NUTRITION & OTHER NEEDS OF SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN

HEALTHY EATING FOR SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN During the school-age years children have more control over their own diets because many of their meals are not eaten at home. Lunch is an extremely important meal for children. They need the fuel provided by the food for concentration, and athletics. If they skip lunch they are more likely to binge on unhealthy snacks later in the afternoon. In order to help insure your child eats a healthy lunch have them help in the selection of the food for their lunch otherwise they may just throw it away.

HEATHLY EATING PLANS A healthy eating plan includes colorful fruits and vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. When considering a proper lunch for your teen have them help with the selections so it assures they plan on eating it. Have them pick from a wide selection of fruits, some protein, a vegetable and maybe a whole grain. The protein could be cubed cheese, nuts, peanut butter or turkey meat. Try and be creative. Remember to keep foods cool by including an ice pack if needed for safety reasons.

HEATHLY EATING PLANS Since all children snack, it is important that healthy snacks become the norm. Adults should keep healthy snacks readily available in order to provide good choices for their child. Some examples of healthy snacks might include: Yogurt parfait Hummus dip with pita chips Hard boiled egg Baked chips with dip/salsa Baby carrots with dip

RISKS RELATED TO NUTRITION There are risks involved with improper nutrition whether it is being overweight or underweight. It is very common in the U.S. for children to be overweight. Children are eating processed foods that are high in calories but no nutritional value. This causes malnutrition because the child is not getting the right nutrients for growth. Nearly 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese. It is most often from eating too much fast food, snacking on junk foods and little exercise.

HEATHLY EATING PLANS Obesity increases the chance of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, joint problems and cancer. In the U.S. most underweight problems are from health concerns not insufficient food. Children who are underweight are on the decrease in the past few years due to programs initiated in schools and communities.

EATING DISORDERS The pressure in school for young children to look a certain way is tremendous. The trend is to be thin and this can sometimes lead to eating disorders. An eating disorder is described as an illness that distorts eating behaviors and emotions about food and weight. Eating disorders often develop in the teen years mostly in girls but some boys. An eating disorder is not only a physical but a mental health issue.

EATING DISORDERS Some indications that your child is developing an eating disorder might include: Loss of weight Skipping of meals Loose and baggy clothes Obsessive exercising Irritable and cranky Difficulty concentrating Eating disorders are very serious and can lead to death if not handled properly. Seek professional help if your child is presenting some of the above problems.

CLOTHING Once children reach school-age clothing is usually something that they have chosen, they are now able to dress themselves and may use clothing as an expression of who they are. Since children are still growing their clothes should fit and be well constructed. Shoe and sock sizes usually change about every six months until after age 12.

CLOTHING School-age clothing is important because the children start to experience peer pressure which is the desire to be liked by their peers. Parents should take a hard look at what their children are wearing to make sure it is age appropriate and not suggestive. Parents should have some guidelines as to what their teens wear and explain their reasoning.

HYGIENE One of the main concerns in the school-age years is dental hygiene. Adults quit checking their children’s teeth or helping them brush. Problems may arise because children forget to brush and they are eating sugary foods and drinks. Children at this age may also be wearing braces which can cause major tooth decay if not taken care of properly.

HYGIENE Body hygiene can become a problem because as children approach puberty their body chemicals called pheromones are produced and secret sweat. Pheromones are what create body odor and so children need to make sure that they bathe regularly. Along with regular baths parents will need to encourage their child to wear clean clothes and to put on deodorant or antiperspirant after every wash.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY As a result of being in school most of the day and all the new digital devices many children are not getting the physical activity that their bodies need. Research shows that aerobic exercise not only aids in physical fitness but also aids the brain and other parts of the body. Physical exercise is known to increase a child’s concentration. Parents do need to be careful when children start participating in competitive sports so that they do not push their child to hard. At this age orthopedic problems can occur an lead to problems later in life.

REST & SLEEP Research shows that school-age children need 10-11 hours of sleep every night in order to help with their growth and development. Parents need to ensure that their children get their rest by having some control over bedtimes. School-age children may become sleep deprived due to demands on their lives, such as homework, extracurricular activities, digital devices, and poor diet that includes excessive caffeine.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION Sleep deprivation can lead to numerous problems including the following: A child’s inability to concentrate which affects their learning ability and quality of work A child’s impaired memory A child’s weakened coping skills, low self-esteem, and can cause behavioral problems

SLEEP DEPRIVATION A child’s disruption in hormones affecting their appetite and their food choices. A child’s inability to use executive functions to achieve goals A child’s increased chance of mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.