Child Nutrition

Children should not eat too much, but at the same time, they should not starve. The recommended frequency is five to six meals a day and the size of the portions should correspond to the child's growth, weight and physical activity. While preparing food, parents should opt for quality vegetable oils rather than animal fats. They should also teach their children about moderate consumption of sugar, sweets and sweetened drinks. The main source of sugar for children should be cereals, fruit and vegetables. Correct fluid intake is also important – the recommended daily water intake is 1.5 to 2 litres.

Mother: Good morning, nurse. We've come for a regular check-up for my son.

Nurse: Good morning, Ms Merriam.  Ok, please, take a seat in the waiting room; I'll call you in a while.

Mother: Ok, thank you. Could I ask you one thing, nurse? My son is evidently overweight. He would like to drink sweetened drinks all the time and he doesn't eat the snacks I prepare for him; instead, he buys sweets or crisps from the vending machines. All his classmates do it supposedly, and he just imitates them. Can you tell me what to do about it? I've already told him to stop and I took away his pocket money, but I still have the feeling he keeps putting on weight.

Nurse: The doctor will surely help you or she may recommend a nutrition specialist. But the key thing is that a child's energy intake depends on its age and physical activity. Does your son do any sports?

Mother: Not really. He only goes to P.E. lessons at school. We signed him up for football, but he didn't want to do it because he didn't like it. His ideal would be to spend all the time in front of the TV or a computer and when we tell him to go and play outside, he only sits on a bench and plays with a mobile phone with his friends.

Nurse: Well, that's a common problem nowadays. The best thing to do is to find him a sport that he would enjoy. What you can focus on is that he eats healthily. A growing child particularly needs to consume quality nutrients, which ensure growth and the correct development of the organs. Moreover, energy consumption per kilogram of the child’s body weight decreases with age. So, while an infant needs 100 kcal/kg for its growth, a six-year old child needs 80 kcal/kg and a 15-year old only 50 kcal/kg.

Mother: So what shall I do?

Nurse: Check his weight regularly. This is a chart to assess the weight in relation to the child's age and height. Make sure his diet is varied and contains as many types of fruit, vegetables, wholemeal products, dairy products, fish, poultry and low-fat meat as possible. Reduce salt consumption to maximum one spoon a day, as well as the consumption of salty and sweet food and drinks, and make sure he drinks 1.5 to 2 litres of liquids a day. Keep track of what he eats at school and outside of home and try to find him a physical activity he will enjoy. And now you can see the doctor. I'm sure she'll recommend a specialist who will help you to deal with your son's overweight issue.

Mother: Thank you very much, nurse.

to starve	hladovět, trpět hlady; umírat hlady; umořit hlady
to recommend	doporučit
growth	růst
weight	váha, hmotnost
to opt for	rozhodnout se pro něco, zvolit, vybrat
vending machine	automat (prodejní)
supposedly	údajně, prý
pocket money	kapesné
to keep doing something	pokračovat, trvat, dál dělat
to put on weight	přibrat (na váze)
key	klíčový, stěžejní
P.E. = physical education	tělesná výchova
to sign up	přihlásit se, zapsat se
bench	lavice, lavička
to ensure	zajistit, zabezpečit, garantovat
to decrease	klesat, snížit, redukovat
chart	tabulka, schéma; diagram, graf; mapa
to make sure	dbát na
varied	pestrý, rozmanitý, bohatý
to contain	obsahovat
wholemeal	celozrnný
dairy	mléčný
poultry	drůbež
to keep track	sledovat
to deal with	vyřešit, poradit si; vyřídit

Lekce angličtiny pro časopis Florence připravuje překladatelská agentura ACP TRADUCTERA (www.traductera.com).

 

Ilustrační foto – zdroj: isafyi.com

 

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