Children require the same balance of nutrition as adults, report doctors at the Mayo Clinic. If you want to help them to lose weight, encourage them to get more exercise to burn off excess poundage rather than limit calories. While children are still growing, it is difficult to restrict their caloric intake too much because they may be in a growing stage and require extra nourishment. Instead, consider the kinds of calories they consume rather than the amounts. All kids under 10 need a balanced diet based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid.
Ages 2 to 4
Toddlers between the ages of 2 and 4 need about 1,000 to 1,200 calories per day, depending on how active they are. More than half of those calories should come from carbohydrates in the form of fruit and whole grains. Both boys and girls require about 500 milligrams of calcium a day for growing bones. Milk and cheese are the best sources of calcium for toddlers. Sodium should be limited to no more than 1,000 milligrams a day and they should eat an average of 30 grams of protein a day. Total fat should remain under 30 percent of the day's calories, unless the child is underweight. If your toddler is not gaining sufficient weight, feed him more often and offer him whole dairy products and dense foods like butter and gravy, report dieticians at Ask the Dietitian.
Ages 4 to 8
Boys need to start eating more calories every day when they turn about 4 years old. Girls in elementary school should limit caloric intake to no more than 1,800 calories, less if they are more sedentary. Boys need closer to 2,000 calories and no fewer than 1,400. They both should consume about 800 milligrams of calcium a day in low-fat dairy and eat about 25 grams per day in healthy fiber from beans, grains and fresh fruit and vegetables. Boys can eat as much as 105 grams of protein per day, but girls don't need more than 90 grams at the most. Total fat should not equal more than 30 percent of the day's calories.
Ages 8 to 10
By middle school, girls and boys turning 9 and 10 develop more of a body image and may try to restrict calories to lose weight. That's fine as long as they maintain their minimum nutritional standards of 1,300 milligrams of calcium and 25 grams of fiber. Girls at that age should keep calorie consumption under 1,600 to 1,800 calories, unless they are athletes. Boys can consume as many as 2,600 calories if they are active. A good balance for boys who are moderately active is about 2,000 calories. The same carbohydrate, fat and protein percentage requirements continue through age 13 as were started at age 4.
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