10 Nutrition
Good nutrition is the foundation for healthy growth and development. Without adequate nutrients, children’s physical and mental health can be severely compromised. Children’s ability to interact with their environment, to be active and curious, and to explore and learn can be limited. Good nutrition, combined with vigorous exercise, helps children grow and maintain a high level of health. For children with acute or chronic illness, appropriate nutrition can be essential to healing and/or successful management of their condition.
The pediatric primary health care providers’ goal is to ensure that children are well nourished. To accomplish this, providers must conduct thorough assessments, provide relevant education, develop clear and appropriate treatment plans, and refer the child and family to nutritional specialists as needed. Interventions aimed at helping children and families meet nutritional requirements and preventing problems related to poor nutrition are based on certain assumptions, including the following:
• Children’s nutritional needs vary as they grow.
• Children’s nutritional needs are influenced by their state of health.
• A wide range of food choices and feeding behaviors are used to meet nutritional needs.
• Recommended dietary allowances are guidelines only.
• Parents and other caregivers are responsible for providing food choices that are nutritionally adequate and for establishing healthy eating patterns; to do so, they must be well informed.
• Family patterns of nutrition and eating are based on social, economic, cultural, and psychological dynamics. Patterns are not related to nutrients alone.
• The primary care provider is a source of information regarding nutrition, feeding patterns, and health.
• The primary care provider works with a network of specialists (e.g., registered dietitians) to manage children’s nutrition status.
This chapter looks at the nutritional requirements of children and the ways providers can use nutrition to help children be their healthiest. It begins with the nutritional standards for preventive care recommended by certain professional groups, followed by a review of the functions of specific nutrients in the body and the “recommended daily intakes” for these nutrients. It must be emphasized that these recommendations are just that—recommendations, not requirements—and the fact that they are often given as a range (e.g., 25% to 35% of energy intake in the form of fat) reinforces the concept that there is latitude in what can be considered healthy nutritional intake.
Approaches to general assessment, diagnosis, and management of nutritional status are then presented. Finally, sections on “normal” and “altered” patterns of nutrition conclude the chapter. The section on “normal” nutrition outlines development of eating habits and age-specific considerations related to food intake, including nutrition for the pregnant teenager and vegetarian diets. In the section on altered patterns of nutrition, several tables summarize nutritional considerations of specific conditions (e.g., diabetes mellitus). It would be impossible within the scope of a general text to discuss nutritional needs of all acute and chronic conditions, so general categories are outlined: conditions that require increased caloric intake, those that require decreased caloric intake, and so on. Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States and other developed countries. This eating problem (epidemiology, etiology, assessment, and management), as currently understood, is discussed.
Standards for Preventive Care
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding until 4 to 6 months old, and continued breastfeeding, supplemented with appropriate foods for infants, until at least 12 months old (AAP, 2005). The AAP also recommends giving 400 International Units of vitamin D to all breastfed infants until 1 year of age and to all children and adolescents with diets deficient in vitamin D (Wagner et al, 2008). The American Medical Association (AMA) supports breastfeeding as the best infant nutrition. It recommends that providers calculate body mass index (BMI) measures in children’s routine physical examinations, “recognizing ethnic sensitivities and its relation to stature.” The AMA school health advocacy agenda includes attention to healthy eating and exercise in schools and for school-age children (AMA, 2005). The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has published ways to ensure that school food programs meet current dietary recommendations (Committee on Nutrition Standards for National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs et al, 2010). Bright Futures in Practice: Nutrition (Holt and Wooldridge, 2011) presents nutritional guidelines, discusses issues and concerns related to pediatric nutrition, and outlines tools for providers to assess and manage nutrition in children. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that children ages 6 years and older be screened for obesity and that they be given, or referred for, comprehensive intensive behavioral interventions to improve weight (USPSTF, 2010). Nutrition standards for children emphasize that:
• Breast milk is the best food for infants.
• Children’s diets should include a wide variety of foods.
• Foods should come predominantly from plants, especially:
• Iron-rich foods are essential, especially for infants and adolescents.
• Fat intake, particularly saturated fats and cholesterol, should be limited. Trans fats should be eliminated from the diet.
• Simple carbohydrates (e.g., refined grains, white bread, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, sodas) should be limited.
• Extra calcium, iron, and folic acid are important nutrients in adolescent girls’ diets.
• Children’s diets should include adequate fiber and sodium.
Nutritional Requirements and Recommended Daily Intake
The body requires energy, water and electrolytes, and macro- and micronutrients in order to survive. The amounts of these requirements vary greatly. The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the National Academies of Science, IOM, lists dietary reference intakes (DRIs) based on diets consumed in the U.S. and Canada. Developed in 1997, DRIs include the estimated average requirement (EAR), the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), the adequate intake (AI), and the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of foods consumed. DRIs reference parameters of nutrient intake that will meet body needs and prevent adverse effects of excessive intake. They do not, however, set a standard below which the diet is judged inadequate to prevent pathology (basal requirement), or a standard that is sufficient for the body to maintain a healthy body reserve (normative requirement) (FNB, 2005). Based on extensive analysis of scientific evidence on diet and nutrition, and referencing the DRIs developed by the FNB, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (USDHHS) publish Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years. These guidelines address questions of nutritional adequacy, energy balance, weight management, and food safety and technology, and make recommendations regarding intake of macro- and micronutrients, water, cholesterol, salt, and alcohol (USDA and USDHHS, 2010). They can assist families and providers to make healthful dietary decisions to meet the nutritional needs of individual children.
