NUTRITION IN

PRESCHOOLERS &
SCHOOLERS
CHILDHOOD
◦ It is the period of life from 1 to 12 years of age
Nutritional Objectives
1. Provide adequate nutrient intake to meet the continuing growth and development needs.
2. Provide basis of support of psychosocial development in relation to food patterns, eating behavior, and
attitudes.
3. Provide sufficient calories for increasing physical activities and energy needs.
PRE-SCHOOL
CHILDREN
The nutritional needs of the pre-school child differ from those of the adult:
1. There is a larger requirement for growth so there is a greater need for proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
2. The preschoolers activities are proportionally higher than those of the adults so the preschoolers’
calorie allowances per unit body weight must be increased.
3. The selection of foods requires some modifications especially for young children.
4. Childhood presents a period of rapidly changing attitudes and emotional development – a period when
food habits can be most favorably channeled
Functions of Diet for a Child
1. Diet provides fuel for the child’s muscular activity.
2. It supplies the necessary chemical elements and compounds that the child’s body requires for building
materials and repairing worn-out tissues.
3. Eating generally gives pleasure and satisfaction to the child
Food Needs of Preschool Children
◦ He/she continues to have food preferences and prejudices which have a great influence on his/her eating habits.
◦ His/her desire for food is erratic.
◦ The child’s appetite wanes.
◦ He/she may not gain an ounce for weeks or even months between the 2 nd and 3rd years.
◦ As the child further grows, he/she becomes more independent and selective, making him/her more vulnerable to
nutritional deficiencies.
◦ The “won’t-eat-era” should not alarm parents because it is expected in a normal child’s development.
◦ The dietary requirements for a preschool child vary widely even within an age group: the small frame versus the
large frame; the boy versus the girl; the short versus the tall.
◦ The recommended energy and nutrient intake is intended for two groups-1 to 3-year-olds and 4 to 6-year-olds-
and is based on the needs on the mean age in each group (2 & 5) and two weight averages and moderate
activity.
Nutrient Allowances
CALORIES
 About 55% of total calorie needs go to metabolic activities, 25% to physical activity, 12% to growth
needs, and 8% to fecal loss.
 The body will utilize the proteins for energy if the child’s diet lacks calories, resulting in protein calorie
malnutrition (PCN).
 Tissue reserves are used for energy and body-building needs leading to marasmus if protein is also not
adequate
Nutrient Allowances
PROTEIN
 About 1.5 to 2 g/kg of body weight is required.
 The RENI indicates that the protein need per kilogram of body weight decreases.
 The protein requirements are relatively high for periods of rapid growth and lower during periods of
slow growth.
Nutrient Allowances
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
 These are likewise essential for normal growth and development.
Nutrient Allowances
FLUIDS
 The total fluid requirement of a healthy child is 4 to 6 glasses, 1 to 1 ½ quarts or 1,000 to 1,5000 mL
Feeding Problems
1. The child is eating too little
• Causes
- the child likes new foods (picky eaters).
- appetite is lost because of too much parental urging
- the child is tired of the same foods eaten everyday
• Remedies
- go slow in adding new foods. Start the meal with foods he/she likes best
- Serve less than what he/she will eat
- Prepare simple dishes like sinigang and tinola
Feeding Problems
2. The child is eating too much
• Causes
- Heredity
- Temperament
- Appetite
- Mother’s insistence on a “clean plate”
• Remedy
- refrain from serving rich foods like cakes, pastries, pies, and ice cream
Feeding Problems
3. The child is dawdling during mealtime
• Causes
- the child may be trying to get someone’s attention
- the child may not be feeling well
- the child may have been given portions which are too big
• Remedies
- have the child regularly checked by pediatrician
- avoid fussing over him/her
- let the child enjoy eating
Feeding Problems
4. The child is gagging especially when fed coarse foods.
• Cause
- The child lacks proper training in eating chopped foods
• Remedies
- Encourage self-feeding
- Put the child in a well-ventilated bright clean eating place. Provide the child with a colorful
plate, an eye-catching cup, and utensils which he/she can manage easily.
Feeding Problems
5. The child has aversion towards some foods.
• Remedies
- Give fruits as substitutes of vegetables.
- Mix vegetables with familiar foods like noodles and eggs or stuff them inside mashed potatoes
or kamote.
- Give milk through halo-halo, leche flan, gulaman, pinipig, mais con yelo, or breakfast cereals.
