There is no difference between healthful foods for adults and for children aged 2 and older, except for age-appropriate adjustments in texture and portion size.
It is the position of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) that there is no difference between healthful foods for adults and for children aged 2 and older, except for age-appropriate adjustments in texture and portion size, according to a new position paper.
Nutrition for kids is based on the same principles as nutrition for adults
Kids' food is operationally defined as food likely to be consumed by children aged 2-14 years, either at home or in the community. Nutrition for kids is based on the same principles as nutrition for adults. Everyone needs the same types of nutrients — such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fat. Children, however, need different amounts of specific nutrients at different ages.
Best formula to fuel child's growth and development:
Protein
Choose seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, and unsalted nuts and seeds.
Fruits
Encourage child to eat a variety of fresh or dried fruits — rather than fruit juice. If your child drinks juice, make sure it's 100 percent juice without added sugars and limit his or her servings.
Vegetables
Serve a variety of fresh or dried vegetables. Aim to provide a variety of vegetables, including dark green, red and orange, starchy and others, each week. When selecting canned or frozen vegetables, look for options lower in sodium.
Grains
Choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, popcorn. Limit refined grains such as white bread.
Dairy
Encourage child to eat and drink low-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese.
Added sugar
Limit added sugars. Naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruit and milk, are not added sugars. Check nutrition labels. Choose cereals with minimal added sugars. Avoid drinks with added sugars such as soda and sports and energy drinks.
Saturated and trans fats
Limit saturated fats — fats that mainly come from animal sources of food, such as red meat and poultry. Look for ways to replace saturated fats with vegetable and nut oils, which provide essential fatty acids and vitamin E. Healthier fats are also naturally present in olives, nuts and seafood. Limit trans fats by avoiding foods that contain partially hydrogenated oil.
Sodium
Most children in the U.S. have too much sodium in their daily diets. Encourage snacking on fruits and vegetables instead of chips and cookies. Check nutrition labels and look for product low in sodium.
Shifting norms about kids' food toward healthy food that children can enjoy and promote their health
There is a long-held belief in the United States that children need different types of foods than adults, and many of these foods are highly processed; energy-dense; and high in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar. A diet favoring these foods can have significant detrimental effects on children's preferences and tastes, may exacerbate food neophobia or picky eating behavior sometimes seen in children, and may impact their health in the future.
It is known that children over 2 years of age can eat the same healthy foods as adults, but kids' food and menus have become a social norm. This social norm persists because ultra-processed foods like chicken tenders, hot dogs, French fries, and grilled cheese are prevalent in the food environment and they are highly palatable to children.
Nutrition educators play key roles in shifting consumer demand and social norms about food choices. They can do this by creating family and community resilience and healthy adaptation to the ultra-processed food environment, and by promoting the knowledge that children over the age of 2 can eat the same healthy foods as adults eat (while accounting for age-appropriate and nutrition requirements). They can also help improve the unhealthy aspects of the kids' food archetype by working with the media, restaurant industry, and policy makers on health promotion messaging, marketing, menu labeling, and healthy default menu options. By shifting norms about kids' food toward healthy food that both adults and children can enjoy, nutrition educators can promote healthy social and behavior changes at the individual, family, community, and societal levels.
Karimi, H.
Master of clinical Nutrition & Dietetics
Reference
- Rothpletz-Puglia P, et al. Position of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior: Healthful Food for Children is the Same as Adults. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2022.
