1. Unit 2 Children’s health and well-being
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2. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children.
AC 5.1 Explain the nutritional value of the main food groups.
AC 5.2 Identify the nutritional requirements of children aged:
0–1 year
1–2 years
2–3 years
3–5 years
5–7 years.
AC 5.3 Explain the role of the early years practitioner in meeting children’s individual dietary requirements and encouraging healthy eating.
LO6 Understand the impact of poor diet on children’s health and well- being.
AC 6.1 Explain the impacts of poor diet on children’s health and well- being in the:
short term
long term.
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3. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.1]
Explain the nutritional value of the main food groups
Fruit and vegetables
Source of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C
Should eat five portions a day.
Starchy foods
Bread, cereals and potatoes
Should make up about one third of everything we eat
Main nutrients – carbohydrates, fibre, some calcium and iron, B group vitamins.
Meat, fish, eggs and beans
Good sources of protein
Vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc and B minerals.
Milk and dairy foods
Good sources of protein and also contain calcium.
Fat and sugar
Contain vitamins and essential fatty acids.
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4. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.1]
Time: 10 mins
Using the table on the worksheet provided, list the five main food groups.
Make a list of the foods that would be in each group.
Name of food groups
Foods in each group
Teacher notes:
Learners should identify the following:
Fruit and vegetables
Starchy foods
Meat, fish, eggs and beans
Milk and dairy foods
Foods containing fat and sugar.
Useful resources:
NHS information on a balanced diet
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5. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.1]
Time: 15 mins
In small groups, collect pictures of examples of food from the five main food groups.
Put together collages of the foods. You can either choose to do all five groups or you can focus on one food group.
Label your collages and explain the nutrients each food provides.
Teacher notes:
You will need to provide a selection of magazines, leaflets etc. for learners to cut pictures from.
Useful resources:
Women’s magazines.
Cookery magazines.
Access to internet and printers to print pictures.
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6. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
Nutritional requirements
Babies get the vitamins that they need from breast milk or infant formula milk. But by the time they are six months old, their need for vitamins increases.
Babies are born with nutrients that they have acquired while in the womb; these help to provide some of the nutrients that they will need. The rest is provided by milk. From 0–4 months, the best form of nutrient is breast milk/formula-feed/a combination of both.
Useful resources:
Website with lots of detail about nutritional guidelines for babies
Clear explanation of the nutritional needs of babies aged 6–12 months
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7. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
Nutritional requirements
Babies should not be weaned until they are 6 months old. The Department of Health currently recommends that infants should be breastfed (if possible) until they are 6 months old. After this age, breast or formula milk alone will no longer be sufficient to meet the baby’s nutritional needs.
Babies will slowly be introduced to age and stage appropriate food from the age of 6 months and this will include puréed food with no added salt or sugar.
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8. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
Nutritional requirements
The nutritional requirements for children aged:
1–2 years
Fruit – 1 cup
Vegetables – ¾ cup
Starchy foods (cereals) – 3 oz equivalents
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – 2 oz equivalents
Milk and dairy foods – 2 cups
Fat and sugar – limit to ½–2 child-size portions
2–3 years
Fruit and veg – 4 servings a day
Starchy foods (cereals) – 4 servings a day, e.g. 1 slice of bread, ½ cup of porridge
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – 1 serving from this food group per day
Milk and dairy foods – 2–3 servings a day
Useful resources:
Nutritional guidance for early years
Nutrition for kids: Guidelines for a healthy diet
Nutrition for your child aged 2 years
Nutrition guidelines for children from the Heart Foundation
Australian website: Meeting Children’s Nutrition Requirements in Care
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9. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
Nutritional requirements
The nutritional requirements for children aged:
3-5 years
Fruit and veg – 3 servings of veg and 2 of fruit a day
Starchy foods (cereals) – 5 servings a day
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – at least 1 serving every day
Milk and dairy foods – 2–3 servings a day
Fat and sugar – limit to ½–2 child-size portions
5-7 years
Fruit and veg – 4–8 servings of veg and 2–4 of fruit a day
Starchy foods (cereals) – at least 6 servings a day
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – 1–2 servings every day
Milk and dairy foods – 4–6 servings a day
Fat and sugar – limit to 1–2 child-size portions
Useful resources:
Nutritional guidance for early years
Nutrition for kids: Guidelines for a healthy diet
Nutrition for your child aged 2 years
Nutrition guidelines for children from the Heart Foundation
Australian website: Meeting Children’s Nutrition Requirements in Care
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10. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
Time: 15 mins
Think of three children of different ages that you have worked with.
