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Task 16 Healthy Eating Parts 1 and 3

The document discusses the importance of healthy eating and the nutritional needs of children at various ages, emphasizing the role of different food groups in providing essential nutrients. It outlines the impacts of poor diet on children's short-term and long-term health, including issues like obesity and developmental delays. Additionally, it offers strategies for encouraging healthy eating habits and highlights national and local initiatives aimed at promoting nutrition.

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18 views7 pages

Task 16 Healthy Eating Parts 1 and 3

The document discusses the importance of healthy eating and the nutritional needs of children at various ages, emphasizing the role of different food groups in providing essential nutrients. It outlines the impacts of poor diet on children's short-term and long-term health, including issues like obesity and developmental delays. Additionally, it offers strategies for encouraging healthy eating habits and highlights national and local initiatives aimed at promoting nutrition.

Uploaded by

darya.gamerboy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Part 1

What is meant by Healthy Eating?

Healthy eating is all about making appropriate food choices that will
provide the body with the nutrients it requires in order to stay healthy.
Simply put, the body is like a machine that requires certain nutrients and
fuels in order to perform and these come from our food and drink.

The Nutritional Value of the Main Food Groups

Fruit and Vegetables: these contain all the vitamins and minerals
necessary for a healthy diet. They aid our general health but are
particularly effective at aiding our digestive system.

Bread, Rice, Pasta and Potatoes: these foods have a lower variety of
vitamins and minerals mostly vitamin B but much more importantly these
foods contain carbohydrates which are the key nutrient for a steady and
stable supply of energy.

Milk and Dairy Products: These foods contain calcium, a necessary


mineral for the strengthening of bones and teeth as well as proteins that
are responsible for growth and regeneration within the body.

Meat, Fish, Beans, Pulses and Poultry: All these foods are protein rich
and as said above proteins are responsible for all growth and
regeneration within the body. Beans and Pulses also contain other
nutrients such as carbohydrates.
The Nutritional Requirements of Children Aged:

1-2 Years

Children at this age require a Vitamin D supplement, 3 meals with


snacks in between, 5 portions of fruit or vegetables, and about 400 mil of
full fat milk everyday.

2-3 Years

At this age, children still require a Vitamin D supplement, 3 meals with


snacks in between, 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily. However, the
full fat milk can be swapped fo0r semi-skimmed and they only require
around 350ml everyday.

3-5 Years

At this age, children still require a Vitamin D supplement, 3 meals with


snacks in between, 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily. However,
they can now have 2-3 grams of salt daily and the amount of milk
needed reduces further to no more than 300ml per day.

5-7 Years

At this age, children still require a Vitamin D supplement, 3 meals with


snacks in between, 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily. However,
they no longer require milk on a daily basis and they can not have more
than 3 grams of salt everyday.

Food and Drink Requirements in relation to Current


Frameworks

The EYFS divides this into two parts. Part one is education, this means
teaching children how to make appropriate food choices for their health
and their age. Part two focuses on keeping children healthy. This is done
by providing fresh water and nutritional and age appropriate food on a
daily basis. This is the responsibility of the setting and this should be
carried out by staff that have formal training on food hygiene and food
safety.

The Impacts of Poor Diet on Children’s Health and


Development in the:

Short Term

Digestive Issues- not drinking enough water and not eating enough fruit
and vegetables can lead to children becoming constipated. Children can
also get diarrhoea if they consume too much of a certain food group,
especially dairy products and milk.

Anaemia- If a child does not have a healthy balanced diet with sufficient
food, they can develop anaemia meaning insufficient iron content within
the body. This can lead to lower energy levels, fatigue and an inability to
focus.

Behaviour- Eating 3 meals a day with snacks in between that do not


contain high sugar foods helps regulate the energy levels of children
allowing them to concentrate on their learning and their development
throughout the day.

Activity Levels- If a child is not receiving the correct minerals, vitamins or


number of calories, they may become less active. This can increase their
weight and lead to obesity which at an early enough age can also affect
their physical development more specifically their motor skills.

Long Term

Obesity- This causes the child to build unhealthy eating habits that can
then continue into adulthood. Prolonged obesity can have serious effects
on the organs and cause life-threatening health issues later in life.
Tooth Decay- Children who consume too many high sugar content food
and drinks may experience the decay of their baby teeth causing the
creation of holes. This can then lead to unhealthy gums and adult teeth
that also decay or are much looser than they should be.

Bones and Teeth- A calcium deficiency caused by a poor diet can lead
to weakened bones and teeth and if this continues into adulthood it can
cause long term health issues such as osteoporosis where the bones
are much easier to break than they should be.

