The calories your child eat directly impacts his weight, energy level and can affect his long-term health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An overweight child may feel socially discriminated against and develop low self-esteem. A child who eats the right number of calories from healthy foods often stays at a healthy weight for his age, making him less likely to be teased, and more likely to find participating in physically demanding activities easier.
Significance
Eating too many calories at any age can cause your child to weigh more than is healthy for his age. The June 2011 "F as in Fat" report sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation indicates that more than 33 percent of children between ages 10 and 17 are medically obese or overweight, a 21 percent increase since 2001. Jeffrey Levi, lead author of the report, indicates that patterns learned in childhood can affect the child's food choices and overall health as he moves toward adulthood. When your child is small, you can monitor his caloric intake relatively easily, however as he gains more independence, the monitoring process becomes more challenging.
Females
The American Heart Association recommends that a 1-year-old female needs about 900 calories a day, and that her calorie needs increase to 1,000 calories between the ages of 2 and 3. Between her first and fourth birthday, she should have between 30 to 35 percent of her calories from fat. Between the ages of 4 and 8, she requires about 1,200 calories, and she should have at least 1,600 calories between the ages of 9 and 13. A female teenager from 14 to 18 needs an average of 1,800 calories a day. Her caloric intake from fat should be between 25 to 35 percent after age 3.
Males
Infant males need 900 calories a day, and toddler boys between 2- and 3-years-old require 1,000 calories, and a 30 to 35 percent fat intake. Older boys require slightly more calories than females. A 4- to 8-year-old male needs 1,400 calories, a 9- to 13-year-old requires about 1,800 calories and a teenage boy between 14- and 18-years-old should have at least 2,200 calories. Like a female, a male child needs between 25 to 35 percent of his calories from healthy fats, once he is over 4-years-old.
Considerations
The indicated caloric levels do not take into account physical activity levels for either males or females, according to the American Heart Association. If your child is moderately active, add 200 calories each day to account for the calories he burns through physical activity. If your child is very active such as participating in sports, spending time riding his bike or playing outdoors, add up to 400 more calories to his daily intake. When monitoring your child's calories, give him a variety of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products for bone and teeth health, nutritious lean meats and serve him whole grains rather than refined grains such as white bread.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Tips for Parents -- Ideas to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Weight
- Trust for America's Health; F as in Fat : How Obesity Threatens America's Future; Jeffrey Levi, et al.; June 2011
- American Heart Association; Dietary Recommendations for Children; January 2011
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: MyPyramid for Kids
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