Nutrition for school children
Many parents of school-aged children express concern about their child’s
eating patterns, fussy eating, appetite and growth. Around 1/3 of children
consume little or no fruit or vegetables, around 40% don’t have milk products
for breakfast, and there is a general decline in milk and fruit consumption
from 2 years to 11 years of age.
During the primary years, an increasing proportion of meals are eaten away
from home, with a greater inclusion of high fat ‘snack’ foods. The proportion
of children eating dinner with their families declines with the age of the
child.
Breakfast
Breakfast is important for school children, providing an immediate energy
source as well as improving concentration level. Not only does breakfast
consumption contribute favourably to academic performance, it also improves
the nutritional adequacy of the total daily intake of children. On average
about 20 percent of children skip breakfast on a regular basis. Skipping
breakfast is a frequent pattern seen in the eating habits of overweight
children where a higher proportion of the day’s energy intake is likely
to be consumed in the later part of the day.
Snacks
Snacks provide around 1/3 of the total energy and nutrient requirements
of children. Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet for active children.
There is no relationship between snacking and the development of overweight
in childhood. The important factor is to make snacks nutritious not just
high energy.
Lunchboxes
A significant amount of the child’s total intake is consumed at meals and
snacks during school hours.
Recommended foods to include
Healthy school lunchboxes should provide a variety of foods from the
major food groups including breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables, dairy
foods and meat/protein foods. For more information refer to the publication
Dental caries
More than half of all Victorian primary school children seen by the School
Dental Service have signs of dental decay. Daily tooth brushing as well
as a healthy diet are important factors in the prevention of dental caries.
Unflavoured milk and milk products, whole fruit and vegetables are less
likely to cause decay than sucrose, sugar added to manufactured foods, soft
drinks, cordials, fruit juices and honey.
What motivates children?
Healthy eating messages alone are not enough to motivate children. Boys
are more likely to adopt healthy eating is the message is linked to physical
attributes such as physical strength, sporting prowess and better performance.
Girls are more likely to be motivated by their physical appearance.
More iPhone Apps By
Midwife Cath
