Eat for Your Age

Newborn Growth And Nutrition
Following birth, the healthy newborn will triple his or her birth weight during the first year and gain approximately 14 to 15 pounds; about one-half of this weight gain occurs in the first 4 months of life. This rapid growth in the healthy term infant during the first four months of life requires more energy, protein and other essential nutrients per unit of body weight than at any other time in infancy or childhood. These needs can be met completely through the use of human milk or infant formula, since the gastrointestinal and renal systems are still maturing and the types of foods and levels of nutrients the infant can safely handle are relatively few.

Birth To 1 Year
Pediatricians and nutritionists strongly recommend that you breast-feed during the first 6 to 12 months. Breast milk protects babies from infectious diseases the mother has already developed immunity to, and from allergies (especially to milk)in ways that formula can't. But if you can't breast-feed, choose an iron-fortified formula that's nutritionally similar to breast milk.

Most pediatricians recommend feeding formula or breast milk until a baby's first birthday. If you breast-feed for the better part of a year, however, you can probably wean your baby to cow's milk and skip formula altogether. But if you stop breast-feeding earlier, whether temporarily or for good, switch to an appropriate formula. Cow's milk, which is hard for babies to digest and nutritionally inadequate, should never be given to babies younger than 1-year-old. Cow's milk is also associated with milk allergy, high sodium content, excess demand on young infant's kidneys and small amounts of blood loss from the intestine. Check with a pediatrician about the kind of formula that's best for your baby.

You'll probably start your baby on solid food at about 4 to 6 months, when the child can swallow and digest food offered on a spoon. Babies differ in size, appetite and readiness to eat solid foods. When your baby is ready, try one new food at a time so you can quickly rule out any specific food allergies. By 8 months, solid foods provide a significant source of energy and other nutrients to supplement the basic intake from human milk or formula. At 9 months babies can chew, so you can offer them finely chopped fresh meats, vegetables and fruits, even pasta, from the dinner table. It's not necessary to add sugar, salt or other seasoning to baby food.

Ages 1 To 6
Changing nutritional requirements throughout childhood are closely related to growth. Nutrient intake must meet the requirements not only for growth, maintenance and repair, but also for increasing physical activity. The importance of good nutrition for the young child operates on many levels.

Children often develop irregular eating patterns during this stage. They may become bored with their usual foods or want the same food every day. Between the ages of 1 and 6, children are usually less interested in food than in exploring their world. Young children will not comfortably conform to an adult three meal-a-day pattern. They may want small amounts of food or snacks frequently throughout the day. They may eat one meal, e.g. breakfast, and reject other formal meals. Don't be upset or view it as a challenge to your parental authority. It is frequently a normal pattern that the adult should feel comfortable with and accommodate. Your child has tripled his birth weight in the first year and will grow much more slowly thereafter, gaining approximately 5 to 6 pounds per year during this period--compared to 15 pounds in the first year. As growth slows, appetite decreases until the growth spurt that comes with puberty.

Because heart disease can start in childhood, children 2 years and older should start eating a lower fat diet--lean meats, poultry, fish, lowfat dairy products--along with the rest of the family. But this doesn't mean putting a preschooler on a low-calorie diet. Always get professional advice before putting a child on any type of special diet. If you think your child is overweight, talk to your pediatrician. Like adults, children's calorie needs vary widely, depending on height, weight and individual activity levels:

° The average 1-year-old needs between 1,000-1,200 calories/day
° The average 3-year-old needs between 1,300-1,500 calories/day
° By age 10, a child needs approximately 2,000 calories/day.

It helps to keep your child on a regular eating schedule. Avoid too many quick snacks, so there's enough time to build up an appetite between meals. On the other hand, young children may need to eat five or six small meals instead of three bigger ones, since they can eat only so much at each meal. Well-rounded, nutritious snacks, such as sliced fruit with cheese and toast, can be served as a mini-meal.

School-Age Children
The school aged child from age 6 until the onset of puberty experiences a slow rate of growth and only gradual changes in body size and dimensions. The slow rate of growth during this period of "latent growth" results in a slow decline in food requirements per pound of body weight. Nevertheless, nutrients are being laid down to fuel the impending increase in growth during adolescence. The quality and completeness of the diet remain as critical as ever to the nutritional health and well being of the child. A satisfactory diet must include the appropriate amount of calories and nutrients.

Food habits, patterns, practices and preferences evolve during childhood. One way to set your children on a lifetime track of healthy eating is to make meal preparation a team effort. Let kids in this age group help with grocery shopping, meal planning and food preparation. Teach them how to read the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient list on food packages. Be patient with your child, recognize that distractions will occur, and be flexible in your approach.