Download Instruction - Child Food Program of Texas

Day Care Nutrition
In A Nutshell
Training Review Module
2 Clock Hours
P.O. Box 5465, Katy, TX 77491
Tel: 281.395.7000; Toll- Free: 877.395.6560
Fax: 281.0395.7002
www.childfoodprogramoftexas.org
Page 1
Instructions for completing this module:
Table of Contents
1. After reviewing this material with your day home representative, please read and study the material carefully.
Food Choices: Why do we eat
what we eat? ........................................................... Page 3
Fuel For Life: Food and energy ............................ Page 4
What Is Food? The six groups
of nutrients ...................................................... Page 5
Poor Nutrition In Children. Symptoms
to look for ........................................................ Page 10
How Much Is Enough? Nutritional
requirement of children ........................................ Page 12
2. Complete the test for the material and return it to
Child Food Program of Texas at your convenience. There
is no deadline to have this test back to us,
3. When we receive your completed test, we will evaluate it and then send you a certificate for 2 clock hours
for completing this material.
Objectives for this module:
1. To identify why we eat and what: we eat.
2. To educate family day care providers on the six
groups of nutrients.
3. To help family day care providers identify poor nutrition in children through specific signs and symptoms.
4. To identify the specific nutritional requirements of
children.
The goals of the Nutrition Education and
Training Program are to:
1. create an awareness of the importance of nutrition
and nutrition education, and
2. promote changes in eating patterns that will result in
healthier children.
Page 2
Food Choices:
Why do we eat what we eat?
You choose foods for many reasons. You eat because
you’re hungry and you choose foods because they are
available. Rarely is food chosen for its nutritional value.
You choose food for yourself and your family because
the food tastes good, because you associate it with pleasant past experiences, or because you see it as a status
symbol.
Good eating habits don’t just happen, they must be
learned. The strongest influences on a child’s eating habits are parent attitudes and behaviors, particularly those
of mothers. A child’s first teachers also affect the development of eating patterns. A teacher with a positive attitude about food may increase a child’s acceptance and
enjoyment of new foods.
Every year the food industry spends millions of dollars
to promote foods with little or no nutritional value. A
child may see as many as 300 TV commercials for food,
drinks, and candy during one week, but rarely will that
child see a commercial for fruits, vegetables, or whole
grain breads and cereals. How can children learn to make
wise food choices when so many advertisements encourage the selection of non-nutritious foods? As a consumer,
you can make a difference. The food industry produces
and advertises foods that sell. If you spend your food
dollars on nutritious foods, you’ll make a difference in
what is advertised and available at the grocery store.
Children’s nutritional status depends on their acceptance
of a variety of foods. During a child’s preschool years,
day care workers have a chance to affect lifetime food
habits. With your leadership, motivation, and encouragement, children in your care can learn about nutritious
foods and develop healthy eating habits. You should
present this nutrition education in an exciting and meaningful way, because not until children establish sound
eating habits can nutrition education be called successful.
Page 3
Fuel For Life:
Food And Energy
The most important reason for eating is to supply energy
to the body. Just as a car needs gasoline for fuel, your
body needs food.
As food is burned in your body, energy is produced and
heat is released. This process is metabolism. Your body
uses the energy from food for physical activity and maintenance of body processes. The more energy a food provides, the more heat it releases. A calorie is the unit used
to measure the energy, or heat, a food supplies.
The human body is a nonstop energy consumer. You use
energy when you breathe, when your heart pumps
blood, and when you digest food. You use energy when
you walk, run, or exercise. During times of rapid growth,
or recovery from illness or injury, children need extra
calories. Children may fail to grow and develop normally
if they don’t get enough food and they may even lose
weight. Although their bodies and appetites may be
smaller, children’s energy requirements may be equal to
that of mature women. Because of their small appetites,
children need to eat often. This is why the Minimum Standards for Day Care Centers and Family Day Homes describe
a meal pattern which includes a mid-morning and midafternoon snack for children.
To maintain a healthy body weight, you must use as
much energy as you take in. Unlike a car, your body has
no gas tank that overflows when it gets too much fuel.
The body will process as many calories as you choose to
give it, and the food not used for energy will be stored as
fat. If excess food is eaten every day, overweight and obesity will occur. Physical activity is one good way to avoid
these problems.
