Nutrition in Health and Social Care P1

It is essential for the body to have the right balance of nutrients from different food groups in order for the body to function properly and effectively.

In order for a child to grow healthily, they must have three square, balanced meals a day with healthy snacks available throughout the day. In order to not develop a deficiency or have any form of nutritional imbalance the nutritional intake must be tailored to their body mass index as well as their ages. For example, the Eatwell plate states that they must have approximately two thirds of their meal as both fruits and vegetables and carbohydrates. Milk and dairy should only be 15% of their meal, with protein taking up only 12% with the final 7% being fats and sugars. (http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eatwell-plate.aspx)

For development to continue at a normal rate, the diets of the children must contain all the vital vitamins and minerals as recommended in their reference nutrient intake (RNI). By keeping to their RNI they are less likely to develop a deficiency, such as iron deficient, that will affect their development in a negative way. Being nutrient deficient can cause more long term difficulties, such as weak or brittle bones, poor blood circulation etc. This can also cause malnutrition or under nutrition, which can be detrimental to both the child’s physical development and their mental development. (http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Malnutrition/Pages/Introduction.aspx)

The children’s diets should also be tailored to their individual needs regarding any activities that they either participate or compete in. For example a swimmer’s diet is mainly carbohydrates and sugars, where an athlete will have a diet that contains more protein.

With the increasing number of children and young people that are overweight and obese, means that there is a great difference between the recommended intakes and the actual intakes of certain people. The calorific intake recommended for

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