Healthy Eating & Diet
4 Nutrients Your Child May Be Missing
America's children are missing out on four essential nutrients -- vitamin D, calcium, fiber, and potassium -- according to the U.S. government's proposed new dietary guidelines.
Are your kids getting enough of these vital nutrients? Here's what they do for your child, how much your child needs, and how to get them into your child's diet.
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Vitamin D: The "It" Vitamin
Vitamin D is the hottest vitamin on researchers' radar these days -- and most people don't get enough of it.
A shortfall of vitamin D has been linked to adult conditions including osteoporosis, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, and depression. It's not yet clear if vitamin D prevents those conditions, but vitamin D deficiency is becoming more of a concern than in the past.
Experts agree that vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium and maximize bone growth and strength. Kids who get too little vitamin D can develop soft bones, a condition called rickets, early in life, and osteoporosis, which typically shows up later in life.
How much vitamin D to get: The AAP recommends getting a minimum of 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day. Another organization, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which sets the U.S. government's official nutrient recommendations, has also revised its vitamin D guidelines upward. In its November 2010 guidelines, the IOM recommends a daily dietary allowance [RDA] for vitamin D at a higher daily value of 600 IU for children between 1-18 years old.
Increasing vitamin D: The body makes vitamin D when exposed to strong sunlight, storing extra for future use. Common foods rich in vitamin D include most milk and other fortified foods, such as some brands of breakfast cereals, orange juice, and yogurt. Other foods rich in vitamin D include fattier fish, such as salmon and light tuna.
Supplements are another source of vitamin D. The AAP specifies that children who don't drink a quart of milk fortified with vitamin D take vitamin D supplements to make up for what they miss from their diet.
Calcium: Not Just for Bones
Calcium is best known for helping bones grow and stay strong. It also helps with heart rhythm, blood clotting, and muscle function.
Most calcium is stored in bones. If your child doesn't get enough calcium in their diet, the body will steal it from their bones.
How much calcium to get: Here are the IOM's daily calcium recommendations for children:
- Ages 1-3: 500 milligrams
- Ages 4-8: 800 milligrams
- Ages 9-18: 1,300 milligrams
Many U.S. children, especially teens, get far too little calcium -- and those are crucial bone-building years.
"Soft drinks, such as soda and fruit beverages, have infiltrated kids' diets, causing milk to take a back seat," says Jodie Shield, MEd, RD, co-author of the American Dietetic Association's Guide to Healthy Eating for Kids, and mother of three.
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