Page 4
What Is Food?
The Six Groups Of Nutrients
All foods contain one or more of the six nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and water. All
are equally important. Each is essential for life, health,
and vitality, and each has a special function in the body.
Protein: The body’s building blocks
Every cell in the body uses protein. Bodies use protein to
build and repair skin, muscles, and connective tissue, and
to make body fluids such as blood. Proteins also help
regulate body processes and help the body resist infection. Protein requirements increase during periods of
rapid growth and recovery from illness.
Complete and incomplete protein
Protein is made of building blocks called amino acids.
When you eat foods containing protein, two things happen: first, your body breaks the protein into amino acids,
and second, the cells rearrange the amino acids to build
the proteins they need for growth, maintenance of tissues, and regulation of body functions.
There are eight amino acids you must get from foods.
These are essential amino acids. Although your body requires other amino acids it can make these itself if you
eat enough of the essential amino acids.
The protein in animal foods is complete because it contains the eight essential amino acids. The protein in plant
foods is incomplete because some of the essential amino
acids are missing or present in small amounts.
Meatless menus can supply complete protein if they are
carefully planned. By combining the incomplete protein
in one plant food with the incomplete protein in a different plant food you can get a complementary protein.
Complementary proteins are equal in quality to the complete protein found in meat. Examples of complementary
proteins using plant foods are corn tortillas with beans,
peanut butter with bread, and lentils with barley soup.
You can also combine an incomplete plant protein with a
small amount of complete animal protein to produce a
complementary protein. Examples of complementary
proteins using plant with animal foods are milk with cereal, macaroni with cheese, and eggs with rice casserole.
These familiar foods provide good sources of protein
when eaten in the combinations described. Ask a nutritionist about other ways to combine foods for adequate
protein.
What are the best sources of protein?
Protein is concentrated in the animal foods-meat, fish,
poultry, eggs, milk, and cheese. Other less expensive protein meat alternates will supply adequate protein sources
are legumes (dried peas and beans), nuts, seeds, and peanut butter.
How much is enough?
As previously mentioned, protein is an especially important nutrient for growing children. Two servings a day of
meat or meat alternates will supply adequate protein for
most healthy children. The serving size increases as a
child grows. For child size portions, refer to “Meal Patterns for Children” available from the workshop leader.
Although protein is essential for growth and maintenance of body processes, you can overdo a good thing.
Protein-rich foods are usually the most expensive items
on the grocery list. The dietary protein not used to maintain or replace the body’s protein will be burned for energy or converted to fat and stored. This is an expensive
way to provide the body with energy, and you can get
fat. Most animal protein foods contain a lot of saturated
fat. The potential danger of too much saturated fat is described in the next section.
Fats: The energy that lasts
Although dietary fat is considered a weight watcher’s
enemy, it’s also an essential nutrient. Besides carrying
vitamins A, D, E and K, fat is digested slowly and therefore delays hunger between meals. Fat is also needed to
maintain healthy skin.
Page 5
Fat is a concentrated energy source and supplies a
large number of calories in a small amount of food,
as shown by this comparison:
1 teaspoon fat = 35 calories
1 teaspoon sugar = 15 calories
Because fat is so concentrated, it’s a good way to add
calories to diets of small children with limited appetites.
For example, margarine can be spread on toast or muffins, added to cooked cereals, or used to season steamed
vegetables. Calorie conscious dieters, however, might
restrict dietary fat to reduce caloric intake.
Fats have two classifications: polyunsaturated fats are
usually liquid at room temperature, and include vegetable oils, mayonnaise, and margarine. Saturated fats
are solid at room temperature, and include butter, lard,
shortening, and fat in meat and cheese.
After digestion, saturated fat may accumulate in the arteries as a hard substance called plaque. Increased
amounts of plaque may clog the arteries and lead to arteriosclerosis and other forms of heart. disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country. Although other factors may cause heart disease, a diet containing more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fat
reduces the risk of heart disease. Such a diet is recommended for people of all ages, including preschool
children.
Foods low in saturated fats:
eat these foods more often
Chicken
Turkey
Fish
Round steak / Sirloin steak (trim all outside fat)
Cottage cheese
Yogurt
Low fat or skim milk
Buttermilk
Margarine: liquid vegetable oil first ingredient
on label
Vegetable oil
Ice milk or sherbet
Foods high in saturated fats:
eat these foods less often
Ham
Bacon
Ground Beef
Hot dogs bologna or salami
Sausage
Pork chops
Cheese: cheddar, Swiss, processed
Cream cheese
Whole milk Butter
Shortening or lard
Ice cream
What foods contain fat?
Dietary fat sources include oils and shortening, butter
and margarine, whole milk and cheese, nuts, seeds, and
fatty meats. More than 50 percent of the calories in
ground meat, frankfurters, bologna, ham, bacon, and
sausage come from fat.
Protein foods from animal sources often contain “hidden” saturated fat. Try to choose those protein foods
lowest in saturated fats. (See the following list.)
Page 6
What about cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in animal foods
and the human body. Eggs, butter, cheese, liver, and the
shellfish contain a lot of cholesterol. Adults diagnosed as
having an increased risk of heart disease should restrict
their intake of these foods. They may be used in moderation in the diets of children.
Carbohydrate: Foods for quick energy
Carbohydrates are nutrients found primarily in plant
foods. The body uses carbohydrates for energy and for
processing fats and proteins. During digestion, carbohydrates are broken into units of glucose. Glucose enters the
blood stream and supplies energy in the brain, organs,
and muscles. A child who skips breakfast or doesn’t eat
for several hours will have a lower level of glucose in the
blood. This child will feel tired and have trouble concentrating. Foods rich in carbohydrate supply quick energy
by raising the blood’s glucose level.
About half the calories in a balanced diet should come
from carbohydrate. Food sources of carbohydrate are
inexpensive, add variety to the diet, provide quick energy, and may supply other essential nutrients as well.
Select carefully the carbohydrate sources in your diet.
Whole grain breads and cereals, legumes (beans and
peas), corn, and rice are rich in carbohydrate and also
supply protein, vitamins, and minerals. Fresh fruits and
vegetables supply carbohydrate and are also excellent
sources of vitamins. Raw fruits and vegetables, and
whole grain products provide roughage. Roughage, also
called fiber, stimulates the intestine walls and helps prevent constipation. After a child is old enough to chew
well, raw fruits and vegetables promote healthy gums
and teeth.
Syrup, honey, table sugar, soda pop, and foods made
with a lot of sugar provide empty calories without other
nutrients. Limit consumption of these foods, especially in
children’s diets where sugar may be replacing more
nourishing foods. Children who frequently eat sweet
foods may develop unhealthy eating habits which last a
lifetime. Eating too much sugar causes tooth decay and
may lead to hypoglycemia, diabetes, or obesity. The list
“Nutritious snacks for the preschool child” refers to
foods you should emphasize as snacks. The foods listed
in “Snacks to be avoided” contain a lot of sugar and a
few nutrients.
Nutritious snacks for the preschool child
Dry cereal (not sugarcoated)
Hot cereal
Crackers
Raw vegetables
Fresh or canned fruit
Whole grain bread or toast
Banana bread
Oatmeal or peanut butter cookies
Cheese (cube, slice, or wedge)
Milk
Vegetable juice
Unsweetened fruit juice
Peanuts and raisins
Hard-cooked eggs
Popcorn
Snacks to be avoided
Sugared cereals
Candy
Honey and syrup
Jellies and jams
Cookies with icing or filling
Cakes
Doughnuts
Rich pastries
Sweetened beverages:
- carbonated beverages
- sweetened fruit drinks
- fruit flavored drinks
- flavored milks
Vitamins: There are two kinds
More than a dozen vitamins have been identified as essential nutrients for the human body. Unlike protein, carbohydrate, and fat, the vitamins do not provide energy.
Each vitamin has a different function in the body. Vitamin A, for example, prevents night blindness and is necessary for healthy skin; vitamin D is necessary for strong
bones and teeth; vitamin C helps in healing of wounds
and resisting infection; and the B vitamins (thiamine, ri-
Page 7
boflavin, and niacin) help convert food into energy.
There are two types of vitamins, fat soluble and water
soluble. The fat soluble vitamins are carried in the fat
portion of foods, and these vitamins can be stored in the
body. Dangerously high levels of vitamins A and D may
accumulate if you take supplements in excessive
amounts for long periods. Water soluble vitamins are
carried in the water portion of foods and cannot be
stored in the body. They are excreted in urine if the body
gets more than it needs. For this reason you should eat
good vitamin B and C sources every day to be sure your
body has enough.
A deficiency of one or more vitamins can produce a variety of disease-like symptoms, but these are rare unless
the diet is severely restricted. Many foods common to
American diets are enriched or fortified with vitamins.
For example, vitamin C is frequently added to fruit juice,
vitamin D to milk, vitamin A to butter and margarine,
and B vitamins (thiamine, niacin and riboflavin) to flour,
rice, cornmeal and cereal products. Vitamin deficiencies
and malnutrition occur, but they are rare in this country.
Many people, however, suffer from poor nutrition because their diet supplies less than the minimum amount
of food necessary for health and growth. Signs of poor
nutrition in children are described in Section IV.
Vitamins are found in a variety of foods. To supply the
essential vitamins, plan a diet including foods from all
four food groups and at least four servings of fruits and
vegetables daily. Include one rich vitamin C source daily
and one rich vitamin A source at least every other day.
Refer to “Fruits and Vegetables” for a list of good vitamin
C and vitamin A sources.
Fruits and Vegetables
Rich sources of vitamin C
(Eat one serving daily)
Oranges
Grapefruit
Tangerines
Tomatoes
Juices or any of the above
Strawberries
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Green peppers
Kale
Rich sources of vitamin A
(Eat one serving at least every other day)
Broccoli
Carrots
Mixed vegetables
Peas and carrots
Pumpkin
Spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Squash
Apricots
Cantaloupe
Peaches
Watermelon
Minerals: Strength and regulation
Your body needs 18 to 20 minerals in tiny amounts to
regulate its processes and build its structures. Some minerals are part of the soft tissues, muscles, nerves, heart,
and liver; others build and repair bones and teeth. Minerals are also found in body fluids and form essential regulatory substances. For example, iron and copper are part
of the red blood cells, and zinc is part of insulin.
Plan the diet carefully to include calcium and phosphorous, the minerals required in larger amounts by the
body. Calcium and phosphorous work together to build
and maintain strong bones, teeth, and muscles. An adequate intake of calcium and phosphorous is especially
important during childhood when bones and teeth are
growing rapidly. Three or more will provide adequate
calcium and phosphorous. Other good calcium and phosphorous sources include leafy green vegetables, peas,
beans, and sunflower and sesame seeds.
Diets of preschool children frequently lack iron, and this
lack can cause anemia. A child with anemia will tire easily, look pale, have frequent infections, and may be underweight. Anemia can occur when a preschool child
consumes a lot of milk and few solid foods. The following list of iron rich foods will help you plan menus for
preschool children. Include a good source of iron in their
diet very day.
Page 8
Good sources of iron
Apple juice
Beans, dried
Beef
Cereals, iron fortified
Chicken
Eggs
Dried fruit (raisins, prunes, apricots)
Lentils
Nuts
Peas (greens, black-eyed)
Prune juice
Sunflower seeds
Tomato juice
Whole wheat bread
Water comes from the obvious sources-drinking water,
coffee, tea, fruit juices, milk, and other beverages. Water
is also in every food you eat. Some fruits and vegetables
contain more than 80 percent water. Because water provides no calories, fruits and vegetables containing
a lot of water, such as lettuce, celery, and apples, are low
in calories.
Preschool children should drink four to five glasses of
fluid each day. Thirst is the best indicator of the need for
water, but children often need to be reminded. Offer
water to children several times a day. It won’t spoil their
appetites and it helps them develop the habit of choosing
water instead of high-calorie, low-nutrient beverages.
Fruit juice and milk are the best drinks to offer children
at meals and snack time because these drinks quench
thirst and provide nutrients.
You can easily get the other minerals your body needs if
you plan a diet containing whole grain breads and cereals, milk, meat, peas, beans, and vegetables. You may be
getting more sodium in your diet than you need. Most
prepared foods and snack foods contain a lot of sodium
in the form of salt. Too much sodium over a long period
can cause high blood pressure and lead to a stroke or
heart attack. Eat less salt by eliminating salty food, reducing salt added during cooking, and omitting salt at
the table.
