Nutrition for Children

Because kids grow and develop so quickly, their bodies have nutritional needs that are unique from those of adults. While a child’s particular state of health will affect his or her precise nutritional needs, unlike adults, gender doesn’t decisively affect the nutrients a child needs due to the fact that puberty hasn’t yet triggered the production of gender-specific reproductive hormones (i.e. testosterone for boys and estrogen for girls).

Understanding the types and amounts of various nutrients that your child needs is key to promoting his or her healthy development into adulthood. Similarly, by teaching your child what nutrients are and explaining which foods each type comes in, you can do your part to help your child establish healthy eating habits so that he or she will become a healthy adult.

Nutritional Needs Based on a Child’s Age

The following table outlines how much of each type of nutrient kids need each day to ensure they have enough energy and that they develop properly. For the purposes of consistency, all amounts are reflected in ounces (oz). Keep in mind that, if you need to convert values, 1 cup = 8 oz, which is equivalent to a single serving or a medium-sized piece of fruit or vegetable.

Type of Nutrient	2 to 3 year old Children	4 to 8 year old Children	9 to 13 year old Children
Calories	1,000 calories	1,200 to 1,400 calories	1,600 to 1,800 calories
Carbohydrates	3 oz.	5 oz.	6 oz.
Dairy	16 oz.	16 oz.	24 oz.
Fats	30% of dietary calories should be from fat.	25% of dietary calories should be from fat.	25% of dietary calories should be from fat.
Fruits	8 oz.	12 oz.	12 oz.
Proteins	2 oz.	4 oz.	5 oz.
Vegetables	8 oz.	12 oz.	20 oz.

If your child is moderately to heavily active (i.e. regularly participates in sports), then you will need to add between 200 to 400 calories to his dietary needs.

Tips for Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthy

While it’s one thing to know how much of each type of nutrient your child needs to stay healthy and grow properly, getting your kids to eat healthy foods can be a challenge. With the ease at which sugary, fatty junk food is available, your kid is likely to choose unhealthy options and refuse to eat nutritious foods.

Here are some tips to help you get your child to stick to a healthy diet:

Indulge every now and then. While you want to ensure that your child eats healthily most of the time, every now and again, it’s perfectly healthy to let your child enjoy a sugary treat. Just be sure that your kids understand that these treats are rare and aren’t part of a healthy diet.
Pack lunches for children going to school. Because school cafeterias can serve a host of unhealthy foods, control what your child eats when he or she is away from home by packing his or her lunch.
Set times for each meal and stick to your schedule as much as possible. Regular, set mealtimes will help sustain your child’s energy while also preventing them from craving sugary, unhealthy foods.
Start the day with a healthy breakfast to make sure that your child has enough energy to start his or her day. Eating healthily in the morning will also prevent excess snacking on unhealthy foods.
Use variety when making meals. While your child is supposed to ingest specific amounts of vegetables and other nutrients, the type of vegetable or nutrient isn’t dictated. Rotating between different types of a particular nutrient will help keep your kid interested in healthy meals.

Resources

American Heart Association (n.d.). Table: Dietary Recommendations for Children. Retrieved November 26, 2007, from the AHA Web site: http://www.americanheart.org/

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Gilbert, Sue, M.S. Nutritionist (n.d.). Nutritional Needs for Kids 3-7. Retrieved November 26, 2007, from the iVillage Web site: http://parenting.ivillage.com/gs/gsnutrition/

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