Energy
An individual’s basal metabolic rate and thermoregulation, growth, and activity are the three mechanisms requiring energy intake, measured in kilocalories. The body uses most of its energy for regulatory functions: respiration, digestion, temperature regulation, circulation, and so on. This activity is measured as the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR), or resting energy expenditure (REE). Growth, greatest in infancy and adolescence, is a second source of energy consumption. Finally, activity, exercise, and other metabolic demands, including illness, increase the level of calories needed to support healing and sustain good health. The body meets these energy demands, or estimated energy requirement (EER), by using stored energy sources or calories consumed on a daily basis. EERs for healthy children can vary significantly by age, health status, and activity level. Tables providing a formula to calculate caloric needs of infants and toddlers and children age 2 to 18 years old can be found on the inside cover of this text.
Macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) and alcohol are all sources of calories the body uses to meet its energy needs. The body makes no distinction as to the source of calories; it will use whichever calories are consumed. It is recommended, however, that caloric intake be distributed among the three macronutrients, with each providing a certain percentage of total daily caloric intake. These recommendations are given as an acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR) and are presented in Table 10-1. They are based on age for children who are of average height, weight, and physical activity level (FNB, 2005; USDA and USDHHS, 2010). If more calories than are required for energy needs are consumed, they will be converted to fat and stored. In addition to energy needs, the body requires essential nutrients for growth and health. If the food a child eats is high in calories (calorie dense) but low in nutrients (nutrient poor, often referred to as “empty calories”), the child will gain excess weight and still be undernourished. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001 to 2004 show that more than 90% of all children ages 2 years and older had intakes of empty calories that exceeded discretionary limits (Krebs-Smith et al, 2010), contributing to overweight and obesity.
Water and Electrolytes
Water
Water is the primary component of body tissue, and maintaining fluid balance is essential to good health. Because of the wide variation of healthful intake and output, there is no specific recommended daily requirement for water, though general guidelines are available (Otten et al, 2006). Thirst is generally an adequate indicator of the need to take in more water. Children do not always appreciate the feeling of thirst, however, and may need to be offered water or foods that contain water. Infants present special concerns because they have a large skin surface per unit of body weight, their renal systems are not fully mature to process solutes, they have a high daily water turnover (up to 15% of body weight), and they are unable to express thirst. All these factors make infants uniquely susceptible to rapid variations in water balance.
Water loss is increased by illness, activity, high altitude, high ambient temperature, and dry air. When more than 10% of body weight is lost without replacement, dehydration can become life threatening. If a child is vomiting and has diarrhea, water loss can be significant. Children who exercise strenuously, especially in a warm, dry environment, require additional water intake. After strenuous or prolonged exercise, however, high water intake without electrolyte replacement can lead to water intoxication.
Sodium
Sodium functions primarily to regulate extracellular fluid volume. It also regulates osmolarity, acid-base balance, and the membrane potential of cells and is involved in the cell membrane transport pump, exchanging with potassium in intracellular fluid. Sodium loss occurs with vomiting, diarrhea, and perspiration. Sodium requirements vary with the rate of extracellular fluid expansion, which is most rapid in infants and very young children. It is not necessary to add sodium to the diet, even for children who exercise and perspire heavily. In fact, the typical North American diet far exceeds minimum requirements for sodium intake, with most sodium coming from salt added during food processing and manufacturing. For children 1 to 3 years, 1000 mg per day is considered an adequate intake (AI) of sodium; for children 4 to 8 years, 1200 mg per day; and for children 9 to 18, 1500 mg per day (USDA and USDHHS, 2010).
Potassium
Potassium helps maintain intracellular homeostasis and contributes to muscle contractility and transmission of nerve impulses. Severe potassium deficit (hypokalemia) can lead to cardiac dysrhythmias and death. Excessive potassium (hyperkalemia) can cause cardiac arrest. The urinary and gastrointestinal systems regulate potassium levels, and extreme imbalances are almost always due to disease processes or medication rather than dietary factors. Potassium requirements increase as lean body mass increases and are higher during the rapid growth of infancy and adolescence than during middle childhood. Fruits, vegetables, and fresh meat have high potassium content.
Chloride
Chloride functions with sodium to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. Loss of chloride occurs through the same routes as sodium loss: vomiting, diarrhea, and perspiration. The major source of chloride is salt (NaCl or KCl) added to foods during processing. There is no recommended daily allowance for chloride, but adequate amounts are ingested with a normal diet.
Macronutrients
Protein
Protein is a fundamental component of all body cells. Dietary protein is broken down into amino acids, which are required for the synthesis of body cell protein and nitrogen-containing compounds, some enzyme and hormone activity, cell transport, and tissue growth and development. Ten “indispensable” or essential amino acids are not synthesized by the body and must be provided in the diet (phenylalanine, leucine, methionine, lysine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, histidine, and arginine [arginine is required in diet for infants but not adults]). Depending on their age, children should receive approximately 5% to 30% of daily calories from proteins (see Table 10-1).
