Nutrition is the science of food and nutrients and their relationship to health and disease. It plays a significant role in the early months and years of our lives. Appropriate feeding practices play a crucial role in achieving optimal health and developmental outcomes. A good way to understand the value of a nutritious diet is if you consider how food like salted snacks, most sweet desserts, fried fast food and carbonated beverages never seems to keep our bellies full for long.

Nutrition is important to any individual’s overall health; more so in the case of children. Proper nutrition ensures that a child grows well to his/her full potential in all aspects, may that be physical, mental, emotional etc.

This article attempts to explain the basics of foods and will help parents choose wisely in terms of feeding their children. As a parent, if you are not sure what you ought to be eating, what you ought to be ideally feeding your child and what exactly constitutes a balanced diet then read on!

Nutrition constitutes of 3 processes:
1. Food or drink is consumed.
2. The body breaks down the food or drink into nutrients.
3. The nutrients travel through the bloodstream to different parts of the body where they are used as "fuel" and for many other purposes.

At approximately 2 years of age, the child is ready for certain limits to be set and parameters to be put in place. Disciplining your child should include teaching him/her to take the healthier options in eating. The child will learn to make healthier choices later in life if the family is aware of the child’s nutritional needs. Start now and educate your child to grow up the healthier way.

The best nutrition advice to a person of any age will include:
• Eating a variety of nutritious foods every day.

• A diet that contains carbohydrates, fats and proteins in a balanced proportion.

• Choosing a diet with plenty of whole grains and whole grain products (like oatmeal, whole wheat bread etc), vegetables and fruits.

• Keeping the intake of sugar and salt in check.

• A diet that is low in fat and cholesterol.

• A diet that provides the essential vitamins, minerals and micronutrients as per the requirement of the body at that particular age.

• Balancing the diet with adequate physical activity.

Good nutrition begins at home. It is easier to follow the guidelines if every one in the family is involved and willing. Parents can start by making exercise a routine in the household. Buy low-calorie and low-fat meals, snacks, desserts, low-fat milk and fruit juices (instead of soft drinks) if your child is facing obesity problems.

The Food Guide Pyramid

The Food Guide Pyramid was designed to promote healthy nutrition in children over two years of age. It is a general guide to daily food choices and can be utilized for the whole family. It includes the five major food groups – as well as fats and oils, all of which are needed in different serving sizes for good health and optimum growth.

Each of these food groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients a person needs. Foods in one group can’t replace those in another. It shows a range of servings for each food group. How much is consumed depends upon the age of the person and his/her levels of activity. School going children require any where between 1500-2400 calories per day. They will therefore require the low to middle range of servings. Children who are overweight should eat the lowest range.

Serving size should also be considered here. With the Food Guide Pyramid, what counts as a "serving" may not always be a typical "helping" of what you eat.

FATS, OILS AND SWEETS
USE SPARINGLY

(Serving size: 1 teaspoon)

Although fats are important nutrients because they help absorb vitamins A, D, E, K they should be used sparingly because they contain calories.

Fats should not constitute more than one third portion of your diet. The type of fat that is consumed is also important. Saturated fats in foods such as meats, dairy products, coconut and palm oil, raise cholesterol more than unsaturated fats, which are found in olive, peanut, and canola oils, or polyunsaturated fats in sunflower, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils. Limit saturated fats to no more than 10% of daily calories. One teaspoon of oil contains 45 calories.

Some foods naturally high in oil, such as nuts, olives and some fish raise the HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol level in our blood, which is good for the body. Children of all ages need certain amount of these fats for proper development.

Solid fats like butter and margarine can raise our body’s LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol levels and increase our risk for heart disease.

Sugar has little nutritional value with 20 calories per teaspoon, although it provides short boosts of energy. Sugar includes the white and brown kind, honey and jams, jellies, candies and soft drinks.

Use lean meats, low fat dairy products and unsaturated vegetable oils. Limit your family’s intake of saturated fats and sugar. Avoid animal fat whenever possible such as meats with a high fat content (charbi) and cooked chewable bones and paaya and limit the daily intake of sugar to not more than 2-4 teaspoons.

