Daily Intake Of Fiber For Kids

In the two decades leading up to 2010, the number of overweight and obese American children between the ages of 6 and 11 more than doubled and the number of overweight or obese teenagers more than tripled. As a result of this weight problem, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, more than one in three children born in 2000 will develop diabetes at some point in their lives. A diet rich in fiber can help reverse these trends.

Guidelines

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that children eat 10 g of dietary fiber each day plus 1 additional gram for every year of their ages. According to the USDA, only 39 percent of the children in the United States between the ages of 2 and 17 meet those guidelines. Your 3-year-old daughter needs 10g + 3g, or 13g a day. Her 10-year-old brother requires 10g + 10g, or a total of 20 g of dietary fiber daily.

Sources

Fiber refers to the portions of fruits, vegetables and grains that your child's body can't absorb. Apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, bananas, melon and dried fruits such as prunes and dates are great fiber sources. Bread, pasta, cereal and other grain products made from whole grains are fiber-rich foods, as are legumes such as peas, beans and lentils. Corn and popcorn are fiber-rich, as are nuts and seeds.

Considerations

As a general rule, fiber content is higher when you serve your child fruits, vegetables and grains as close to their natural state as possible. A ½ cup serving of boiled potatoes with skins intact provides your child with 1.6g of fiber, but the same serving of skinless boiled potatoes offers only 1.4 g. A small apple has 3.6 g of fiber in its natural state, but provides only 1.7 g after it's peeled. When shopping for bread or other grain products, look for brands that list whole-wheat, oats, whole-grain barley, wheat germ or other whole grains as their first ingredient. Choose products that feature the American Heart Association Heart-Check Mark symbol that says whole grain. These foods deliver a minimum of 51 percent of whole grains by weight and are low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Warnings

Some high-fiber foods pose choking dangers for toddlers and preschoolers. Don't serve your little ones whole grapes, cherries, popcorn or hard raw fruits and vegetable such as carrots and apples. Steam vegetables and fruits to a softer consistency for younger children and remove seeds and peels.