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the body’s major dietary source of energy. More than half (45% to 65%) of children’s body energy requirements should be supplied by carbohydrates (FNB, 2005; USDA and USDHHS, 2010). There are two forms of carbohydrates: simple sugars (the monosaccharides and disaccharides of sucrose, fructose, and lactose found in fruits, vegetables, milk, and prepared sweets) or complex carbohydrates (starches found in cereal grains, potatoes, legumes, and other vegetables). Most dietary carbohydrates should be in the complex form. Refined food products (e.g., products made with white flour, white sugar, white rice, and high-fructose corn syrup) should be limited. Because carbohydrates are essential to facilitate protein synthesis, if carbohydrates are extremely limited or absent from the diet (e.g., with a ketogenic diet used to manage intractable seizures of epilepsy; see Chapter 27), the body utilizes stored triglycerides, oxidizes fatty acids, and breaks down dietary and tissue protein. This process contributes to accumulation of ketone bodies.
Fats
Lipids, fats, and fatty acids are used by the body to provide energy, to facilitate absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), and to maintain integrity of cell membranes and myelin. Two essential fatty acids are not produced by the body and must be included in the diet. These essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), are precursors of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, respectively. LA is found in soy oil, corn oil, and sunflower, safflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds. ALA is found in large quantities in flaxseed and flaxseed oil and in lesser quantities in walnuts, canola oil, and wheat germ. Adequate amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are produced in the body if there is adequate intake of these two essential fatty acids and the vitamins and minerals necessary to facilitate their conversion.
It is recommended that fat intake for children 1 to 3 years old be 30% to 40% of total caloric intake; children more than 3 years old should gradually adopt a diet of 25% to 35% of total calories from fats, with less than 10% of total calories in the form of saturated fat. Daily diets should have no more than 300 mg of cholesterol. In fact, dietary saturated fats, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol are unnecessary for healthy nutrition, saturated fat and cholesterol intake should be minimal, and there should be zero intake of trans fatty acids (FNB, 2005; USDA and USDHHS, 2010). Numerous studies indicate that diets with high plant fibers, limited saturated fats, low cholesterol, and no trans fats reduce serum cholesterol and LDH levels without affecting normal growth and development (Royo-Bordonada et al, 2006; Ruottinen et al, 2010; Van Horn et al, 2003). When counseling parents about fat in their children’s diets, providers should emphasize that a diet with about 25% to 30% of calories from fat easily provides for energy and growth needs; if less than 20% of total is fat, the child can be at nutritional risk.
Micronutrients
Vitamins
Recommendations for daily intake of fat- and water-soluble vitamins are listed in Table 10-1. Table 10-2 identifies specific metabolic functions, dietary sources, and signs of deficient or excessive intake of these vitamins.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Several characteristics of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) have implications for dietary assessment and management:
• They can be stored for long periods of time in body tissues. As a result, temporary dietary deficiencies may not affect the body’s growth and development. If stores are depleted and nutritional intake is inadequate, signs of vitamin deficiency appear. If intake is excessive, as can occur when supplements are taken, toxic effects can appear.
• They are absorbed in the intestines along with fats and lipids in foods. Low-fat diets and increased intestinal motility or malabsorption syndromes may put individuals at risk for fat-soluble vitamin deficiency.
• They are fairly stable when heated, as in cooking. Food preparation does not destroy fat-soluble vitamins as readily as water-soluble vitamins.
• They require bile for absorption. Conditions that compromise the hepatobiliary system put the individual at risk for decreased vitamin absorption.
• They do not contain nitrogen and do not act as coenzymes in cellular metabolism of nutrients.
Water-Soluble Vitamins
In contrast to fat-soluble vitamins, water-soluble vitamins (C and B complexes) are stored in very small amounts in the body. If water-soluble vitamin intake is more than that needed by the body, absorption (primarily in the jejunum) decreases, and excess vitamins are excreted. As a result, daily intake of water-soluble vitamins is necessary, and there is little risk of toxicity from large doses. The B vitamins contain nitrogen and serve as essential coenzymes in the body’s metabolism of nutrients. Niacin (vitamin B3) plays a significant role in increasing high-density lipoproteins (HDLs).
Minerals and Elements
Three major minerals—calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus—are present in the body in amounts greater than 5 g. DRIs have been set for boron, calcium, chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, selenium, silicon, vanadium, and zinc (FNB, 2005). Table 10-1 identifies recommended allowances for calcium, fluoride, iron, and zinc.
Peak bone density is directly related to calcium intake during the years of bone mineralization, primarily before 20 years of age. Bone calcification continues for several years more, however, so to ensure maximum peak bone density, dietary calcium needs to remain high until about 25 years old. Breastfed infants or those who are fed an approved infant formula receive sufficient calcium and should not be given a supplement. Minerals and essential trace elements, their functions, dietary sources, and signs of deficit or excess are presented in Table 10-3. Foods rich in iron are listed in Table 10-4.
TABLE 10-3 Minerals and Trace Elements: Function, Dietary Sources, Interactions, Deficiency, and Excess∗


Use of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
National surveys reveal that many U.S. children have suboptimal nutrient intakes, especially a deficit of fruits and vegetables that contain many vitamins and minerals. The NHANES data from 2001 to 2004 show that a majority of all Americans, including children, fail to meet federal dietary recommendations (Krebs-Smith et al, 2010). Project EAT (Eating Among Teens) data show a trend toward eating fewer fruits and vegetables as adolescence progresses (Larson et al, 2007), and school-age children are at high risk for vitamin and mineral deficits (Robinson-O’Brien et al, 2010).