A word of caution here, if your child is underweight according to his/her age, then add an extra teaspoon of oil to increase the caloric input. Other variations include addition of dates and nuts to the child’s diet. Consult your child’s pediatrician or a nutritionist/dietitian for a specific diet chart to ensure a healthy diet for your child.

MILK, YOGURT AND CHEESE

(Serving size: 1 cup of milk or yogurt, one and a half ounces of processed cheese)

Dairy products contain vitamin A. School going children should receive 2-3 servings of this food group so that their body is not deficient in these particular vitamins. Dairy products also provide protein and minerals and are an excellent source of calcium. School going children need about 800 mg of calcium each day. Calcium is needed for development of strong bones in early life, for their maintenance in mid-life and for prevention of osteoporosis in later life.

One cup of milk (8 oz.) will provide 300 mg of calcium as does 1.5 oz of cheddar cheese and a cup of yogurt. Half a cup of white beans or mashed sweet potatoes will provide 113 mg and 44 mg of calcium respectively. One medium orange provides 40-50 mg. If your child is a picky eater, then convince him/her with an after-meal treat of calcium - rich home made ice cream (as ice-cream has calcium) and avoid pre-meal fillers such as cookies or candies.

It is exceedingly important to mention here that carbonated beverages (like colas and sodas) decrease calcium stores in the body leading to brittle bones.

BREAD, CEREAL, RICE AND PASTA

(Serving size: 1 slice of bread: ½ cup of cooked cereal, rice or pasta, 1 small chapati 6” diameter, 1/3 naan 8” diameter)

One serving from this group provides approximately 80 calories. This group mainly provides complex carbohydrates (starches), vitamins, minerals and fiber. Choose whole grain breads or cereals and avoid adding calories and fat to foods in this group by not adding ghee, butter or oil.

If your child is healthy and within the normal weight range for his/her age, he or she will benefit more from eating a wide range of foods (for nutritional requirements) rather than a meal high in fat. One slice of bread (28 grams) yields 65 calories, one chapati (25 grams) provides 100 calories, 3/4 cup of cooked rice has 190 calories and six teaspoons of khitchri contains 40 calories.

Bran bread contains fiber that can help protect against heart certain diseases and control your child’s weight. This is also different from white bread, which has been processed, and many of the nutrients have been taken out.

MEAL PLANS

All healthy children should receive at least 3 meals plus two snacks per day. The only difference is in the amount of quantity that is offered to the child at every meal. Parents should keep in mind that breast feeding should be continued up to 2 years.

• At 1-3 years of age, children should receive 3 meals plus two snacks in a day. Regular family food should be introduced such as roti and daal. The meal size should be ¾-1 cup with an egg, 1 oz. meat or fish given 2-3 times per week. A variety of fresh fruits and raw vegetables should be introduced as snacks. If weaned off breast milk, they should also receive 6-8 oz of milk twice in 24 hours.

• At 4-6 years of age, your child should have a meal size of one and a half roti per meal or a cup of cooked rice. The meal plan remains 3 meals plus two snacks per day with two servings of 6-8 oz of milk or an equivalent amount of yogurt.

• For children between 7-8 years of age the meal plan essentially remains the same with increase in portion size per meal to 2 roti or a cup and a half of rice. This again depends upon the level of activity of the child. Snacks may be increased to 4 in a day but are to be avoided 2 hours before regular meals. Two servings of 6-8 ounces of milk are strongly recommended as the child is now entering a rapid growth zone.

APPROXIMATE WEIGHT FOR AGE

Between 4-8 years of age, the height factor needs to be considered as well. Tall children may look slim but fall in the otherwise healthy zone. It is important to keep an eye on your child’s activities, if s/he appears well and is not falling ill too often, performing well in school and at sports then s/he does not need to be overfed just on the whims of an over-eager parent.

In a nutshell, the choices regarding what to feed your child are yours alone. The basics of nutrition that I have tried to explain in this piece are just the beginning, for nutrition is an ever-evolving science, one that requires to be thoroughly understood by parents of growing children.

Reference: www.mckinley.uiuc.edu