Lecture Presentation Outline
I.
Growth and Development

Physical and mental development proceed from infancy through adolescence

Formative years lay the foundation for the rest of life

Instructor Resources: Unit 30 Nutrition Scoreboard transparency master; Unit 30 PowerPoint
presentation on Multimedia Manager; Activity30-1: Love as a Nutrient; Handout 30-1: Love as a
Nutrient; Activity 15 in Instructor’s Activity Book: Child Nutrition: Real-Life Scenarios
A. Nutritional Foundation
1. Growth will not proceed normally unless the diet supplies enough of energy and nutrients
2. Children establish food preferences and physical activity patterns that endure into adulthood
a. Food intake regulation affected by what children learn
b. Children respond to internal cues of when to stop eating
c. They can learn to eat for the right reasons
3. Early diets have effects on risk of diseases later in life
B. Growth in Children
 Instructor Resources: Activity 30-3: Nutritional Dilemma; Handout 30-2: Nutritional Dilemma
1.
2.
Between 2 and 10, children gain five lbs and 2 to 3 in. in height/year
Gains occur in “spurts”
a. Appetite increases, child stores fat prior to “spurt”
b. During spurt, fat stores supply energy for growth
3. CDC’s Growth Charts
a. For females and males from 2 to 20 years to compare with national norms
b. Growth charts for 2 to 20 year olds consist of graphs of:
1. Weight for age
2. Height (stature) for age
3. Weight for height
4. BMI for age
a. BMI above 85th percentile “at risk” for overweight, those above 95th percentile at
risk for obesity
b. BMI for Age charts need (BMI) calculation
4. Appetite Changes
a. Children eat very little when growth is not occurring
1. Go on “food jags” - insist on eating few foods
b. As long as children remain in good health, no reason to worry about fluctuations in
appetite and food intake
c. Only children know when they are hungry
d. If hungry too long, signal to eat overpowered by fun or the effects of not eating
1. Food for a child who skipped a meal or played too long may provide cure for
irritability
C. Adolescent Growth Spurt
1. In girls between 11 and 15
2. In boys between 12 and 17
3.
4.
Onset age varies considerably
Teens gain 50% of adult weight, 25% of adult height, and 45% of total bone mass
a. At peak, girls gain 18 lbs/yr and boys 20 lbs/yr
5. Influence Adult Height?
a. Non-genetic factors have the strongest influence on height
b. People in developed countries grow taller
c. Maximum genetically determined height has not yet been reached
d. Healthy diet during the growing years, exercise and freedom from illness support
growth in height
D. Growing Problems
 Instructor Resources: ABC video clips on Multimedia Manager: Overweight Kids (5:55) & Anorexia
in the Whole Family (5:09); CNN Today Nutrition Vol. 2: Freshman 15 (2:00)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Overweight in children and adolescents in U.S. has tripled since the 1960s
Overweight disorders now diagnosed more often
a. Type 2 diabetes
b. Bone and joint disorders
c. Elevated blood pressure
Type 2 diabetes worsens with time and causes long-term health impairments
a. 4% of children and adolescents have impaired glucose tolerance and 6-17% of overweight
and obese children and adolescents have type 2 diabetes
Overweight in Young People
a. “Obesigenic” trends causing rising rates of overweight
 Instructor Resources: Activity 30-2: Saturday Morning TV
5.
b. Children and adolescents have less physical activity and more energy-dense foods
c. Children and adolescents exposed to energy-dense fast food portion sizes 5 times larger
d. Genetically-based, in-born processes to regulate appetite and satiety overwhelmed by
conditions that influence decisions
Medicalization of Obesity
a. Stomach stapling and diet drugs being used to treat overweight and obesity
 Instructor Resources: transparency #33: Gastric Bypass Surgery
6.
1. Little is known about psychological and health impacts of this type of surgery
b. Diet drug use in adults has side effects and needs long-term use for effectiveness
Prevention of Overweight
a. Children and adolescents need more physical activity, and more healthy food
b. Children who regulate food intake based on appetite and satiety will have jump-start on
overweight prevention
II. Food Preferences

Food preferences not are inborn

Instructor Resources: CNN Today Nutrition Vol. 3: Comfort Food (2:50)
A. Informed parents decide what types of food their child should be offered, decision about how
much to eat is left to child
B. Food likes and dislikes almost totally shaped by environment
C. Humans born with caution toward new foods
1. Parents have to offer new food many times
2. Sometimes children like the food, or not
D. Children do not like strong-flavored vegetables, spicy foods, or mixed foods
E. Restricting access to foods means negative effects on food preferences and health
1. Child must have fair chance to try food and make decision
2. Prohibiting intake of foods strengthens interest and boosts consumption later
III. Good Diets for Children
 Instructor Resources: ABC video clip on Multimedia Manager: Lunches for Kids (6:03)
A. Type of foods selected from food groups important
1. Whole-grain breads and cereals
2. Boiled, broiled, and baked foods
3. Foods that contribute mainly calories are needed
a. Cakes, candy, cookies, potato chips, etc. serve as sources of needed calories
b. Good snacks are important source of calories:
B. Fat Intake
1. Normal growth and health seen in children eating 21 - 35% of total calories from fat
2. Problem if diet above 35% calories from fat
a. High fat intakes mean obesity, very low folate and vitamin C, and high saturated fats
3. After 3 get 25 to 35% of calories from fat
4. 3 to 18 year olds should eat little saturated fat
C. Children and Milk
 Instructor Resources: CNN Today Nutrition Vol. 3: Got Milk? (3:03)
1.
2.
3.
Children should drink milk
Variety of foods can provide nutrients
Children without milk have:
a. Low calcium intakes
b. Lower bone density
c. More fractures
D. Children’s Diets
1. Children over 2 have:
a. Too few vegetables and fruits
b. Too little calcium, zinc, and vitamins E, D, C, and B6
c. Too little dietary fiber
2. 9% eat 5 servings vegetables and fruits/day, most eat 2.5 or less
a. 1% meet vegetable and fruit goals
3. Children get half of recommended dietary fiber
4. Not Enough Milk
a. ½ of children have low calcium daily
b.
Low calcium and vitamin D during childhood and adolescence decrease peak bone mass
and increase risk of osteoporosis
c. Children and teens substitute soft drinks for milk
E. Kids’ Food Guide Pyramid
 Instructor Resources: transparency #77: Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children
F.
1. Children’s Pyramid has same numbers of servings for each group
2. Only serving sizes are smaller!
3. This helps kids to not exceed intake goals
Early Diet and Later Disease
 Instructor Resources: Activity 30-4: How to Promote Healthy Eating
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Cholesterol levels of children in U.S. higher than in countries where heart disease is lower
Obesity during adolescence associated with risk factors for heart disease:
a. High LDL-cholesterol
b. Low HDL-cholesterol
c. Increased blood pressure
U.S. children consume more sodium than is recommended
Adolescents with low calcium and vitamin D at risk of osteoporosis
Obese children and adolescents at high risk for obesity later in life, and:
a. Diabetes
b. Heart disease
c. Some cancers
d. Hypertension
Obesity lowers self-esteem, gives poor body image, and eating disorders
Nutrition is related to both current and future health and quality of life for people of all ages