A balanced diet with for GROWTH

All growing children need good nutrition to build healthy bodies. Eating patterns formed while growing up influence children’s eating habits later on in life. Females stop growing at the age of 19–20, and males in their early twenties.

Bone basics

About 50% of bone volume consists of protein. Bones need to be ‘maintained’ by a continuous supply of dietary protein from good protein sources. Dairy is a source of protein.

Physical activity enhances bone growth

Calcium in combination with physical activity and vitamin D, strengthens growing bones

Childhood and adolescence is a critical period for establishing healthy dietary practices and lifestyle behaviours that, if maintained, can support skeletal health throughout life. Research recognises that failure to meet calcium requirements during childhood and adolescence in combination with a sedentary lifestyle can hamper the achievement of maximal skeletal growth and bone mineralisation.

In addition to consuming a nutritionally balanced diet, including daily consumption of dairy products, children and adolescents should be physically active to optimise bone health and consequently, achieve healthy growth.

Nutrients in dairy

Nutrients are needed to keep the body healthy and perform certain functions optimally, such as helping children grow. Nutrients are found in all types of food. However, the key is to choose foods that are rich in nutrients, meaning that they provide substantial amounts of nutrients relative to their kilojoule content or energy value. We call such foods ‘nutrient-rich foods’. Dairy products contain many nutrients.

Having three servings of dairy every day will contribute to your daily nutrient requirements!

Take a look at Dairy contains many nutrients Message 6!

References

LABUSCHAGNE I & SCHüBL C. 2001. Feeding children four to six years of age. Modern medicine of South Africa (May).
WHITNEY EN & ROLFES RR. 2002. Understanding Nutrition 9^th ed. London Wadsworth.
WARLDAW GM & SMITH AM. 2006. Contemporary Nutrition – Issues on insights. 6^th Ed. USA. The McGraw and Hills Companies.
MAHAN LK & ESCOTT-STUMP S. 2009. Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy. 10^th edition. Saunders Company. Pennsylvania, USA.
www.dairyaustralia.com.au. Dairy Australia. Nutrition for teenagers. Good Health and Nutrition.
www.dairyaustralia.com.au. Dairy Australia. Dairy Nutrients. Good Health and Nutrition.