A healthy diet helps children grow and learn. It also helps prevent obesity and weight-related diseases, such as diabetes. The following guidelines will help you give your child a nutritious diet:
- Offer five servings of fruits and vegetables a day
- Choose healthy sources of protein, such as lean meat, nuts and eggs
- Serve whole-grain breads and cereals because they are high in fiber
- Broil, grill or steam foods instead of frying them
- Limit fast food and junk food
- Offer water and milk instead of sugary fruit drinks and sodas
Learn about your children's nutrient requirements. Some of them, such as the requirements for iron and calcium, change as your child ages.
-
Healthy Eating(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/habits.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/nutricion/habits_esp.html
-
Healthy Eating and Physical Activity across Your Lifespan: Helping Your Child (Tips for Parents)
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/child.htm
Also available in Spanish http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/su_hijo.htm
-
Diet and Nutrition(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/Diet_and_Nutrition.cfm
- MyPyramid Food Guide(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://www.girlshealth.gov/nutrition/mypyramid/index.cfm
- Many Kids Don't Need the Vitamins They're Taking(02/02/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_74943.html
- Adult Fast-Food Diets Tied to Too Much TV as Teen(01/30/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_74792.html
- Youngsters Often Miss Diet and Exercise Marks(01/19/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_73950.html
- More News on Child Nutrition http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_c.html#childnutrition
- Caffeine and Your Child(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/food/general/caffeine.html
- Calcium and Your Child(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/calcium.html
- Carbohydrates, Sugar, and Your Child(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/sugar.html
- Fats and Your Child(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/food/general/fat.html
- Fiber and Your Child(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/fiber.html
-
Iron and Your Child(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/iron.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/nutricion/iron_esp.html
- Vegetarianism(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/vegetarianism.html
- Children's Snacks: 20 Tips for Healthier Snacking(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/childrens-health/HQ00419/METHOD=print
- Does Your Child Need Vitamin Supplements?(American Academy of Pediatrics) - http://www.medem.com/medlib/article/ZZZ03BR8W7C
- Feeding My Child Is Very Difficult. How Can I Make Mealtimes Less of a Hassle?(American Academy of Pediatrics) - http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_FeedingKidsRight.htm
- Feeding Your Child Athlete(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/fitness/feed_child_athlete.html
- How Do I Know My Child Is Eating Enough?(American Academy of Pediatrics) - http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_NutritionABC.htm
- Hunger and Malnutrition(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/hunger.html
- Is Aspartame Safe for My Child?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/food/question/aspartame.html
- Powerful Girls: How to Make Strong Bones(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.girlshealth.gov/bones/boneup/howdo.html
- School Lunches(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/lunch.html
-
Snack Smart for Healthy Teeth(National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) - http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/OralHealthInformation/ChildrensOralHealth/SnackSmartforHealthyTeeth
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/Espanol/SaludOral/Saludoralenlos/MeriendasSanasParaDientesSanos.htm
-
Tweens and Teens Need Calcium Now More Than Ever!(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/milk/milk.cfm
-
What You Need to Know about Mercury in Fish and Shellfish(Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water) - http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/advice/
Also available in Spanish http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/advice/aviso.htm
- Mission Nutrition(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/closet/games/mission_nutrition.html
-
Smallstep Kids(Dept. of Health and Human Services) - http://www.smallstep.gov/kids/flash/index.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.smallstep.gov/kids_esp/html/index.html
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Child Nutrition Disorders(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Child+Nutrition+Disorders%22
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Child Nutrition(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=nutrition+%5BCONDITION%5D+AND+child+%5BAGE-GROUP%5D
- Eating Smaller Portions Slowly Doesn't Mean Fewer Calories(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/research/supersize.html
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Association between television viewing and poor diet quality in young... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19086298&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Eating rate is a heritable phenotype related to weight in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19064516&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Reducing the energy density of multiple meals decreases the energy... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19064504&tool=MedlinePlus
- Child Nutrition -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(child+nutritional+physiology+phenomena[majr]+NOT+breast+feeding[mh])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+africa[mh]+OR+asia[mh]+OR+australasia[mh]+OR+south+america[mh]+OR+latin+america[mh])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Adolescent nutrition -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=adolescent+nutrition+physiology[majr]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+africa[mh]+OR+asia[mh]+OR+australasia[mh]+OR+south+america[mh]+OR+latin+america[mh])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Find a Nutrition Professional(American Dietetic Association) - http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/home_4874_ENU_HTML.htm
- WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) State Agencies(Food and Nutrition Service) - http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/Contacts/statealpha.HTM
- American Academy of Pediatrics - http://www.aap.org/
- Food and Nutrition Service - http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/
- KidsHealth(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/index_noflash.html
-
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
-
Frequently Asked Questions about WIC(Food and Nutrition Service) - http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/FAQs/FAQ.HTM
Also available in Spanish http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/FAQs/sp-FAQ.htm
- School Meals Program(Dept. of Agriculture) - http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/
- Nutrition and the Health of Young People(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/nutrition/facts.htm
-
Eating for Sports(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/sports.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/sano/sports_esp.html
-
Food Labels Tell the Story!(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/baylor/food3.htm
- New Food Guide Pyramid(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/nutrition/food/pyramid.html
- Why Drinking Water Is the Way to Go(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/water.html
- Eating Well While Eating Out(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/eating_out.html
- Energy Drinks and Food Bars: Power or Hype?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/energy.html
- Figuring Out Fat and Calories(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/fat_calories.html
- Guide to Eating for Sports(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/sports/eatnrun.html
- New Food Guide Pyramid(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/nutrition/general/pyramid.html
- Recipes for Teens(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/recipes/
- Soy Foods and Health(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/soy.html
- Infant and Toddler Nutrition - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infantandtoddlernutrition.html
- Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
- Food and Nutrition - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodandnutrition.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Child Nutrition is the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/