Nutritional advice for school-aged children
The best nutrition advice to keep your children healthy includes encouraging them to:
• Eat breakfast every day to help maintain concentration in class. A good breakfast should be able to provide a third of the total daily energy requirement. A typical breakfast includes a cereal (for example, rice, bread, and oats), protein-rich food such as egg, a glass of milk and vitamin C rich fruit e.g. orange, and papaya. One study found that an overnight and morning fast among school children had deleterious effects on memory and attention. Empirical evidence from research on the effects of breakfast on cognition shows that particularly for younger children, skipping breakfast can have adverse effects on both general energy levels and cognition of school children.
• Eat a variety of foods in order to have adequate nutrient intake.
• Balance the food you eat with physical activity.
• Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruits.
• Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Buy low-calorie and low-fat meals, snacks and deserts, low fat or skim milk and diet drinks.
• Choose a diet that provides enough calcium and iron to meet their growing body’s requirements.
• Teach children from an early age about nutrition, foods, drinks, healthy eating and drinking. They should be taught what happens to the food they consume.
• Choose a diet moderate in sugars and salt. Avoid giving large amounts of sweet deserts, soft drinks, fruit-flavored drinks, sugar-coated cereals, chips or candy, as they have little nutritional value.
What can parents do to help children eat healthily?
Adequate nutrition will help your child develop maximum intelligence (IQ) and well being. Habits developed in the formative years of life have a lasting effect on health. As a result parents need to set positive food culture through meal planning, keeping a variety of foods in supply, and setting a good example.
Parents are role models for their children, therefore any dietary habits formed by the parent is likely to be reflected in the child.
Do you think your eating habits is good model to your children? They model their behavior after their parents. So be a good role model and set the stage for healthy eating. Your actions speak louder than your words.
【Reference】
http://www.virtualmedicalcentre.com/healthandlifestyle/nutrition-for-school-children/89
