Nutritional considerations
Although growth is slower than in infancy or early childhood, school-aged children still have high nutritional needs, but fairly small appetites. Therefore, it's crucial that all meals and snacks are nutrient-dense.
A recent Government report provided detailed information on the nutritional intakes of young people aged four to 18 years. The findings of this survey offer the first real insight into the health of young people in more than 17 years.
While nutrient intakes were surprisingly robust, there are a number of areas of concern identified by the findings. With falling activity levels and increasing levels of obesity already a concern in young people and adults alike, this survey highlights that physical activity levels are a major issue in the age groups studied too.
The link between diet and health has long been established, and the behaviour of our children during the crucial years of development set a pattern for a future of ill health if measures are't in place to counteract these problems. Issues of particular concern include:
Energy
A healthy growing child needs lots of energy, which must be supplied by the diet. Over the years, energy intakes have declined in children. However, as activity levels have also fallen, this isn't thought to be a problem. In fact, there are an increasing number of children who are overweight or obese.
Encourage your child to be as active as possible and make sure their diet supplies enough energy through frequent meals and snacks based on the main food groups.
If your child is putting on too much weight, don't make too much of an issue of this - instead, encourage physical activity in whatever form (football, netball, walking the dog, cycling, swimming, etc). Also, base meals and snacks on the four main food groups, with limited fatty and sugary snacks. Even if a child is overweight, they still need a nutrient-packed diet providing essential building blocks for growth and development.
Iron
Iron is a mineral that helps to keep red blood cells healthy. Insufficient iron can lead to iron-deficiency anaemia, which is particularly common among young girls. Good sources of iron include red meat, liver, egg yolk, corned beef, fortified breakfast cereals, beans and pulses. To help adsorb the iron more effectively, combine with vitamin C-rich foods such as citrus fruits, fruit juice, tomatoes and green leafy vegetables.
Calcium
The mineral calcium is important for healthy bone development. Good sources include dairy products - milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais - fortified orange juice, green leafy vegetables, cereals, sesame seeds and tofu. Your child should ideally have one pint (500 to 600 ml) of semi-skimmed (or skimmed if the diet has sufficient energy) milk per day.
Folate
Folate is important for growth, but intakes appear to be quite low in some children, especially those that skip breakfast - fortified breakfast cereal are a good source of this important vitamin. Other sources include breads, green leafy vegetables and pulses.
Foods to choose
Regular meals and snacks are important, as is variety; burgers and chips can be fine occasionally, but not for every meal! Make sure your child has a variety of foods based on the main food groups:
