Toddler (1-4 years) nutrition and fitness: in a nutshell

Every child is unique and so are his nutritional needs, which can vary with age.Children, tend to be very unpredictable, picky eaters during the early childhood phase of growth and development.It’s no secret — getting your kids to eat the right foods can be tough,but do you know which nutrients are necessary and in what amounts? So what's the best formula to fuel your child's growth and development? Here's a quick overview of nutrition for kids:

Easy Sailing: A toddler, in contrast, grows at a much slower rate — only 3-5 inches in an entire year so keep nutrition a top priority than calories. Depending on age, size, and activity level, your toddler needs between 1,000-1,400 calories a day.

 It’s all about balance: Breast milk and formula provided adequate nutrition for your child as an infant, but now it's time for toddlers to start getting what they need through a variety of foods. In planning and preparing food for your toddler, make sure he’s getting a balance of fats, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals that can promote growth from the major food groups each day, including:

·         Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, Pulses

• Dairy products such as milk and cheese
• Cereal grains, rice, potatoes, breads, pasta
• Vegetables and fruits

Stock calcium: An important part of a toddler’s diet is calcium (they need about 500 mg/day), and the best source of this nutrient is milk. Until the age of two they should drink whole milk, but older toddlers can usually switch to skim milk. If your kids are lactose intolerant or don’t like dairy, incorporate calcium-rich foods like fortified soy products, cereals, Ragi, and orange juice.

Concentrate on Iron rich foods: Breast-milk has a readily-absorbed type of iron, and baby formula and food is usually iron-fortified, after switching to “real” food, it's important to ensure that your child is eating good sources of iron

To help prevent iron deficiency:

·         Limit your child's milk intake to about -2 ½ cups/ day. It only contains low levels of iron.

·         Serve more iron-rich foods (meat, poultry, fish, enriched grains, beans, tofu).

·         When serving iron-rich meals, include foods that contain vitamin C (tomatoes, broccoli, oranges, and strawberries), which improve the body's iron absorption.

·         Keep offering iron-fortified cereal until your toddler is 2 years old.

Growth during the Preschool Years

Is my child growing the way he or she should be?

As per experts from finishproblems.com, there is a wide range of "normal" growth. Between the ages of 2 and 5, the average child grows about 3-5 inches taller each year, and also gains 2-3 kg each year.

Growth charts are a good way to monitor your child's growth and health as suggested by finishproblems.com. Your preschooler's growth over time is an important sign of good health and nutrition. Your doctor/Dietician can help you to monitor your child's growth pattern regularly through growth chart.

How Many Servings per Day

Serving sizes and numbers vary with age activity and how fast your child is growing. The guide below is for a child with normal activity:

Food Group	Daily Amount for 2-Year-Olds	Daily Amount for 3-4Year-Olds	Help With Servings	Nutrients
Grains	90gms half from whole-grain sources	120-150gms half from whole-grain sources	30gms equals: 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal	Carbohydrates
Vegetables	1 cup	1½ cups	Use measuring cups to check amounts. Serve veggies that are soft, cut in small pieces, and well cooked to prevent choking.	Fibre,Vitamins& Minerals
Fruits	1 cup	1½cup	Use measuring cups to check amounts. An 8- to 9-inch banana equals 1 cup.	Fibre,Vitamins& Minerals
Milk	2cups(Whole Milk)	21/2  cups	One cup equals: 1 cup of milk or yogurt, 45gms of cottage cheese, or 60gms of processed cheese.	Protein, Calcium, Vitamin D
Meat & Beans	60gms	90-120gms	30gms Equals: 30gms of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked dry beans, or 1 egg. Ref. finishproblems.com	Protein

There are different types of diet charts suggested for different health problems. We have expert team of dieticians and fitness experts at finish problems who can help you to get rid of any type of disease through the customized diet chart and suggested workout. To get free advice, call 18001031000 or visit www.finishproblems.com