Center for Human Nutrition - Health & Wellness Website

		Cindy Cunningham, MS, RD/LD Section Editor, Pediatrics Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Nutrition; UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 - Application to Children
Posted: March 2005
Source: Cindy Cunningham, MS, RD/LD

Every 5 years the Department of Health and Human Services and the USDA publish advice on how good diet habits can promote health and decrease risk of chronic disease. The first recommendation is to provide adequate nutrients within calorie needs.

How can this recommendation be applied to children?

For adequate nutrients within calorie needs incorporate the following ideas.

Set a goal of at least 5 servings of fruits and/or vegetables a day for the younger child and increase the goal as the caloric needs increase. Teenagers with higher caloric needs can increase their goal to 2 cups of fruits and 21/2 cups of vegetables a day. Fruits and vegetables have a low nutrient density (they are low calorie) and they are rich in vitamins and minerals. Strive for a rainbow of colors such as dark green and orange to increase variety in the diet and diversity in nutrients.

Reduce dietary fat. For children from 1 to 3 years of age the diet usually has 30-40% of the calories from fat, but by 4 years of age the fat content should be reduced to 25%-35% of the calories. This can be achieved by using low fat dairy such as skim or 1% milk and lower fat cheeses and yogurts. Lean meats with the visible fat removed can be baked, boiled, broiled, or grilled without added fats. Use added salad dressings and spreads in moderation or use the low fat versions of the dressings and spreads.

Avoid excessive amount of sugar by limiting sugary drinks- substitute water or low fat milk and limit juice to no more than 4 ounces a day. Offer sweets no more than once a day. Added sugars should not exceed 25% of the total calories.

Have healthy foods that fit into the dietary guidelines available for snacks. Fresh fruits and raw vegetables are a natural because they require little or no preparation and the variety is endless.

Provide the appropriate serving sizes for children. For the younger child one tablespoon of each food for each year of age (a 2 year old would be served 2 tablespoons of each food). By 4 years of age the approximate portion sizes are ½ cup for fruits, vegetables, and starches and 2-3 ounces lean meat. For additional information on portion sizes go to Quaker Oatmeal Website and use the portion distortion tool.