In light of these data and when confronted with a “picky eater,” parents are justifiably concerned and often ask if they should be giving their child a vitamin and mineral supplement. Parents should be advised that supplements are not a substitute for food, but may be appropriate in some cases. A child’s intake should be assessed over a 3-day period (i.e., DRIs for all foods do not have to be met every day) and strategies to encourage the child to eat a healthful, varied diet put in place. If, after assessment, the provider concludes that the child is at risk for nutritional deficit, multivitamins can be given. Preterm or low-birth-weight babies and children with chronic illness may need supplements, and all pregnant teenagers should receive prenatal vitamins. The AAP recommends a vitamin D supplement in breastfed infants of 400 International Units per day. Children and adolescents whose diet does not include an equivalent amount should also be given a supplement of 400 International Units. The dosage is based on the amount used to treat rickets in children (Casey et al, 2010).
Assessment of Nutritional Status
Assessment of nutritional status is done to determine if there is deviation from normal growth and development, whether the child’s diet is adequate, and what variables may be influencing the child’s dietary intake. When doing nutritional assessment, it is important to remember that eating is a social, cultural, and economic activity; nutritional value of foods is not the only, or often the most important, variable in a child’s or family’s decisions about what, how, and when to eat.
Much data can be collected in the intake interview, or using a 3-day diet recall. Providers can also use the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) to assess quality of nutrient intake (Table 10-5). The HEI-2005 is based on 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the formerly used MyPyramid model and is a revision of previous Healthy Eating Indices. It lists 12 nutrient categories and gives each a score of 5, 10, or 20, with a maximum score of 100. The HEI-2005 does not require calculation of energy requirements, but measures nutrient units per 1000 kcal, an easier concept for families and children to understand and apply. To analyze individual diets, long-term intake should be assessed; a simple 24-hour recall does not adequately reflect the usual diet and can give a biased HEI number. Ideally a mean daily intake is examined over a period of time, often as long as 1 year. In population studies, HEI scores typically settle around 50 to 60, indicating significant nutritional deficit (Freedman et al, 2010; Guenther et al, 2008a,b).
History
Questions to elicit a history of nutritional status can be grouped into several categories:
• Nutritional status of mother during pregnancy
• Food and fluid intake of child and of family:






• Reactions to and attitudes about foods:


• Management of foods in the family:

• Health status affected by nutrition:


Physical Examination
The physical examination should include the following:
• Height, weight, and head circumference measurements (see growth charts, Appendix B; also see table on inside cover of this text for average weight and height gains expected during childhood); arm circumference and triceps and subscapular skinfold caliper measurements for children at risk for obesity or malnutrition
• Skin condition (clear, smooth, firm, with good turgor)
• Muscle tone, posture, skeletal development (body erect, tone good)
• Hair (smooth, full, shiny; no dryness, broken ends, bare patches, or discoloration)
• Mucous membranes, eyes (moist, shiny, no dark circles, conjunctiva pink)
• Teeth (eruption appropriate to age, gums healthy, no bleeding)
• Neck (thyroid, parotid glands of normal size)
• Cardiovascular (no pathologic murmur; normal heart size; skin warm, pink, less than 3-second capillary refill; peripheral pulses equal, strong)
• Neurologic and behavior (alert, active, reflexes present, no complaints of headache, neuritis)
Management Strategies for Optimal Nutrition
It is the parents’ responsibility to provide healthful food that is adequate to meet the child’s nutritional needs in an environment that makes eating enjoyable; it is the child’s responsibility to decide what and how much of these healthful foods to eat. Critical to this interaction is a parent who knows which foods are healthful and which are not, and who is aware of and responsive to the child’s cues around feeding. Also essential is the parents’ ability to provide healthful foods; this can be extremely difficult for some low-income families. Food insecurity, even in high-income countries, is common among low-income multiethnic groups, and contributes to health problems (Gorton et al, 2010; Park K et al, 2009). In the U.S., federal programs (e.g., food stamps; Women, Infants, and Children [WIC]) increase families’ access to foods.
It is the providers’ responsibility to help parents and children make good decisions about nutrition and to facilitate families’ access to healthful foods. Providers may know what nutrients are necessary for healthy growth and development, but translating that information into day-to-day diet intake can be complex and confusing. What advice should be given to families when there is such a wide range of “normal” intake? What does it mean, for example, that 35% or less of energy requirements should be in the form of fats? Will it be harmful if a 3-month-old is introduced to commercially prepared fruits and vegetables? What, if any, are the benefits to eating organic foods? Should children avoid sugar or flavored milk? The questions are endless, and often without a clear answer. But the basic message providers should give parents is simple (Pollan, 2007):
• Eat food (versus processed, edible food-products that contain additives, fats, and few nutrients)
• Less of it (i.e., eat appropriate portions, do not overeat)
Pediatric providers use nutritional education, counseling, anticipatory guidance, and appropriate referral to ensure that children have optimal dietary intake. MyPlate (formerly MyPyramid) and the HEI-2005 are two tools providers can use to help families identify dietary deficits and make recommendations for change. Cultural issues related to food should be considered in doing an assessment and in planning interventions. Providers may need to refer families to public health nurses for assistance to find adequate food sources and/or to pediatric dietitians for management of special needs diets.