Water: Essential and calorie free
Although water is not usually considered a food, it’s an
essential nutrient. Humans can survive longer without
food than without water. Water is a part of every cell,
tissue, and metabolic process. It carries nutrients to the
cells and waste products from the cells. Water is the
major component of blood and helps regulate body
temperature.
Page 9
Poor Nutrition In Children:
Symptoms To Look For
Symptoms of severe nutritional deficiency, or malnutrition, are rarely seen in this country, but less obvious signs
of poor health caused by poor nutrition may appear.
During a child’s period of rapid growth, from birth to 5
years, poor nutrition can affect physical growth and
mental development. Physicians are trained to recognize
malnutrition, but children are usually examined only
once a year or during illness, so symptoms of poor nutrition may not be noticed. As a care giver you should be
familiar with the symptoms of a poorly nourished child.
A list of nutrition related symptoms is provided for your
use. If you observe a child with one or more of these
symptoms, talk with the child’s parents or guardians.
The child may not be getting enough food, or may re-
quire a physician’s attention. In infants, the signs of malnutrition may be subtle. An infant receiving enough fluid
will have six or more wet diapers each day. The bowel
habits of a healthy infant range from several small movements each day, to one every other day. Suspect diarrhea
when the diaper is filled four or more times a day, and
report your suspicions to the parents. Notify a physician
if this condition persists for more than 24 hours, because
dehydration can occur rapidly.
A gradual weight increase is probably the best indicator
of good nutrition in an infant. Most infants will double
their birth weight in five months and triple their birth
weight in the first year. The next page is a chart of signs
of poor nutrition in a preschool child.
Page 10
Signs of Poor Nutrition in the Preschool Child
Symptom
Possible Nutritional Relationship
Underweight
Inadequate food intake
Feeding problems
Emotional problems - refusing to eat
to gain attention
Poor eating habits
Overweight
Entire family may eat too much
Lack of exercise
Emotional problems - overeating as a way to
deal with other problems
Failure to grow
Inadequate food intake
No breakfast
Feeding problems
Lethargy or lack or attention
Inadequate food intake
No breakfast
Iron deficiency anemia
Intestinal parasites (worms)
Jitters and hyperactivity
Inadequate food intake
No breakfast
Diet containing too much sugar
Diet containing too much caffeine
(colas, coffee, tea, chocolate)
Severe headaches or early morning headaches
Inadequate food intake
Diet containing too much sugar
No breakfast
Frequent diarrhea
Too much fiber in diet
Diet not balanced
Food allergy
Constipation
Inadequate fluid intake
Lack of fiber in diet
Pallor (lack of color in skin)
Inadequate iron or iron deficiency anemia
Weakness or easy fatigue leg cramps or bowed legs
Inadequate food intake
Inadequate protein intake
Inadequate calcium intake
Too much phosphorous
Page 11
How Much Is Enough?
Nutritional Requirements Of Children
Care givers are faced with a challenge: feeding young
children who have small and erratic appetites. This problem is complicated because children require nutrients in
almost the same quantities as adults, but they need fewer
calories. If children are to consume adequate vitamins,
minerals, and protein, their diets must be carefully
planned. Offer children only the most nutritious foods at
meals and snack time. Avoid food that provides calories
without many nutrients. Scientists identify more than 50
nutrients that must be included in the diet, but planning
a diet to include all 50 is a difficult task. To simplify
menu planning, nutritionists have designated leader nutrients. Certain food groups supply certain leader nutrients. Refer to the following list of the four basic food
groups and the leader nutrients supplied by each.
If you plan diets to include the leader nutrients, then the
other essential nutrients usually will be included. It is
important to note that you can plan an adequate diet using the four basic food groups only if you include a variety of food in the menu.
Food Groups and Their Leader Nutrients
Servings needed daily
by preschool
Four basic food groups
Leader nutrients
Fruits and vegetables
Vitamin A and C
B vitamins (niacin and thiamin)
Iron
4
Bread, grain and cereal
Carbohydrate
Protein
4
Meat and meat alternates
Iron
B vitamins (niacin and thiamin)
Protein
2
Milk and milk products
Calcium
B vitamins (niacin and thiamin)
3
Page 12