Nutrition Needs of Children

at Different Ages
 Objectives
• To recognize the changing nutritional needs of
developing children, from infancy to 5 yrs of age.
• To understand that nutritional recommendations
for children vary by age, & stage of development.
• To recognize that nutritional and dietary
behaviors learned in children can have a
significant impact on adult health concerns such
as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and
osteoporosis.
Infancy
• Growth – increase in size due to increase
in the number of cells
• Development – increase in functional
ability
• Behavioral Development of a Healthy
 Needs in Infancy
• Adequate weight
– Low birth weight: <2500 g (5 lb)
– Very low birth weight: <1500 g (3 lb)
– Extremely low birth weight: <990 g (2 lb)
• Gestational age
– Immature
• Types of milk
• Methods of feeding
– Full term
 Breast Feeding Questions
• Why should I breast feed my baby? I thought
formula was the identical alternative.
• How often and for how long will my baby
nurse?
• How do I know if the baby is getting enough?
• How many months can I breast feed the
baby ?
 Needs in Infancy
• Breastfeeding is ideal
– Nutrients easily absorbed
– Supports immunity
– Mother-child bonding

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Breast Feeding : Advantages to
Infants
• Immunologic benefits (>100 components)
• Decreased incidence of ear infections,
UTI, gastroenteritis, respiratory illnesses,
and bacteremia.
• Convenient and ready to eat.
• Reduced chance of overfeeding?
• Fosters mother-infant bonding.
 Assessment of Breast Feeding
• Weight pattern - consistent weight gain.
• Voiding - # wet diapers/day, soaked?
• Stooling - generally more stools than formula.
• Feed-on-demand ~ every 2-3 hours.
• Duration of feedings - generally 10-20
min/side.
• Need for high fat hind milk.
• Activity and vigor of infant.
Breast Feeding vs Formula
Feeding
Breast Feeding :Advantages to
Mothers
• May delay return of ovulation.
• Loss of pregnancy-associated adipose
tissue and weight gain.
• Suppresses post-partum bleeding.
• Decreased breast cancer rate.
 Methods of Feeding the Infant
1. Breast Feeding
2. Artificial Feeding – bottle feeding using
infant formula
3. Mixed Feeding – combination of breast &
bottle Milk Formula:
 Whole Cows Milk Formula
1. Powdered whole cow’s milk – milk dried under
controlled condition (Nido, Birch Tree, Anchor Mik)
2. Full Cream evaporated Milk – whole milk from
which 50-60% of water content has been removed
3. Recombined milk – skim milk powder
reconstituted to normal fat content of the whole
milk by adding butterfat
4. Reconstituted milk – process milk to which water
is added to restore its original water content
(Frisian Girl, Alpine)
 Other type of evaporated milk
not recommended for infants
1. Sweetened condensed – High in sugar
resulting in very diluted milk formula
2. Evaporated Filled Milk – cow’s milk from
which butterfat has been removed and replaced
with vegetable oil (94% coconut oil, 6% corn oil)
3. Skim Milk – butter fat has been removed
(Enfamil, Olac)
4. Acidified Milk – increase digestibility
( Pelargon, Acidolac)
 Other type of evaporated milk
not recommended for infants
5. Completely Modified Milk Formula –
Protein & mineral content are adjusted to
resemble human milk (SMA, S-26, Similac) 6.
Non- cows Milk formula – Soybase for
infant’s allergy to cow’s milk ( Sobee, Mullsoy,
Isomil)

Note: goat’s milk has also been found

effective as hypo allergenic milk
 Baby’s Food During the 1st
Year of Life
1. Cereal Foods – (3-4 months), milk is still
continued
2. Fruits – (3-4 months) , mashed
3. Vegetables – (3-4 months) , mashed
(carrots, squash, sayote,) green leafy
vegetables may be mashed and sieved
and mix with other foods.
 Baby’s Food During the 1st
Year of Life
4. Eggs –( 4- 5 months) , only eggyolk is given
5. ( 9-10 months) , can give the whole egg
6. Munggo – ( 5 months) cooked well and
strained
7. Meat, fish or Poultry – ( 5-6 months) ,
ground and strained
8. Other Foods – custards, puddings, plain
ice cream, plain gulaman or jello
HOW TO GIVE SUPPLEMENTARY FOODS

