Food Charts
The Ministry of Health guidelines for children (2-12
years) say healthy children need to:
- eat many different foods
- eat enough for activity and growth
- eat mini-meals or snacks
- have plenty to drink
- have treat foods now and then
- take part in regular physical activity.
While nutritionists agree that the best way to ensure a child is
getting all the vitamins, nutrients and minerals they need is
through a varied, healthy diet. You may find the following tables
and figures of interest. They list the RDI (recomended daily
intakes) or AI (adequate intakes) of calcium, iron, iodine
and sodium.
Here is a typical food pyramid showing foods we should be eating
the least of at the top, to the food we should be eating the most
of at the bottom.
Source: Life Education Trust
Calcium:
RDI of calcium for children (mg)
|
|
Infants AI
|
Young children RDI
|
Adolescents
|
|
0-6mo
|
7-12 m
|
1-3 y
|
4 -8 y
|
9-13
|
12-18
|
|
210
|
270
|
500
|
700
|
1000-1300
|
1300
|
|
The UL is noted at 2,500mg/day for children 1-18years
|
|
Source: NHMRC, 2005
|
Iron:
|
The RDI for iron in children (mg per day)
|
|
Infants
|
Young children (RDIs)
|
|
0-6mo
|
7-12 m
|
1-3 y
|
4 -8 y
|
9-13 y
|
14 18 y
|
|
0.2 (AI)
|
11mg (RDI)
|
9mg
|
10mg
|
8mg
|
Boys 11mg
|
Girls 15mg
|
|
UL - 20mg
|
UL of 40mg
|
UL of 45mg
|
|
Source: NHMRC, 2005
|
Iodine:
Iodine nutrient reference values (expressed in micrograms (mg)
per day
|
Age range
|
AI
|
EAR
|
RDI
|
UL
|
|
Infants
0-6 months
7- 12 months
|
90
110
|
|
|
|
|
Children
1-3
4-8
|
|
65
110
|
80
130
|
65
110
|
|
Pregnancy
14-18
19-50
|
|
160
160
|
220
220
|
900
1,100
|
Sodium:
Recommended intake of sodium in childhood are given as adequate
intakes as follows:
- 0 - six months, 120mg/day (no UL given)
- 7 - 12 months 170mg/day (no UL given)
- 1-3 years, 200-400mg/day with a UL of 1,000mg
- 4-8 years, 300-600mg/day with a UL of 1,400mg
- 9-13 years, 400-800mg/day with a UL of 2,000mg
- 14-18 years, 460-920mg/day with a UL of 2,300mg
For further reading you can download the Ministry of Health Food and
Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Children Aged 2-12 years.