Nutrition for ages 6 to 17 years old

Nutrition for children at this age is very important because they not only affect their health but also affect their ability to learn.

Children of primary school age

Don't be surprised if your child skips meals. It is very normal for children 6-7 years old to suddenly decide to be vegetarian once they understand what animals are and where food comes from. This does not mean that your baby will have a protein deficiency. Animal tissue is not the only food that provides us with protein. Rice, beans, eggs, milk, peanut butter - all of these foods contain protein. So if your child wants to be a vegetarian for about a week or a lifetime, he or she can still get enough protein by eating the above foods.

Certain types of children may use more sugar, fat, and salt than necessary. This is when children go to school and have more choices to eat, especially when they are in the cafeteria. Cakes, candies, chips and snacks can become a baby's meal. Your baby's body needs carbs, fat and salt, but in a moderate dose because too many carbs, fats and salt can lead to overweight and other health problems. You can bring your child to bring lunch or read through the lunch menu on their own and encourage them to choose healthy foods that can help control what they eat.

Adolescents and adolescents

At the beginning of puberty, children need more energy to support the changes they will go through. Unfortunately, some of the calories that come from fast food have very little nutritional value. Some teenagers do the opposite, limiting the amount of calories and fat they consume. Adolescence is when children begin to become aware of their weight and self-image, which can lead to eating disorders or unhealthy eating behaviors. You should keep an eye on things by noticing changes in your eating habits and making it a habit to prioritize family meals 1-2 times a week.

As with caloric needs, a child's calcium needs will also be higher. Calcium will be needed more than ever at this stage as much of the bone structure will be made during this time. However, less than 10% of women and more than 25% of teenage males are consuming enough or more of the calcium needed. Encourage your child to drink milk, eat dairy products or products containing calcium, although this means your baby will add chocolate syrup to the milk for better milk, as drinking milk will help. children with extra calcium.

In addition to their calcium and calorie needs, a child's gender can play an important role in what specific nutrients they need. For example, girls need more iron than boys to replace the iron lost during menstruation and boys need slightly more protein than girls.

Tip: Drink plenty of water because

Water makes up more than half of a child's body mass and keeps all body functions functioning properly.

There is no specific amount of water to drink, but let your child drink water throughout the day - even if he is not thirsty.

Babies usually don't need water for the first year of life.

If your child doesn't like the taste of water, add a little lemon for flavor.

Fruits and vegetables are also a source of water.

Children should drink more water when they are sick, when it is hot or during physical activity.

While helping kids eat healthy at any age can be a never-ending battle, it's worth it. A healthy child becomes a healthy adult, and with your support and guidance, he or she can become a healthy child now and a healthy adult in the future.