Nutritional Education
Education about nutrition should include information about children’s age and developmental abilities and characteristics, nutritional requirements, foods that meet children’s nutritional needs, and strategies to facilitate the development of healthy eating behaviors. Providers should also explain the relationship between diet and health conditions, including obesity.
MyPlate and MyPlate for Kids
MyPlate is a useful tool for educating families and children of all ages about a healthful diet. Developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement DRI guidelines of the FNB and reflect the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, MyPlate allows individuals to calculate their personal nutrient needs based on age, gender, and activity level. It illustrates the proportions of a healthy diet, emphasizing a foundation of grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, and lean meats, fish, and poultry.
These tools provide in-depth information, resources, and a wide variety of nutrition-related activities to engage individuals in assessing and planning healthy nutrition. School nutrition is also addressed.
Age-Specific Considerations
Healthy eating habits are essential to good nutrition. The role that food plays in the family, the meaning it has for family members, and the way it is incorporated into family dynamics (e.g., parents may use sweets to reward children for good behavior) must be considered as providers counsel families about nutrition. Healthy eating habits begin during gestation and continue throughout the life span. A healthy pregnancy most often leads to a healthy term newborn, ready to learn and master the skills of eating. The toddler and preschool years are critical to establishing lifelong patterns of eating. Many eating problems, including obesity, are in part due to poor eating habits learned in infancy and early childhood that are reinforced through the school-age and adolescent years. Special considerations related to developing healthy eating habits are presented for each of the age-specific sections that follow. Also covered in this section are specific nutritional needs for children in each age group.
Newborns and Infants
Energy
Rapid infant growth requires high caloric intake. The table found on the inside cover of this text can be used to calculate the energy needs of infants to meet demands of metabolism and growth. Adequate intake of breast milk or infant formula meets all energy needs for infants until 4 to 6 months old.
Fat
For proper myelinization to occur infants must have adequate fat intake. Children younger than 2 years can require more than 30% dietary fat for neural development. The lipids in breast milk and formulas meet infants’ dietary requirements. During the second year of life cow’s milk can be included in children’s diets. The AAP recommends whole milk for children between 12 and 24 months old, although reduced-fat, or 2% milk, is recommended if there is a concern of overweight or obesity, or a family history of obesity or cardiovascular disease (Daniels and Greer, 2008). As part of a varied diet, reduced-fat milk contributes to adequate fat intake and has no negative effect on growth or body composition (Wosje et al, 2001). Fat-free milk is not recommended for children younger than 2 years of age.
Vitamins
Vitamin supplements, except vitamin D, are usually not necessary for healthy term breastfed or formula-fed infants who eat a variety of cereal, fruits, vegetables, and proteins after 4 to 6 months old. Vitamin D supplement (400 International Units daily) is recommended for all breastfed infants and infants who receive an unfortified formula until they are 1 year old. Infants should have an adequate source of vitamin C after 4 to 6 months old. A multivitamin supplement is recommended for infants at nutritional risk.
Iron
Iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia in children, and iron supplementation is appropriate in some cases. Term infants who are breastfed usually have adequate iron supplies until 4 to 6 months old. Premature or low-birth-weight infants, infants who are exclusively breastfed beyond 4 to 6 months old, and infants who are fed cow’s milk before they are 12 months old are at high risk for iron deficiency anemia. Iron-fortified cereals and iron-fortified formulas are excellent sources of dietary iron supplements for infants 6 to 12 months old. Earlier supplementation may be necessary for premature infants, especially those that are breastfed.
Fluoride
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends fluoride treatment starting at 6 months old (ADA, 2005). (See Chapter 33 for recommended fluoride dosages.) The fluoride level of water used to mix formula should be measured to ensure that infants do not receive excess fluoride. If the water supply is fluoridated, formula-fed infants younger than 6 months old can be given ready-to-feed formula, or nonfluoridated bottled water can be used to prepare formula.
Infant Formulas
Breast milk is the ideal food for newborns and infants and should be promoted unless it is medically harmful to the infant. Most iron-fortified infant formulas provide adequate nutrition and, for some families, may be an appropriate alternative to breastfeeding. Box 10-1 outlines various types of commercial formulas available.
BOX 10-1 Categories of Infant Formulas∗
• Premature transitional formulas
• Nutrient-dense cow’s milk–based formulas

• Formulas with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids


• Formulas for feeding beyond 6 months of age (Step-2 formulas), usually calcium fortified, must be supplemented with solids
• Nutrient-dense formulas for older child

• Nitrogen-free calorie supplements
Introduction of Solids
A number of variables converge at about 6 months that make this an appropriate time to introduce solids into the infant’s diet:
• Infants’ sucking patterns have changed sufficiently to allow mastery of chewing and swallowing.
• Infants can sit with some support, and they are able to purposefully move their heads.
• Infants are able to grasp, pick up, and bring objects to their mouths.
• Iron stores present at birth are being depleted.
• Growth demands require nutrients other than those provided in milk alone.
