Child Nutrition
Good nutrition is essential for survival, physical growth, mental development, efficiency, productivity, health and well-being from the beginning of fetal development at birth and through infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
Childhood nutrition should be a balance between the high energy and nutrient content required for growth and development and establishing a healthy diet with weight control, in association with regular physical exercise.
The balance between these two aspects changes from the very high fact content of infancy to the low-fat high fiber diet on adulthood.
Good nutrition is essential to good health and the American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to think of their nutritional decisions as health decisions.
Requirements
The children's diet plan or chart must be high in vitamins and minerals, means a good supply of protein, calcium, iron and vitamin D and vitamin A is required.
Supplements of vitamins A, C and D in the form of liquid drops are recommended for children under 5 year of age. If they are diagnosed to be at risk of deficiency, eg. poor eater or those who do not have much exposure to sunlight.
Milk
Cow milk is recommended for children. Over the age of 12 months, as a main drink. It is rich source of a number of nutrients.
Semi-Skimmed milk can be started after 2 year as long as feeding provides enough energy.
Skimmed milk is not suitable for children below the age of 5 because they do not provide adequate energy and vitamin A for the growing child.
Calcium
Today's every children needs healthy bone and tooth have enough calcium in their diet.
Milk product contain high amounts of calcium content and other good sources include white bread, dark green leafy vegetables, pulses eg. baked beans and fortified cereals.
Pregnancy places tremendous demand on a women's body and complication during this time can be serious and sometimes fetal.
One of the leading cause of maternal deaths are the hyper tension disorders pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.
There is only one nutritional strategy recommended by the WHO for prevention of pre-eclampsia: Calcium supplementation.
Iodine
Iodine deficiency is most damaging during fetal development and in the first few years of a child's life.
Iodine deficiency has been largely solved in countries with medium to high yields, which is known as salt iodization by adding salt to iodine, which then makes it into animal feed, breads processed foods and salt shakers in homes worldwide.
Salt iodization is one of the most successful public health campaigns in the world and nutrition international is an important part of that success.
Iron
Good sources of iron includes green vegetables, pulses, breads and some breakfast cereals.
Plant are less absorbed by iron sources than animal resources, but vitamins can be improved by making C-rich food or drinks with meals.
Anemia that is short of iron may lead to infections, poor weight gain and development delays.
Red meat is the best source of easily absorbable iron and can be given to children up to 6 months
Iron-rich foods, such as liver and red meat, are not usually popular with young children.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problems in the world. In more than half of all countries children under age 5 is affecting the deficiency of Vitamin A.
A Lack of vitamin A weakens the immune system, putting a child at greater risk of disease and early death; and it is also the leading cause of preventable child blindness.
Maternal Vitamin A deficiency is also a problem in may countries, resulting in night blindness during pregnancy and babies being born with deficiency in vitamin A.
Solution -
Increased consumption of vitamin A rich foods naturally rich or commercially fortified foods.
Source -
Vitamin A can be found in two categories of food sources :-
Fish
Meat
2.Plant Source -
Green leafy
Vegetables
Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Mangoes
Resources -
The Global Alliance for vitamin A
Zinc
Zinc deficiency is a serious health problem, affecting around 30% of the worlds population.
Zinc deficiency is given to children as a major risk factor for diseases, especially Diarrhea and Pneumonia.
People living in low and middle income countries typically suffer from limited access to zinc are also a factor during suppression.
Zinc Rich Foods -
1.Meat
Meat is an excellent source of zinc.
Read Meat is particularly great source, but ample amounts can be found in all different kind of meat including beef, lamb and pork.
2.Shell Fish
Shell fish are healthy low calorie source of zinc.
Oyster contain particularly high amounts with 6 medium oyster providing 32 mg or 290% of man's daily recommended level.
3. Seeds
Seeds are a healthy addition to your diet and can help increase your zinc level.
4. Nuts
Eating nuts such as a pine nuts, peanuts, cashews and almonds can boost your zinc level.
5. Eggs
Eggs contain a moderate amount of zinc and can help you meet your daily target
6. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate contains reasonable amount of zinc. It also high in calories and sugar.
Folic Acid
When a pregnant women does not have folic acid in her diet, her baby can be born with neural tube closure defects, such as Spina-bifida. In addition, she may beat risk of anemia herself.
Spina bifida - is a condition in which the spinal cord is exposed. If the vertebrae(bones of the spinal column) surrounding the spinal cord do not close properly during the first 28 days after fertilization, the cord or spinal fluid bulge through, usually in the lower back.
An encephalitic is the sever under development of the brain.
Folic Acid Rich Foods -
- Pastas
- Beans
- Cereals
- Rice
- Breads
- Citrus fruits, such as Orange Juice
- Leafy green vegetables, Such as Spinach
For more information about Child Nutrition Chart Click
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