Boost Your Practice: Nutrition Guidelines for Preschool and Early School-Age Children

Proper nutrition is a cornerstone for the optimal development and health of children, both in childhood and later life. This blog post delves into the key findings from the "Position Statement of the Polish Academy of Sciences’ Committee of Human Nutrition Science on the Principles for the Nutrition of Preschool Children (4–6 Years of Age) and Early School-Age Children (7–9 Years of Age)" to help practitioners implement these guidelines effectively in their practice.

Why Nutrition Matters

Proper nutrition ensures adequate dietary intake of energy and nutrients, which is crucial for children's psychosomatic development. Continuous monitoring by parents and caregivers is necessary to ensure adherence to a balanced diet, which positively impacts growth, development, and overall health.

Key Nutritional Guidelines

The position statement provides comprehensive guidelines, emphasizing the importance of:

• Organizing meals properly, including four to five meals per day with three main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
• Balancing the diet with 10-20% of total energy from protein, 20-35% from fats, and 45-65% from carbohydrates.
• Monitoring nutrient intake to prevent deficiencies in calcium, iron, and vitamin D.
• Encouraging increased intake of vegetables and fruits and reducing free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake.

Implementing Guidelines in Schools

Schools play a critical role in children's nutrition. It's recommended that:

• Meals in kindergartens and schools should follow these guidelines to ensure balanced nutrition.
• Parents should be involved and encouraged to complement school meals with nutritious home-cooked meals.
• Special attention should be given to the provision of vegetarian and specialist diets when necessary.

Encouraging Further Research

Practitioners are encouraged to delve deeper into the research to continuously improve their practice. Understanding the detailed nutritional needs and the impact of diet on children's development can lead to better outcomes.

Conclusion

By implementing these guidelines, practitioners can significantly contribute to the healthy development of preschool and early school-age children. For more detailed information and to read the original research paper, please follow this link: Position Statement of the Polish Academy of Sciences’ Committee of Human Nutrition Science on the Principles for the Nutrition of Preschool Children (4–6 Years of Age) and Early School-Age Children (7–9 Years of Age).