Child Nutrition

From time to time I post information on child nutrition since I think it's really important to get kids off to a strong start with healthy eating patterns. There is such an epidemic of obesity in this country that I feel it's important to share useful information for parents so they can make sure their kids are eating healthy foods.

I found a great chart in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that lists the calorie requirements by age group. This will help parents figure out exactly how many calories their child needs.

Ages 2 to 3: Girls and boys
Calories: 1,000 to 1,400, depending on growth and activity level

Ages 4 to 8: Girls
Calories : 1,200 to 1,800, depending on growth and activity level

Ages 4 to 8: Boys
Calories: 1,400 to 2,000, depending on growth and activity level

Ages 9 to 13: Girls
Calories: 1,600 to 2,200, depending on growth and activity level

Ages 9 to 13: Boys
Calories: 1,800 to 2,600, depending on growth and activity level

Ages 14 to 18: Girls
Calories: 1,800 to 2,400, depending on growth and activity level

Ages 14 to 18: Boys
Calories: 2,200 to 3,200, depending on growth and activity level

To find out the exact calorie breakdown for each activity level, check out the full text for Dietary Guidelines for Americans

For kids over the age of two, 50-60% of their diet should come from carbohydrates (from the healthy sources of carbs.)

Examples of Healthy Sources of Carbohydrates:

whole-grain cereals
brown rice
whole-grain breads
fruits
vegetables
low-fat dairy

Limit caffeine intake. Kids who consume one or more 12-ounce (355-milliliter) sweetened soft drink per day are 60% more likely to be obese. Soda has a lot of caffeine and a lot of empty calories with no nutritional value.

In both kids and adults, too much caffeine can cause:

jitteriness and nervousness
upset stomach
headaches
difficulty concentrating
difficulty sleeping
increased heart rate
increased blood pressure

To help your kids get a healthy respect for food at an early age, it's important that they become involved in preparing healthy foods. Rachael Ray's Yum-O organization's web site has a great recipe finder where you can search for recipes using a number of criteria such as food type, age group, and much more. She offers some great recipes that kids can make with the help of a grownup. Check out the recipe finder at http://www.yum-o.org/recipe_search.php.