Parents – you are the ultimate gatekeeper of nutrition.  What you buy, how you cook, the foods that you eat or refuse, all send strong messages about food to your child.  The best way to educate your child about nutrition and health is to model good eating behavior.  There are many ways to teach your child about food and nutrition, for example, tending a small garden plot in the yard, reading and discussing books with nutrition messages, using the grocery store as a learning center or involving your child in the kitchen during meal preparation.

Presenting a balanced picture of nutrition is no easy task in today’s society.  The media can be overwhelming with almost daily reports on the latest nutrition studies, leaving you dazed and contemplating whether your favorite foods have been praised or denounced this week.  We quickly lose sight that food and eating is enjoyable, necessary and sustains our life!  Your child needs nutrients to grow strong and healthy, but you also have to limit treats and serving sizes so that your child doesn’t develop weight and health problems later in life.

When it comes to feeding your child, consider these dietary guidelines that were established by the American Heart Association (http://www.americanheart.org) for infants, children and adolescents to promote cardiovascular health:

Healthy eating begins during infancy

• Breast-feeding is ideal nutrition and sufficient to support optimal growth and development for about the first 4-6 months after birth.  Try to maintain breast-feeding for 12 months.  Transitioning to other sources of nutrients should begin at about 4-6 months of age to ensure sufficient micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in the diet. 
• Delay introducing 100 percent juice until at least 6 months of age and limit to no more than 4-6 ounces per day.  Juice should only be fed from a cup, not in the bottle.
• Do not overfeed infants and young children.  Children shouldn’t be forced to finish meals if they aren’t hungry, as they often vary caloric intake from meal to meal.
• Introduce healthy foods and keep offering them if they are initially refused.  Don’t introduce foods with poor nutritional value simply to provide calories.

The following eating pattern is recommended for children and adolescents

• Energy (calories) should be adequate to support growth and development and to reach or maintain desirable body weight.  Don’t overfeed.  Estimated calories needed by children range from 900 per day for a 1 year-old to 1,800 per day for a 14-18 year-old girl, and 2,200 per day for a 14-18 year-old boy.
• Eat foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars.
• Keep total fat intake between 30 to 35 percent of calories for children 2-3 years of age and between 25-35 percent of calories for children and adolescents 4-18 years of age.  Most of the fat should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils (ex. canola oil and olive oil are wise choices).
• Choose a variety of foods from each of the food groups (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, eggs, meat, fish and poultry, and dairy) to get enough carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients.
• Eat only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight for height and build.  Be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day.
• Serve whole grain breads and cereals rather than refined grain products.  Look for “whole grain” as the first ingredient on the food label and make at least half your grain servings whole grain.  Recommended grain intake ranges from 2 ounces per day for a 1 year-old to 7 ounces per day for a 14-18 year-old.
• Serve a variety of fruits and vegetables daily, while limiting juice intake.  Each meal should contain at least 1 fruit or vegetable.  Children’s recommended fruit intake ranges from 1 cup per day between ages 1 and 3, to 2 cups per day for a 14-18 year-old.  Vegetable intake ranges from ¾ cup a day at age 1 to 3 cups per day for a 14-18 year-old.
• Introduce and regularly serve fish as an entrée.  Avoid commercially fried fish.
• Serve nonfat and low-fat dairy foods.  From ages 1-8, children need 2 cups of milk or its equivalent daily.  Children ages 9-19 need 3 cups daily.

This eating pattern supports a child’s normal growth and development.  It provides enough total energy (calories) and meets or exceeds the recommended daily intakes for all nutrients for children and adolescents, including iron and calcium.

Central Baptist Hospital’s Community Education and Fitness Express Fitness and Wellness Center have programs and services available to help you and your family develop heart healthy eating habits.  For more information, call 859-260-6457.