• Introduce one food at a time

• Give small amounts of foods
• Use thin, soft consistency. Gradually,
modify the consistency
• Never force an infant to eat more of a food
he can takes
HOW TO GIVE SUPPLEMENTARY FOODS

• Omit the food if the infant refuse to eat

several times
• Slightly seasoned with small amt. of salt
• Variety of foods is important
• don’t show any dislikes for the food
 Needs in Infancy, cont’d
• Bottle feeding
– Choosing a formula
– Preparing the formula
– Feeding the formula
– Cleaning bottles and nipples

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 Needs in Infancy, cont’d
• Weaning
• Cow’s milk
– Should never be fed to infants
• Solid food
– Can be introduced at 6 months

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Childhood
 Key Concepts

• Human growth and development require

both nutrition and psychosocial support.
• A variety of food patterns and habits
supplies the energy and nutrient
requirements of normal growth and
development, although basic nutrition
needs change with each growth period.

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 Needs in Childhood
• Toddlers (1 to 3 years)
– Eat less food at times
• Preschoolers (3 to 5 years)
– Grow in spurts
– Group eating for socialization
• School-age children (5 to 12 years)
– Slow, irregular growth
– Breakfast is important
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MyPyramid for Kids

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 Childhood Nutrition Problems
• Failure to thrive
– Clinical disease
– Neuromotor difficulties
– Dietary practices
– Unusual nutrient needs or losses
– Psychological difficulties

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 Childhood Nutrition Problems,
cont’d
• Anemia
– More common in formula-fed infants
– Milk anemia
• Obesity
– On the rise for children and adolescents
– Factors: high-fat foods, overeating, low
physical activity
• Lead poisoning
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 NUTRITION FOR PRE-
SCHOOL
• This is the most difficult stage in feeding a
child since the appetite tapers off
corresponding to the lower rate of growth.
 Foods to Give the Pre-School
Child:
1. Mildly flavored foods
2. Plain foods is acceptable than mixed
foods.
3. Fruits, puddings, custard, ice cream and
gelatin may be given
 Sign of Good Nutrition in Pre-
School Child
• Stands erect, arms and legs straight – Clear,
bright eyes, smooth healthy skin, lustrous hair
• Alert, vigorous and happy
• Endurance during activities
• sleeps well
• Normal height and weight for age
• Firm and well developed muscles
• Not irritable and restless
• Good attention
NUTRITION FOR SCHOOL CHILD
• Feeding Problems
• Limited time for eating
• Poor Eating practices
• Unbalance program of activities & rest
 Recommended Solutions
• Allow sufficient time for meals
• Encourage child to eat more fruits &
vegetables
• Provide child with properly selected
snacks
• Regulate the activities
• Guidance in proper food selection
 Needs in Adolescence
• Physical growth
– Rapid growth during onset of puberty
– Boys and girls differ in fat, muscle gain
– Risk of obesity continues
• Eating patterns
– Influenced by rapid growth, peer pressure
– Alcohol abuse
– Pressure to be thin
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 Needs in Adolescence, cont’d
• Eating disorders a problem for girls and
boys
– Pressures to control figure
– Result in “crash” diets
– Self-starvation
• Anorexia nervosa, bulimia
• Youngsters see themselves as “fat”
• Early detection and intervention critical

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 Summary
• Growth and development of healthy children depend on
optimal nutrition support.
• Optimal nutrition depends on social, psychological, cultural,
and environmental influences.
• Nutrition needs change with each unique growth period.
• Infants experience rapid growth.
– Human milk is encourage as first food, with solid foods delayed until
approximately 6 months of age

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 Summary, cont’d
• Toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children
experience slow and irregular growth
– Energy demands are less
– Still require a balanced meal plan
– Social and cultural factors play a role
• Adolescents
– Large growth spurt before adulthood
– Increased calorie and nutrient demands
– Social pressures

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