Encouraging your children to develop healthy eating habits and value quality nutrition are among the greatest gifts you can give them. Good nutrition plays an integral role in growth and development and overall health in children, whereas poor nutrition can impair physical and mental development, weaken the immune system and increase the risk of infectious and chronic diseases. Consult your pediatrician or child nutritionist about developing a healthy diet for your child.
Healthy Eating
Children develop taste and a preference for foods early in life. Feeding your children healthy foods can encourage them to develop healthy eating habits, particularly regarding the types of foods to select and eat. A healthy diet for children includes five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, plus whole-grain cereals and breads, nuts, eggs, fish, low-fat dairy and lean meat. Drinking healthy beverages, such as water, cow's milk, soy milk and 100 percent fruit juices, is part of a nutritious diet.
Unhealthy Foods
Just as important as teaching your children to eat healthy foods is encouraging them to avoid unhealthy foods, particularly processed and fast foods, including sweetened fruit drinks and sodas. This may be easier said than done, considering the amount of advertising there is for fast foods. Children who consume unhealthy foods are at a much higher risk of chronic diseases, such as asthma. Research by scientists at the University of Athens in Greece, published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" in 2011 found that consumption of salty snacks is associated with a 4.8 times higher likelihood of having asthma symptoms, and that the association is most prominent among children who watch television or play video games more than 2 hours per day. In contrast, the research found that children who adhere to the Mediterranean diet are less likely to develop asthma. The Mediterranean diet is composed of whole plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seeds, whole grains and olive oil, low to moderate amounts of dairy and fish, minimal amounts of meat and avoidance of processed foods.
Healthy Weight
Feeding your children nutrient-dense foods in proper portion sizes and encouraging them to engage in physical activity are ways you can help them achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Weight gain occurs when they consume more calories from food than they expend through physical activity. Consuming excess calories from increased portion sizes of unhealthy foods and sweetened beverages among children ages 2 years and older has contributed to the epidemic of child obesity since the 1970s, according to research by scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" in 2003 and the "American Journal of Preventive Medicine" in 2004.
Considerations
Every child is different and has unique needs. Children with a chronic disease or condition, such as diabetes, obesity or asthma, may have specific nutritional requirements. Consult your child's doctor about the proper diet and possible medications to administer.
References
- World Health Organization; Nutrition; 2011
- MedlinePlus; Child Nutrition February 2011
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Salty-Snack Eating, Television or Video-Game Viewing, and Asthma Symptoms among 10- to 12-Year-Old Children: The Panacea Study; Fotini Arvaniti, et al.; Feb 2011
- The Cleveland Clinic; Ask the Dietitian: Mediterranean Diet; October 2001
- "JAMA"; Patterns and Trends in Food Portion Sizes, 1977-1998; Samara Joy Nielsen; Jan 22-29 2003
- "American Journal of Preventive Medicine"; Changes in Beverage Intake between 1977 and 2001; Samara Joy Nielsen; Oct 2004
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