• Developmental needs (cognitive, sensory, and motor) are stimulated by new foods, textures, smells, tastes, and use of utensils.
Solids can be introduced in whatever sequence the family desires, often based on cultural or family customs, though nonallergenic cereals are usually the first infant foods. Dense proteins should be introduced later to allow for maturation of the renal system. Home-prepared foods, such as grains, mashed bananas, applesauce, pureed squash, cooked vegetables, and blenderized meats, can meet all the child’s nutritional needs. Although not necessary, commercial baby foods can provide adequate nutrition, but labels should be examined to determine their content, especially for calories, fats, additives, salt, and sugar. Box 10-2 lists some principles to keep in mind when beginning solids.
BOX 10-2 Principles for the Introduction of Solids into the Infant’s Diet
• Introduce one food at a time, waiting 3 to 5 days before offering another to assess for adverse reaction.
• Offer rice cereal, the least allergenic of cereal grains, as the first food.
• Introduce fruits, vegetables, and other cereals in any sequence desired.
• Feed only iron-fortified cereals.
• Prepare food appropriate to child’s developmental abilities (e.g., strained, mashed, or finger foods).
• Use home-prepared or commercially prepared foods.
Eating Habits
Whether infants are being exclusively breast- or formula-fed, parents need to be alert to cues of satiety. Feeding on demand in early infancy is important, and neonates should not be allowed to sleep for long periods of time without feeding. But feeding primarily to comfort a child should be discouraged; every time a child cries, he or she is not necessarily hungry. Bottle-fed infants, whether formula or breast milk is used in the bottle, can easily be overfed (e.g., the caregiver often urges the infant to take that extra half ounce just to empty the bottle). As a result, infants can learn to ignore feelings of satiety. Self-regulation of intake is evident in young infants, but by the early toddler years, children are influenced by social cues around feeding and can eat more than they need (Fox et al, 2006). Normal-weight term infants who rapidly gain weight in the first months of life are at higher risk for obesity as toddlers and preschoolers (Singhal, 2010). Bottle feeding beyond 12 months old appears to be a risk factor for overweight (Bonuck et al, 2010), and formula-fed infants introduced to solid foods before 4 months are six times as likely to be obese at age 3 (Hah et al, 2011).
Parents should be counseled to respond promptly to a child’s feeding cues and to allow the child to initiate and guide the feeding interaction. Do not encourage the child to overeat. A selection of varied, healthful foods gives the older infant a chance to explore textures, smells, colors, and taste. Feeding is also a time when older infants and toddlers learn physical skills of fine motor control, cognitive skills of relationships between action and consequence (the dog will eat whatever is dropped on the floor), and skills of social exchange among family members.
Toddlers and Preschoolers
Energy and Protein
The growth rate of toddlers and preschoolers is slower than that of infants, resulting in decreased energy needs per unit of body weight. But because of increased size and activity, these children require an increased number of total calories. Addition of muscle mass also demands a continued high protein intake.
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Vitamin supplements are usually not necessary for young children because many foods are fortified and, as noted, supplements should not be considered as a substitute for food. Findings from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) show that most children who do not use supplements receive adequate amounts of vitamins, and adding a multivitamin supplement can actually place children at risk of excessive vitamin intake; 97% of children who received supplements had more than the tolerable UIL for vitamin A, 66% for zinc, and 20% for folate (Briefel et al, 2006; Fox et al, 2006). Evaluate a child’s intake over the course of a week. If children persist with extremely limited food choices or picky eating behavior, they might benefit from a children’s multivitamin plus mineral supplement.
Eating Habits
Toddlers become more skilled in managing eating, using utensils, joining the family for regular mealtimes, and demonstrating more distinctive food likes and dislikes. They learn how and what to eat by observing adults around them and by responding to the foods adults provide for them. Older infants and toddlers may show an initial aversion to new foods and may demonstrate “food jags,” eating only a few kinds of food. With time, guidance, and patience, toddlers will learn to eat a wide variety of foods (see Strategies to Develop Healthy Eating Behaviors). Parents should continue to be responsive to the child’s cues for hunger and satiety, providing age-appropriate portions and not insisting on the “clean-plate” approach to nutrition.
School-Age Children
Energy and Protein
Energy and protein needs of school-age children vary greatly, depending on body size, growth patterns, and activity and exercise levels. Protein needs increase in older children as they gain more muscle mass. Active boys from 10 to 18 years old generally need between 2200 and 3200 calories a day, whereas active girls require about 1800 to 2400 calories daily; older children require the higher intake of this range (see table on the inside cover of this text).
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Poor eating habits place school-age children at risk for deficiencies in iron, thiamine, vitamin A, and calcium. Teaching children about specific nutrient sources and encouraging healthy eating habits can prevent many problems; supplementation with a daily multivitamin is usually not necessary.
Eating Habits
Food likes and dislikes carry over from the preschool years. There is great variation in appetite and intake as a result of uneven growth and activity levels. School-age children have a tendency to skip meals and are more likely to snack as they become engrossed in activities. This tendency is exacerbated in families with hectic schedules, unstructured mealtimes, and reliance on fast foods. Parents and children can identify healthful fast foods that fit a busy school-age child’s schedule (e.g., homemade burritos, stir-fry chicken, peanut butter sandwiches, an apple, carrot sticks, string cheese, and a bagel on the way to soccer practice). High-fat, high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks, such as chips, soda, and pizza, should be a very small part of a child’s diet.
