A chubby child does not mean good nutrition

Author: Jing Hong, attending physician at Peking University International Hospital

Reviewer: Liu Xiaomei, Chief Physician, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University

In life, we often hear such a sentence, "Your child is chubby, and you can tell at a glance that he is well-nourished." Does a chubby child mean that he is well-nourished? Actually, not necessarily.

The so-called good nutrition does not mean the more nutrition the better, but the nutrition must be balanced first. However, being "chubby" does not necessarily mean that the child's nutrition is balanced. So, we need to understand the key points of balanced nutrition and the nutritional needs of school-age children.

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1. Balanced nutrition, with the focus on providing nutrition on demand

The key to balanced nutrition is to provide nutrition according to needs. In other words, nutrition should be provided according to the actual needs of school-age children in order to achieve balanced nutrition. To achieve "according to needs", it is necessary to make a comprehensive judgment based on the age and activity ability of the child, because different ages and activity abilities have different needs.

In addition, we also need to be wary of unscientific nutritional concepts, such as believing that a fat child is well-nourished and a thin child is not well-nourished. Some children are thin because of inadequate growth and development, or because of chronic diseases such as spleen and stomach disharmony, while some children are overweight due to unhealthy eating habits, unbalanced nutrition and lack of exercise. Like adults, obese children may also suffer from hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperuricemia and endocrine abnormalities, which can also affect the healthy development of liver function and cardiopulmonary function. Therefore, parents need to pay attention to it early.

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2. Characteristics of nutritional needs of school-age children

School age refers to the period between 6 and 13 years old. The characteristics and nutritional needs of children in this period are as follows.

1. Characteristics of school-age children

Children of school age grow faster and their academic pressure gradually increases, so their cognitive and motor abilities also increase rapidly.

2. Characteristics of nutritional needs of school-age children

The nutritional requirements of children of different ages vary greatly. As children grow older, their energy requirements gradually increase, and the requirements for protein and total energy intake increase significantly. The energy requirements of children aged 11 to 13 are close to those of adults.

Understanding the nutritional needs of school-age children, we should help them achieve a balanced nutrition based on these characteristics.

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3. How to achieve "balanced nutrition"

1. Regular evaluation, preferably annual comprehensive evaluation of the child's nutrition and growth and development. It is recommended to go to a regular hospital to find a pediatrician for a physical examination and evaluation.

2. While ensuring a diversified diet, pay attention to the intake of nutrients such as energy, high-quality protein, vitamins, minerals, etc., and make individualized adjustments to the nutritional plan based on the results of the doctor's evaluation.

3. Strictly limit the daily intake of high-sugar and high-energy foods, especially all kinds of puffed foods. Snacks can be replaced with "nutritious snacks". For school-age children, "nutritious snacks" can be nuts, fruits or yogurt.

4. Balanced nutrition should be combined with conscious exercise management. Ensure at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day, especially outdoor activities. Minimize the time spent sitting, moving and watching electronic screens, and carry out various activities. This is beneficial to maintaining physical health, improving cardiopulmonary function, and preventing the occurrence of myopia.

Good nutrition cannot be judged by "chubby". If school-age children want to achieve balanced nutrition, they should be given reasonable nutritional supplements according to their own nutritional needs, ensure dietary diversity, strictly control the intake of high-energy foods, actively exercise, and conduct regular assessments to help school-age children grow up healthily and nutritiously.