Daily Recommended Caloric Intake For A 6-year-old

At a time when the rate of overweight or obese children is rising, counting calories may be necessary. The only way to prevent excess weight gain is to eat just as many calories as your body needs. This includes eating a well-balanced diet rich in all of the essential vitamins, minerals and macronutrients that your child's growing body needs. Helping your children to choose the right foods, get regular physical activity and eat only the amount of calories they need is an important part of ensuring that your kids grow up healthy.

Calorie Needs

As your child approaches adolescence, the daily caloric needs begin to differ between boys and girls. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, boys at the age of 6 should get approximately 1,400 calories per day. A girl 6 years old should be taking in no more than 1,200 calories per day.

Discretionary Calories

The American Academy of Pediatrics describes a certain number of calories to be used as discretionary calories for children. Discretionary calories are those that may be consumed in accordance with your child's level of physical activity. For most sedentary children, an addition of 100 to 150 calories will suffice. For kids who are active, an additional 200 to 500 calories is recommended, based on the level of physical activity. These calories are important, because if a child is very active, the body must have enough calories to grow and develop properly.

Healthy Eating Recommendations

A well-balanced diet should be enough to provide all of the vitamins and minerals your child's body needs. However, too much of certain nutrients can lead to excess weight gain or even reductions in health. Your child's eating habits may need to be monitored for nutrient intake. Saturated fats should consist of 10 percent or less of total calories, with total fat consisting of no more than 30 percent of total calories. Cholesterol must also be limited to no more than 300 mg per day.

Physical Activity

Physical activity is an important component to controlling weight and maintaining good health. If your child eats too much and exercises too little, she may become overweight and be at an increased risk for developing chronic disease such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. As of March 2011, the American Heart Association recommends that children 2 and older participate in 60 minutes of moderate physical activity per day. Encourage your child to do something he loves, like play a sport, swim or ride bicycles with friends. The more enjoyable the activity is, the more likely it is that your child will stick with it.