning schedule, let your children get their own breakfast. Even a 6-year-old can open a container of yogurt.

A good breakfast consists of complex carbohydrates and simple sugars (breads, whole grains, fiber, fruits, and vegetables); proteins (dairy, chicken, beef, fish, eggs, nuts, and dried beans), and some fat. Carbohydrates and simple sugars offer quick energy but leave the stomach quickly. A breakfast of only carbohydrates can give a child mid-morning discomfort. When milk, cheese, yogurt, lean meat, or an egg is added, the food stays in the stomach longer and provides sustained energy.

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Does This Mean I Can't Eat Ice Cream?

Good nutrition does not mean that your children cannot eat their favorite foods or that they must eat foods they do not like. Good nutrition means variety and moderation in a person's diet. Choosing what foods to eat is important in pursuing a healthy life. Your children may choose to eat certain foods because they taste good or because they are available. Make nutritious foods available and monitor the "sometimes" foods -- sugary snacks and fatty desserts.

I'd Rather Play

Good health is a blend of physical and emotional well-being. Exercises are basic elements of physical fitness that should be part of play.

Aerobic exercises, such as jogging or jumping, that increase the heartbeat, strengthen the heart and muscles, improve endurance, condition the total body, and help prevent disease. Anaerobic, slow, stretching exercises improve flexibility and muscular fitness. Both types of exercise are important and fun.

I'm Afraid and I'm Unhappy

We all face stressful situations. With family members, with teachers, with friends, and with strangers problems can arise that make your child feel anxious, nervous, confused, or frightened. Too much stress or the wrong kind of stress can make it difficult for children to learn. Helping your child learn appropriate and healthy ways of handling stress, through exercise, proper sleep, discussing problems with an adult, or breaking down jobs into manageable parts, for example, is
important.

You Sneezed Right in My Face!

A healthy lifestyle includes habits that will help your child avoid diseases caused by germs. Material carrying germs can be transferred through handshaking, kissing, coughing, sneezing, or by other means of direct contact. Most shared items have germs on them. Teaching your child how to reduce the transmission of germs can help your child, as well as others, stay healthy.

I Don't Feel Well!

A clean environment will support the health and well being of your child now and in the future. You can begin by having a healthy home that is free of dirt, dust, and germs, as well as dangerous substances such as radon or lead. Make sure, too, that poisonous substances, such as household cleaners and pesticides, are kept away from children. You can also take precautions in preparing foods by washing them carefully and cooking them at the recommended temperature. Outside the home, you can work with others to help combat excessive pollution in your community.

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Get Ready, Get Set, Grow Up Healthy

From the time your child is born, there are ways in which you can help your child learn how to grow up healthy. This book has activities that help children

* Understand their emotions and build self-esteem;
* Eat the right foods;
* Prevent disease;
* And build strong bodies.


The book also has safety tips, ways to help your child say "no" to drugs, a section on parents and the schools, a bibliography, and a chart to help you keep track of your child's vaccinations.

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First of All, Your Child Is Special

The mental and emotional health of your child is just as important as physical health. From the earliest moment, a child needs to feel that he or she is special and cared about by family members and friends.

A child who enjoys good mental and emotional health is able to approach new situations with confidence.
When children are comfortable with themselves, they can express their emotions in a positive way. As children learn to value themselves and develop confidence in their ability to make responsible decisions, they are building a sense of self-worth or self-esteem.

Parents and teachers share the responsibility for helping children build self-confidence. A child who is confident is more successful in everyday interactions with peers and adults. Confidence in one's ability to learn new and difficult skills can affect future achievement, as well. Developing a trusting relationship with your child, establishing open communication, and recognizing personal achievements are all important. When children know they can do something well, it makes them feel special.

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