Adolescents
Energy and Protein
The growth rate of adolescents is remarkable (see table on the inside cover of this text), and the description by some parents that their children never seem to stop eating is apt. High levels of energy are needed to support adolescents’ rapid growth, and if children participate in sports or other exercise programs, additional caloric intake can be needed. Adequate protein intake is essential to produce muscle mass. The average intake of protein in the U.S. diet is significantly greater than the DRI, so additional supplementation is usually not necessary.
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, iron, zinc, and calcium needs increase during adolescence (see Table 10-1). Most adolescents who eat a well-balanced diet need no supplements, but their irregular eating habits put them at risk for deficits. Adolescent girls are at risk for iron deficit when menstruation begins, and children who eat a vegan diet will need vitamin B12 supplements.
Eating Habits
Eating habits of adolescents are influenced by their increasing independence and social activity, perceptions of body image, and physical growth patterns. Adolescents often have erratic eating patterns; skip meals; eat high-fat, high-calorie, low-nutrient snack foods; and consume calories late in the day. Skipping breakfast has been associated with obesity in adolescents and young adults; missing this meal is more common among low-income youth, especially African-Americans, living in disadvantaged communities who have no parent at home at breakfast time (Merten et al, 2009). Teens who participate in sports and adolescents who eat a mainly vegetarian diet tend to have healthier eating habits than their nonsports-involved or meat-eating counterparts (Croll et al, 2006; Dunham and Kollar, 2006).
Pregnancy in Adolescence
Pregnancy presents added nutritional demands for growing adolescents. During the pubertal growth spurt, the teenager’s body will compete with the fetus for nutrients. This is particularly true of girls younger than 15 years. Infants born to teenage mothers are at higher risk for prematurity, low birthweight, chronic illness, disabilities, and death. Proper nutrition and early prenatal care can increase the chance of a successful pregnancy.
The nutrition needs of pregnant teenagers also are high at a time when the typical teen is likely to have irregular eating patterns that can contribute to poor nutritional status. Calcium; iron; zinc; vitamins A, D, E, and B6; riboflavin; folic acid; and total calories—all essential to fetal growth—are often found to be inadequate in the diets of female adolescents (Moran, 2007).
When managing the pregnant teenager, providers should carefully assess dietary intake and counsel the adolescent to eat a varied and healthful diet. A prenatal multivitamin and mineral supplement, including iron, calcium, and folic acid, is essential. The pregnant teenager should strive for a total of 1300 to 1500 mg of calcium through diet and supplements each day (Chan et al, 2006). Daily folic acid intake of 0.4 mg is recommended for all girls capable of becoming pregnant, increased to 0.6 mg during pregnancy (FNB, 2005).
Gestational weight gain in adolescents should be carefully monitored using World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts. Adolescents should not gain more than a recommended healthy gestational weight, just because they are adolescents. Healthy teens who are still growing (i.e., less than 4 years after menarche) should gain the amount they would normally gain in 9 months if they were not pregnant plus a normal gestational weight gain. For adolescents who are 4 years past menarche, gestational weight gain should be similar to that of adult women (IOM and National Research Council, 2009). Extra gestational weight gain for normal-weight African-American teenagers has not been shown to be beneficial (Nielsen et al, 2006). Adolescents who begin pregnancy when overweight are at high risk for neonatal and perinatal morbidity (Sukalich et al, 2006). Gestational weight gains of 15 to 25 pounds in overweight and obese adult women and 15 pounds or less in morbidly obese women are associated with fewer adverse outcomes (Crane et al, 2009). There are no data on adolescents to match those of the study by Crane and associates, but weight gain should not be excessive, and all adolescents would benefit from comprehensive prenatal nutrition programs (Nielsen et al, 2006). For those adolescents who meet income guidelines, the federal supplemental food program, WIC, is a valuable resource. In addition to providing nutritious foods, the program offers nutrition education and counseling.
Strategies to Develop Healthy Eating Behaviors
As noted, basic eating patterns are established in the infant, toddler, and preschool years; these patterns tend to continue throughout the child’s life.
Parents Decide What Foods to Eat
Children learn eating behaviors by observation and instruction, and parents are the primary teachers in the process. Often that teaching is done without conscious reflection or planning on the part of parents. Studies indicate that children tend to eat what their parents do and that parents who exert overt pressure on their children to eat less fat or more fruits and vegetables—without changing their own habits—actually contribute to poor eating patterns (Spruijt-Metz et al, 2006). The responsibility of parents to provide healthful foods cannot be overemphasized. Parents may rationalize giving their child empty calories rather than nutrient-rich food by stating, “That’s all my child will eat, and I know she needs the energy,” or “But he cries and carries on if I don’t give it to him; I’m just doing it to make him happy.” Providers can remind parents that the parent—not the child—decides if an 18-month-old’s “treat” is french fries or fruits. Parents have a choice and a serious responsibility to their children’s long-term health. If children learn early that healthy, nutrient-filled foods are readily available and that Mom and Dad enjoy them, they might enjoy them as well.