Brain Development- If a child does not receive the correct levels of


nutrients, they may experience issues with brain development. This can
have a significant impact on intellectual development later in life.

Strategies to Encourage Healthy Eating

Weaning- during the weaning process, children should be introduced to


as many different fruits and vegetables as possible so that they can
experience a variety of different tastes and textures.

Colour- Studies show that children are much more likely to eat healthily if
the fruit and vegetables chosen are colourful and pleasing to the eyes.

Choice and Self-service- When chi;ldren are able to choose and serve
themselves from a variety of healthy foods, they are more likely to try
new foods. They are also more likely to learn to stop eating when they
are full.

Presentation- Children are much more likely to be interested in healthier


foods if they are presented in an attractive fashion. This means that
settings will usually serve healthy food in colourful and attractive plates
while also arranging the food in a way that adds interest such as a
smiley face.

Involvement- Children should be involved, in a safe manner, in the


preparation and serving of food as soon as they are able to walk. This
seems to increase the likelihood that a child will try new foods as well as
trying foods that they may have previously disliked once again.

National and Local Initiatives which Promote Healthy


Eating

The 5 a day campaign: This is a government initiative run across the UK


by the Department of Health. The idea is to encourage everyone to eat
five portions of fruit and vegetables daily as this is believed to reduce the
risk of cancer and also help prevent more people from becoming
overweight.

Play, Move and Grow: This is a local initiative within Lancashire which
encourages families to live a healthy lifestyle. This naturally includes
healthy eating, regular health and oral health and hygiene. The initiative
runs sessions for children between 2 and 4 years old as well as their
families. The sessions are free to attend and show the family as a whole
how to have a healthy lifestyle in a fun way that the entire family can
enjoy.

Part 3

the impact on health and development of food choices


during:

Pre-pregnancy

Both men and women need to be healthy in order to start a family. This
is not just in order to have a healthy baby as it seems healthier couples
also have an easier time getting pregnant. Finally, if the woman is in a
healthy weight range for her height she will be able to conceive much
easier.
Pregnancy

Women thinking of becoming pregnant need to take folic acid


supplements and also eat lots of green vegetables to prevent a condition
called spina bifida.Pregnant women should avoid coffee and energy
drinks as this increases the chances of miscarriage. Later in pregnancy,
raw meats and unpasteurised dairy products are to be avoided as they
can lead to food poisoning. They should eat a healthy amount to keep
them fit and well as eating for two is a myth. Unsurprisingly, pregnant
women should also not drink alcohol or smoke as this can lead to health
complications for the baby.

Breastfeeding

Women who breastfeed must drink plenty of fluids and consume plenty
of calcium-rich foods to aid the production of milk. Women who
breastfeed should also eat a little more but healthily. This is to ensure
that enough milk is produced to sustain the child and keep them full.

The Nutritional Needs of Babies until They are Fully


Weaned

Babies should begin the weaning process at 6 months old, any earlier
and there is a risk of conditions such as eczema as the baby’s digestive
system is not mature enough yet. It is vital that a child continues
receiving breast milk or formula milk until they are fully weaned at 12
months old. If a child is breastfed, it is important that they are receiving
vitamin D drops so that their bones grow to be strong and healthy.
Babies should not drink any cow's milk until after they are a year old as
their digestive system is not mature enough to digest it properly yet.
Finally, foods such as uncooked egg, juice and other sugary foods
should be avoided during the weaning process.
How to Plan a Weaning Programme

Traditional Weaning- This is when you start the weaning process at 6


months old. This is usually with baby porridge and pureed food and then
slowly adding more solid foods of varying textures as the baby is around
8-9 months old. These will be mashed or chopped up food and soft
finger foods as well. The baby will move entirely to finger foods by 12
months old and they will likely feed themselves and understand how to
chew. At this stage, the baby will no longer require milk as it will be able
to get all relevant nutrients from its food.

Baby-Led Weaning- This is when a baby is given the opportunity to


explore different foods that are put in front of them instead of just being
fed by their caregiver. The parent takes the child’s ;ead and allows them
to explore a variety of different nutritious foods. This is thought to be
beneficial as it prevents children from becoming fussy eaters since they
have been exposed to a variety from very early on.

Combined Weaning- This is simply a mix or combination of the two


previous ways. This might mean that a parent chooses what foods the
child eats for their three main meals and blends them for the child but
the parent provides a variety of unblended foods for the child to explore
during snack time.

References:

All information has been taken from Early Years Educator


CACHE Level 3

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