2. INTRODUCTION:
Balanced and sufficient nutritional intake is most
essential for children to promote optimal growth and
development, to protect and maintain health , to
prevent nutritional deficiency and various illness and
reserve for starvation and dietary stress.
The world nutrition is derived from the word ‘nutricus’
which means to suckle at breast.
Nutrition is defined as combination of dynamic process
by which consumed food is utilized for nourishment
and structural and functional efficiency of every cell of
body. It is science of food and its relationship to health.
3. The term food refers to anything which nourishes the
body.
Nutritional requirements may vary from one individual to
other and depends upon metabolic and genetic
difference
No single food meets all the needed requirements for
the children except mother’s milk , which provides all
nutritional substances to infants till 6 months of age.
Afterwards healthy dietary habits depends upon cultural
and social influences.
Child’s diet should contain sufficient amount of fluids,
calories, proteins , fats , carbohydrates , vitamins and
mineral salts etc to meet their daily requirement.
4. Foods must be attractive, digestible , choiceable , and
easily available.
Nutritional requirement should be maintained with
margin of safety and with right balance. The
recommended daily intake of nutrients with sufficient
amounts to be provided to maintain the needs of the
body and good health.
5. WATER:
Water is most important for maintenance of life . It
constitutes about 70% of body weight in children.
• The total water content is more in children than in
adults.
• It is required for digestion , metabolism, renal excretion
, temperature regulation, transportation of cellular
substances maintenance of fluid volume and growth of
children.
• The balance of water in body depends on protein and
electrolyte intake , metabolic and respiratory rate ,
body temperature.
• Evaporation from lungs and skin leads to 40-50% of
water loss and 3-10 % by fecal loss.
6. • Kidneys maintain the water and electrolytes imbalance.
• Excess water intake may lead to water intoxication and
excess loss may lead to dehydration which is the main
cause of death in children than starvation.
7. CALORIES:
• The energy value of foods is measured in terms of ‘large’
calorie and kilocalorie.
• Children require more calories per kg of body weight
than adults.
• Calorie requirements gradually decreases from infancy to
adulthood.
• The average energy expenditure is 50 % in basal
metabolism, 12% in growth , 25 % for physical activity, 8
% in fecal loss and 5% for specific dynamic action.
• The calorie requirements in children depend upon body
size and surface , rate of growth, level of physical activity,
food habits and climate .
8.
9. PROPTEIN:
• Proteins are the essential for synthesis of body tissues
in growth and, and during maintenance and repair.
• Help in formation of digestive juices, hormones ,
plasma, proteins, enzymes , hemoglobin and
immunoglobulins.
• Proteins act as source of energy , when calorie intake is
inadequate.
• Protein requirements depend upon the age , sex ,
physical and psychological factors which is maximum in
neonates in neonates and early infancy but gradually
decreases as age increase.
• Deficiency of protein intake may leads to growth failure
and PEM.
10.
11.
12. CARBOHYDRATES:
• Carbohydrates are the main source of energy and
supply bulk in diet.
• The source of carbohydrate of infant’s diet is in the
form of lactose found in both human and cow’s milk
that should be provided up to 6 months . After wards
cereals, legumes, fruits , pulses , and vegetables are
the main sources.
• Lack of intake may result into symptoms of
undernutrition ,starvation , constipation, fatigue,
ketosis, depression etc.
• Excess intake results into obesity, IHD, cataract, and
dental caries in case of concentrated sugar intake.
13.
14. FATS:
• Fats supplies 40 to 50 % energy needed for infant.
• The ICMR has recommended a daily fat intake of
25g/day in young children and 22g/ day in older
children. Total fat intake should provide not more than
20 -30 % of daily energy intake and at least 50 % of fat
intake should of vegetable oils rich in essential fatty
acids .
• Excess intake may lead to obesity, accumulation of
adipose tissue , cancer, artherosclerosis hypertension.
• Deficiency may results into growth retardation , skin
disorders , visual problems etc.
15. VITAMINS:
• Vitamins are organic substances and essential
micronurtients for maintenance .
• Vitamins are classified into 2 groups – fat soluble and
water soluble vitamins.
• Vitamin requirements is more in preterm babies .
Infants get adequate vitamins from mother during
lactation .
• Dietary intake of vitamins may be low or marginal
during infancy and childhood .
16. MINERALS:
• Minerals are inorganic elements , required by human
body for growth , repair, and regulations of vital body
functions.
• Macronutrients are calcium, phosphorus , sodium,
potassium, and magnesium and micronutrients are
iron, iodine, fluorine , zinc , copper etc .
