Toddlers – not just mini adults
- As babies grow into toddlers, talking, walking and interacting in a much more grown up way, it’s very easy for parents to assume that they are now almost mini adults as far as their dietary requirements are concerned, especially as they begin to eat family-style meals
- It is important to remember, though, that they are still growing and developing rapidly, which means they still have high energy and nutrient requirements in relation to their size
- At around this age, young children may begin to express food preferences strongly and feeding may not be quite as straight forward as in the first year
What are their nutritional requirements?
- Due to their rapid growth and development, toddlers need energy and nutrient-rich foods
- This means ensuring that their diet is relatively high in fat compared to an adult diet (to provide sufficient energy) and low in fibre, to avoid filling them up at the expense of other nutrients
- To ensure a varied and balanced diet, a variety of foods should be offered from the main food groups.
Should we be concerned about young children’s diets?
- A recent survey¹ in the UK looking at the diets of children under five highlighted that;
- 84% of children in Britain have intakes below the Reference Nutrient Intake for iron and almost one in five have very low intakes
- More than 70% of children had intakes of zinc below the Reference Nutrient Intakes and a large proportion of children had very low intakes
- Almost half of the children had intakes of vitamin A below the Reference Nutrient Intake and 8% had very low intakes
- 38% of children had intakes of vitamin C below the Reference Nutrient Intake
It is clear, therefore, that these nutrients deserve some consideration in our toddlers’ diets.
Key nutrients for consideration in toddler diets
Energy
- It is important that toddlers get plenty of energy-rich foods to meet growth demands
- Carbohydrate-rich foods are a good source of energy, as are full-fat dairy products, along with nuts, seeds and oils
Vitamin A
- Vitamin A is essential for normal growth and development, healthy skin and eyes and the immune function
- Good sources of vitamin A include liver, oily fish, whole milk, cheese and butter. Carotenes (which are converted to retinol) can be found in good quantities in carrots, dark green leafy vegetables and orange-coloured fruits and vegetables
Vitamin C
- Vitamin C is necessary for normal growth and development. It is needed to form collagen, a protein used to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. It is also important for the absorption of iron
- Vitamin C is found almost exclusively in foods from plant sources
- Good sources include peppers, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, berries, blackcurrants, oranges, mango and kiwi
Vitamin D
- Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption; deficiency can cause poor bone growth and rickets
- Although vitamin D can be made by the body through the action of sunlight on the skin, young children require an additional dietary source due to their rapid growth and formation of the skeleton
- Useful sources of vitamin D include oily fish, liver, eggs and fortified breakfast cereals. Margarine is fortified with vitamin D (by law) and it is added voluntarily to other fat spreads
Iron
- Iron deficiency (anaemia) is the most common nutritional deficiency in the UK2
- Symptoms of iron deficiency include lethargy, apathy, irritability and loss of appetite
- Iron found in red meat is most easily absorbed by the body
- Iron can be found in other sources too, but is not quite so easily absorbed by the body
- By ensuring that a source of vitamin C is given at the same time, the absorption of iron from non-meat sources will be enhanced
- Good non-meat sources of iron include, iron fortified infant cereals, dried fruit, beans, lentils and chickpeas, as well as green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach
Zinc
- Zinc is essential for growth, development and immune function
- Useful sources of zinc include meat, fish, pulses, wholegrain cereals, cheese, eggs and milk
Vitamin supplements
The UK Department of Health recommends supplements containing vitamins A, C & D for;
- Babies receiving breast milk as the main drink after six months
- Babies receiving infant or follow-on milk and drinking less than 500-600 ml per day from six months until one year
- All children aged 1-5
The role of milk in the toddler’s diet
- Milk as a drink should begin to play a lesser role in meeting dietary requirements from the first birthday
- Toddlers aged 1-3 years need approximately 350 ml of milk per day (or as dairy equivalents, if milk consumption is poor)
- Full-fat cows’ milk should be continued until the baby is two years and then semi-skimmed milk should only be introduced if there are no growth or dietary concerns. Cows’ milk contains virtually no iron
- Toddler milks, which are specially formulated to complement the diet of young children, can help ensure a toddler is getting all their nutrient requirements. SMA Toddler Milk is enriched with iron, vitamins and minerals as well as omega 3 and LCPs
Fussy eaters
- Toddlers are renowned for being fussy with their food
- In most instances this will resolve with time and there is no need to worry
- It is important that parents consider what foods have been eaten over a period of a week rather than worrying about dietary intake on a daily basis
- A Toddler milk can help reassure parents by helping to bridge any nutritional gaps in an active toddler diet
