Nutrition of school-age children

School-age children (7 to 12 years) grow slowly and steadily but pack a lot of activity into each day. Their needs are the same for boys and girls until about 9. After that:

• Girls need more protein, iron and calcium, for bone growth and to prepare for menarche (the first period).
• Boys need more energy, to build reserves for the growth spurt of adolescence. ICMR suggests about 2190 kcal for boys and 2010 kcal for girls of 10-12.

Planning their diets:

• Aim for variety: no single food has everything, and variety makes new foods easier to accept.
• Ensure good nutrition: protein, calcium, iron and iodine; plenty of vegetables, fruit and whole grains (which lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes); iodised salt.
• Limit fat, sugar and salt: keep fat to about 20 per cent of calories. Fat and sugar raise the risk of obesity; added sugar causes tooth decay; too much salt raises blood pressure.
• Never skip breakfast: after the night's fast it should be rich in protein and energy, and what is missed cannot be made up later in the day.
• Involve children in planning meals, shopping and simple cooking, so healthy eating becomes interesting.

What shapes children's eating:

• Family: parents shape food choices, often without meaning to; relaxed family meals help.
• Media: advertisements, catchy slogans and celebrity endorsements push foods high in sugar, fat and salt and low in fibre; snacking on them spoils appetite for proper meals.
• Peers: children start following friends' choices; they often finish their tiffin and try new foods when eating with friends.
• Region and culture: children enjoy their own region's food, and other regions' too.
• Erratic appetite: eating well at one meal and refusing the next is normal and passes, unless it is fed by bribes, punishments or rigid rules.

Healthy habits:

• Sensible eating: not munching non-stop in front of a screen. A big, colourful bowl of salad with sprouts, paneer or nuts is a better thing to nibble.
• Physical activity: about 45-60 minutes of moderate activity a day; limit TV; encourage sport and school and community activities, with parents as role models.
• Food safety: wash hands, fruit and vegetables; eat clean food; children can help prepare food under supervision.
• Let children judge their own hunger: do not force more food on them, and do not use food to show love. Missing one meal now and then is fine for a healthy child, as long as it does not become a habit.

India's double problem:

• Obesity is rising, mostly among better-off families, from fatty, salty, low-fibre food, sugary drinks and too little activity. With it, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, once rare in children, are becoming more common.
• Undernutrition remains serious among the poor: children who come to school hungry cannot concentrate.
• The mid-day meal scheme gives a free cooked lunch to children in Classes I-VIII. Teachers report better attention in class; enrolment has risen, drop-outs have fallen, and girls' attendance has gone up.

Example (new): an 11-year-old who often skips breakfast and buys chips at break could instead have a besan chilla with curd before school and carry roasted chana and a guava, then play outside for an hour after homework.