Preschoolers and Toddlers, Diet of Health Article

Preschoolers and Toddlers, Diet of

At approximately age one, children enter the latent period of growth. During this period, until the onset of puberty, growth and development are more gradual than during the first year. Physical growth steadies, and the body begins to look more proportioned as it prepares for an "upright" lifestyle.

The immediate stages following infancy are toddlerhood (ages one through three) and the preschool years (ages three through five). Characterized by temper tantrums, exploration, and endless questions, these periods can be trying for parents. Individual children experience growth spurts and plateaus—during which growth seems to stop completely. Food intake, and a liking of certain foods, may change constantly, causing a great deal of anxiety for parents.

Parents need to recognize that these changes are a normal part of development. Understanding the nutritional requirements of these age groups may help parents adapt to the new challenges. In addition, parents should be aware of the potential problems associated with feeding young children—and the ways to prevent them.

Nutritional Requirements

Compared to adults, small children need more nutrients in proportion to their body weight. As bones, muscles, teeth, and blood volume are developing, nutrient intake needs to be adequate to support this process, and also to keep up with the growing child's increasing activity. A challenge also arises when growth spurts alternate with periods of no growth or slowed growth.

The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), which include the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Adequate Intakes (AIs), should serve as a guide to prevent deficiencies in this age group. However, most of the levels set for preschoolers and toddlers are based on values established for infants and adults. In addition, the DRIs include a built-in margin of safety that exceeds the requirements for most children in the United States. Therefore, an intake that is less than that specified in the DRIs is not necessarily a reason for concern. For parents, a more practical approach to ensuring proper nutrient intake is to use the Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children, devised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).0

Most people do not follow the requirements specified in these guides. Although severe nutrient deficiencies are rare in the United States, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin A are the nutrients most likely to be low in children as a result of poor dietary habits. Ensuring that children eat the recommended number of servings from each of the food groups in the pyramid is the best way to be certain that all nutritional requirements are met. A good rule of thumb for serving sizes is one tablespoon per year of age.