EATING HEALTHY

EATING HEALTHY

As your child grows and develops there are many things you can do as a parent to prevent various health conditions. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that people aged 2 years or older follow a healthy eating pattern that includes the following:

• A variety of fruits and vegetables.

• Whole grains.

• Fat-free and low-fat dairy products.

• A variety of protein foods.

• Oils.

BENEFITS

The benefits to healthy eating are numerous. Healthy eating can help you and your child achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, consume important nutrients, and reduce the risk of developing health conditions such as:

• High blood pressure.

• Heart disease.

• Type 2 diabetes.

• Cancer.

• Osteoporosis.

• Iron deficiency.

• Dental cavities.

US Department of Agriculture has given dietary guidelines for children.

Health Benefits

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES:

• As part of an overall healthy diet, eating foods such as fruits that are lower in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.

• Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.

• Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers.

• Adding fruit can help increase intake of fiber and potassium which are important nutrients that many Americans do not get enough of in their diet.

GRAIN

• Consuming whole grains as part of a healthy diet may reduce the risk of heart disease.

• Consuming whole grain foods that contain fiber, as part of an overall healthy diet, can support healthy digestion.

• Eating whole grains, as part of an overall healthy diet, may help with weight management.

• Eating grain products fortified with folate helps prevent neural tube defects when consumed as part of an overall healthy diet before and during pregnancy.

PROTEIN

• Proteins function as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. They are also building blocks for enzymes, hormones, and vitamins. Proteins are one of three nutrients that provide calories (the others are fat and carbohydrates).

• Nutrients provided by various protein foods can differ. Varying your protein food choices can provide your body with a range of nutrients designed to keep your body functioning well. B vitamins help build tissue and aid in forming red blood cells. Iron can prevent anemia. Magnesium helps build bones and supports muscle function. Zinc can support your immune systems.

• EPA and DHA are omega-3 fatty acids found in varying amounts in seafood. Eating 8 ounces per week of seafood may help reduce the risk for heart disease.

DAIRY

Calcium and vitamin D are important nutrients at any age. Intake of dairy products that contain these nutrients help to:

• Improve bone health especially in children and adolescents, when bone mass is being built.

• Promote bone health and prevent the onset of osteoporosis in adults, most of whom do not do not get enough of these nutrients.