Pre-School Information for Parents

5.3. Food habits

Why is it so important regularity in eating habits and take snacks between meals?

Eating habits that influence food preferences, consumption of energy and nutrient intakes, develop normally during childhood, and particularly during adolescence. The family and school environment is very important when determining the child’s attitude towards certain foods and their consumption.

Adolescents also be exposed to temporary food fads and trends to lose weight, often skipping meals and develop irregular eating habits. One meal that is most often skipped breakfast. Studies show that breakfast is vital to provide energy and nutrients after an overnight fast, and contributes to greater concentration and performance in school. (more…)

5. What are the most important aspects in nutrition for teens?

The nutritional needs of young people are influenced by the acceleration of growth that occurs at puberty. The peak of growth is usually between 11 and 15 years for girls and between 13 and 16 for boys.

The nutrients that teenagers need depends largely on each person and food intake can vary greatly from day to day, so they can under-or over-eating one day and make up the next day. In this time of life, there is a risk of suffering deficiencies of some nutrients such as iron and calcium.

5.1. Iron

One of the diseases related to diet deficiency is more common among adolescents is iron deficiency anemia. (more…)

3. What are the most important aspects in nutrition for children 1 to 3 years?

During these years, the child begins to have its own personality and demonstrate their independence by moving around freely and choosing foods to eat. Although the child is still growing, the rate of growth is lower than in the first 12 months of life. At the end of the third year of age, both girls and boys reach 50 percent of their adult height.

During this time, children are able to drink through a straw and eat with a spoon, and often they become “fussy” eaters. The consumption of different foods allows the child to choose between different flavors, textures and colors to help satisfy your appetite. The most important factor is that different foods to meet their energy needs.

Food intake will be increasingly influenced by the eating habits of your family and people around him. Early food experiences may have important effects on food likes and dislikes and eating habits in later life. You should not to rush in meal times, but you have to feed them relax and prepare the ground for their attitudes toward food are healthy.

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1. Introduction

It is vital that children have adequate nutrition and a healthy diet for your optimal development potential. During childhood and adolescence, dietary habits and exercise can make the difference between a healthy lifestyle and disease risk in later years. At different stages of life, different nutrients are needed. (more…)