Question

Discuss dietary guidelines for children and adolescence and how to introduce the FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID early on to the child.

Answer 1

DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT:-
-Children need appropriate food and physical activity for normal growth and development.
-Growth should be checked regularly.
-Encourage and support breastfeeding.
-Eat plenty of breads and cereals, vegetables (including legumes) and fruits.
-Low fat diets are not suitable for young children.
-For older children, a diet low in fat and in particular, low in saturated fat, is appropriate.
-Encourage water as a drink. Alcohol is not recommended for children.
-Eat only a moderate amount of sugars and foods containing added sugars.
-Choose low salt foods.
-Eat foods containing calcium.
-Eat foods containing iron

Children and adolescents should be encouraged to:
-eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits
-eat plenty of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain
-include lean meat, fish, poultry.
-include milks, yoghurts, cheeses.
-Reduced-fat milks are not suitable for children under two years, because of their high energy needs, but reduced-fat varieties should be encouraged for older children and adolescents

PUTTING FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID EARLY INTO PRACTICE:-
-Teachers and care providers play an important role in the lives and development of the children in their care.
-Teachers and providers can promote healthy diets by offering children a variety of food choices and food experiences.
-Children who learn early in life how to make wise food choices and develop good eating habits and healthy attitudes about food will enjoy the benefits for the rest of their lives.
-Making food choices today, however, can be difficult due to an overabundance of fast food and prepared food, busy schedules, the media's coverage of diet fads and unrealistic role models, and television advertisements.
-To help us develop and practice healthy eating habits, the federal government created the Food Guide Pyramid in 1992.
-food guide puramid categorizes foods into groups by order of importance, nutrient value, serving size, and number of servings.