Feeding Problems
6. The child has allergies
• Causes
- Chemicals in the air
- Food preservatives
- Food coloring
• Remedies
- Monitor nutrient intake
- Make food substitutions
Indications of Good Nutrition
1. Weight
First degree Malnutrition : 10% less than the standard for age and sex
Second-degree malnutrition : 25% less than the standard for age and sex
Third-degree malnutrition : 40% less than the standard for age and sex
Indications of Good Nutrition
2.
Clinical posture : Erect
Arms and legs : Straight
Abdomen : In
Chest : Out
Head : Normal size
Skeletons : With no malformations
Teeth : Straight without crowding in a well-shaped jaw (6years of age=24teeth)
Skin : Smooth, slightly moist with a healthy glow
Eyes : Clear, bright, with no signs of fatigue
Hair : Shiny
Muscles : Firm
Gums : Light pink in color
Lips : Moist
Tongue : Without lesions
SCHOOL AGE
CHILDREN
School Age children
◦ This is the period between 7 and 12 years which is characterized by a slow, steady growth, increased
body proportions, enhanced mental capabilities, and more mind and body coordination.
◦ Body reserves are being laid down in preparation for the increased needs during the adolescent stage.
◦ Girls usually correct the discrepancies with boys, by the latter part of the pre-adolescent stage when 10-
12 year-old reference girls weigh 3kg more than the boys of similar age.
◦ The gain in weight averages 1.8-3.1 kg annually.
Nutrient Allowances
CALORIES
 Allowances decline to about 80 to 90 kcal/kg for children aged 10 to 12 years.
Nutrient Allowances
PROTEIN
 Approximately 37 g is recommended daily for children 7 to 9 years old and 43 to 48 g for children aged
10 to 12 years.
Nutrient Allowances
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
 As most girls start to menstruate at the age 11 or 12, iron allowance should consider the 1.4 mg/day of
menstrual loss.
 Philippine RENI sets ascorbic acid allowance at 35 mg for children 7 to 9 years old and 45 mg for
children aged 10 to 12 years.
 Growing children may need 2 to 4 times as much as calcium as does a adult per unit of weight.
 At levels 500 to 1,000 mg of calcium daily in the diet, children show maximum retention.
 The USA RDA recommends 120 mcg of iodine for children 7 to 10 years
Feeding the School Child
1. Psychological Factors
a. More confident; expresses own food choices
b. Strong urge to eat what his/her friends eat
2. School Environment
Goals of school feeding programs in the Philippines:
c. Improve the nutrition of school children by providing them with wholesome food at the lowest
reasonable cost.
d. Aid in strengthening the nutrition and health education program of the public schools
e. Foster proper eating habits
Feeding the School Child
3. Food Preferences
a. Eats a wider variety of foods and has more food likes and dislikes
b. Wants simple and plain dishes
c. Eats what most adults eat
d. Develops fondness for food products seen in TV commercials and appetite for the favorite food of
his/her celebrity idol
Feeding Problems
1. The child receives inadequate meals
Breakfast which provides ¼ to ½ of the daily nutrient allowances is often missed or hurriedly eaten by school children.
• Causes
- Nothing to eat
- Late bed riser
- Arrival of school bus
- Fear of being late for school
- Rush in preparing oneself for school
A good breakfast should consist of the following:
- Vitamin C-rich fruits like papaya
- Cereals like oatmeal or fried rice or pan de sal
- Protein-rich foods like egg, tuyo, cheese, or milk
Feeding Problems
◦ Lunch is also a dietary problem because so many children eat their lunch in school or fast-food joints.
◦ Sandwiches and hearty meals such as fried chicken, hotdogs, burgers and fries, spaghetti, adobo,
longganisa, and tinapa with rice, salted eggs, and tomatoes are favorites among Filipino school children.
◦ Providing a child with milk, fruit juice, or soup prevents him/her from buying soft drinks
Feeding Problems
2. The child has poor appetite
• Causes
- Demanding school work
- Tiring extracurricular activities
- New outdoor experiences
- Confections and soft drinks in school
• Remedies
- School cafeterias should offer nutritious and inexpensive snacks
- Carbohydrate-rich snack products which provide little or no vitamins and minerals must be replaced
with milk and fruit beverages, turon, munggo, peanuts, fresh fruits, and bread
Feeding Problems
3. The child has sweet tooth
• Causes
- Hungry growing bodies recognize the need for extra calories
- Parents give sweets as rewards or pasalubong to kids
Weight and Height Standards for
Filipino Boys and Girls
◦ During the early years, a steady rate of growth is normally maintained.
◦ At about 10 to 12 years of age, the pre-adolescent growth spurt begins.