Make notes on the different foods that they ate.
Consider why they had different food requirements.
Share your thoughts with a partner.
Teacher notes:
Learners should relate their learning to practice.
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11. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.3]
The role of the early years practitioner
Practitioners need to liaise with parents in order to be aware of any allergies or specific cultural or religious requirements. They should ensure that they have regard for these when they are providing snacks or planning an activity involving food.
Practitioners should always have regard for the importance of diet to children’s development.
They should also ensure that they consider the following:
Children’s rights
Welfare of children
Long-term effects of diet.
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12. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.3]
Time: 15 mins
What is the role of the practitioner in meeting children’s individual dietary requirements?
Consider:
Children’s rights
Current frameworks
The welfare of children
Long-term effects on children
Providing a good role model.
Teacher notes:
Learners should reflect on their knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and their role in providing for the welfare of children.
Useful resources:
Information on the UNCRC
The Revised EYFS – downloadable PDF file
Statutory framework for the EYFS
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13. The impact of poor diet on children’s health and well- being
LO6 Understand the impact of poor diet on children’s health and well-being [AC 6.1]
The impact of poor diet on children’s health and well- being
In the short term, a poor diet can lead to:
Malnutrition, which can cause poor growth and physical development – a failure to gain height and weight
Loss of concentration
Tiredness
Increased susceptibility to infections
Tooth decay – caused by sugary foods
Bleeding gums
Poor skin and hair condition
Obesity.
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14. Discuss how the short-term issues may have an impact in the long term.
LO6 Understand the impact of poor diet on children’s health and well-being [AC 6.1]
Time: 15 mins
Discuss how the short-term issues may have an impact in the long term.
Consider how they may impact on a person’s health, mental and social well-being.
How can loss of concentration impact on health and development in the long term?
What is the difference between malnutrition and under-nutrition?
Useful resources:
An easy-to-read booklet on the impact of malnutrition on children’s physical and mental development
Research on how a poor diet in childhood may affect intelligence
Children with poor nutrition – links to other useful articles
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15. The impact of poor diet on children’s health and well- being
LO6 Understand the impact of poor diet on children’s health and well-being [AC 6.1]
The impact of poor diet on children’s health and well- being
In the long term, a poor diet can lead to:
Heart conditions, diabetes, and emotional and social problems, which can all be caused by obesity.
Weak immune system, osteoporosis and diabetes, which can be caused by malnutrition.
Poor health, which may lead to a loss in income, as the adult may be unable to work.
Remember: eating habits developed in childhood set the foundations for the habits of the adult.
Teacher notes:
Learners need to consider the social and emotional aspects as well as the health issues a poor diet may lead to.
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16. LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.3]
Time: 15 mins
1. What is the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?
Research the symptoms of an allergic reaction and what you, as a practitioner, should do if a child has one.
2. What is anaphylaxis?
Research this and what to do if a child has an anaphylactic shock.
3. Why is gelatine banned in some religions?
Research the use of gelatine in sweets.
Identify the role of the practitioner in supporting individual dietary requirements.
Teacher notes:
Learners should ensure that they know the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance.
Useful resources:
NHS web page giving information on anaphylaxis and what to do in the event of an anaphylactic shock
What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?
Is it a food allergy or food intolerance?
Web page giving information on sweets containing gelatine
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17. Have learned about the nutritional value of these food groups.
In this lesson we:
Have learned about the five main food groups and what sort of foods are in them.
Have learned about the nutritional value of these food groups.
Have considered the role of the early years practitioner in meeting children’s individual dietary needs and preferences.
Have considered how a poor diet can affect children’s health and development in the short term and the long term.
Have considered how they may impact on a person’s health, mental and social well-being.
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18. Plan a daily menu for a baby.
Plan a weekly menu for a pre-school child.
Plan a weekly menu for a school-age child (5–7 years).
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