High-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt foods should make up a very small part of the diet, but overly restricting them, especially in children, can contribute to unhealthy attitudes toward food. If these foods are occasionally available, children learn to make better choices about how to fit them into a healthful diet. Intervention by providers in the child’s first year of life to teach parents which foods are healthy and encourage them to provide those foods helps establish healthy eating patterns in older children (Vitolo et al, 2010).
Children Decide How Much of These Healthful Foods to Eat
Often parents will try to decide exactly how much their child should eat (e.g., they may make a child sit at the table to finish his vegetables). Appetite fluctuations and preferences are typical of children, and parents should be aware that children may appear to eat less than the parent thinks is sufficient or too much of one particular food to the neglect of others. If parents punish a child for not eating or force a child to eat, they have taken away the child’s responsibility to choose. As a result, the child may develop an aversion to certain foods, overeat, or act-out in other ways. Mealtimes can become contests of will between parents and children, creating feelings and patterns of interacting that extend far beyond the dinner table. Parents need to find out what healthy foods their children enjoy (it is perfectly all right to eat only carrots, peas, or broccoli for several weeks in a row!) and make those available. If provided a nutritious variety of foods they like, children tend to select those necessary for their healthy growth, in terms of both amount of calories and other nutrients. A general principle to keep in mind when considering portions is to serve 1 tablespoon of food per year of age. For children younger than 5 years old, one serving is about one fourth to one third of an adult serving; for older children, one fourth to one half of an adult serving. Children’s appetites vary, however, and parents should be alert to cues that the child wants more or less of any particular food.
Providers can help parents make the process more positive by having them examine their own values and patterns related to eating, identify and reinforce those they would like to foster in their children, and eliminate those they see as negative. Providers can educate parents about age differences and offer suggestions for effectively managing the eating experience.
Parents should be encouraged to provide the following:
• Positive examples of healthy intake; parents are the child’s role model
• An adequate supply of a wide variety of age-appropriate, nutritious foods and snacks
• Limits, but not prohibitions, on consumption of nonnutritious sugars and “sometimes” foods
• Food prepared in a form that stimulates children’s appetites
• Regular, structured mealtimes when the family sits down to eat together; this may occur only once a day
• A pleasant, relaxed environment for mealtimes
• Clear, developmentally appropriate expectations for children’s behavior at mealtimes
• Developmentally appropriate access to and instruction in the use of utensils
• Appropriate supervision during mealtimes
• Developmentally appropriate opportunities to participate in planning, preparing, and serving meals
The introduction of new foods can create tension between parents and children, with children refusing to try or rejecting new tastes or textures. Parents should be informed that this is a normal reaction for many children. Children may reject a food up to 15 to 20 times before they become accustomed to it and enjoy eating it, and parents should not be too concerned if a child rejects a particular food. Rather than force the child to try the new food or give in to the child’s feeding demands, the food should be removed without comment, then offered again at another meal. With a well-balanced diet, not eating a vegetable prepared at one meal, for example, will not compromise the child’s health. However, parents should be encouraged to avoid becoming the child’s “short-order cook,” preparing a special dish if the child rejects what has been fixed for the family. If a child chooses not to eat much at a particular meal, he or she will be hungrier at the next. Between meals, children should be offered age-appropriate snacks, but snacks should not be a substitute for meals; “grazing” or eating whenever food is available tends to override the child’s natural sense of satiety and encourage overeating (Brazelton and Sparrow, 2004).
Strategies that can be used to increase the chances of children accepting a new food include the following:
• Offer the food when children are hungry.
• Allow children to taste a little of the food rather than eating a full portion.
• Expose children to the food by preparing and serving the food without expecting them to eat it.
• Provide an example of parents eating and enjoying the food.
• Prepare the food the way children prefer: few spices, lukewarm, recognizable.
• Associate food with pleasant experiences.
Finally, remind parents that individuals do not need to eat all foods. The parent may not eat some foods because of a personal dislike (e.g., anchovies, sushi, or cilantro); children should be afforded the same courtesy if they have been offered the food numerous times and repeatedly demonstrate dislike. There are many food options for attaining the same nutrients. As children become older, parents can help them master the social skill of politely trying new foods in new situations (e.g., visiting friends or dining in public places).
Physical Activity
Physical activity is integrally related to healthy nutrition. It is recommended that children and adolescents engage in 60 minutes of physical activity every day, most of which is moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic (exercise that makes them breathe hard); they should do vigorous activity at least 3 days a week and muscle- and bone-strengthening activity at least 3 days a week (USDHHS, 2009). Increased activity creates a demand for more calories and nutrients; more sedentary behavior means the body needs fewer calories, and sedentary lifestyles combined with poor eating habits can contribute to obesity. Figure 10-1 presents an integration of the food guide pyramid with a physical activity pyramid and can be used by providers to proactively counsel children about the importance of being active (see Chapter 13 for suggestions of activities).

FIGURE 10-1 Physical activity pyramid.
(Data from Reinhardt WC, Brevard PB: Integrating the food guide pyramid and physical activity pyramid for positive dietary and physical activity behaviors in adolescents, J Am Diet Assoc 102(3 Suppl):S96-S99, 2002; University of Missouri Extension: MyActivity Pyramid for Kids, 2007, Columbia, MO. Adapted from USDA MyPyramid. Available at www.extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/hesguide/foodnut/00386.pdf [accessed May 11, 2011]).

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