Benefits - Healthy Diet
Healthy Diet
The Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Pre-School services (2004) state;
“The pre-school service provides an excellent setting for promoting positive habits and attitudes to healthy eating and being active as part of a healthy lifestyle. The provision of nutritious food positively enhances not only a child’s health but also allows the child to take full advantage of the learning opportunities provided in pre-schools”.
Benefits of Healthy Eating
Healthy eating helps:
• promote optimal growth and development
• prevent early health problems such as;
o tooth decay
o obesity
o constipation
o anaemia etc.
• play a role in preventing long-term chronic health problems such as;
o heart disease
o diabetes
o cancer
o stroke
• lay a good foundation for good health throughout life
Irish Children’s Diets and Lifestyles’ in Relation to Health
77% of 2 - 4-year-old children were within the normal weight range as classified using the UK_WHO criteria
23% were defined as overweight or obese
Higher levels of overweight and obesity were observed in children aged 2 (27%) and 3 years (32%), 8% of 4-year-olds were classified as overweight or obese.
The six food groups which may be considered staples for pre-school children are milk, meat, bread, breakfast cereals, fruit, and vegetables. Each of these was consumed by practically all children in sufficient amounts to make important nutritional contributions.
(National Pre-school Nutrition Survey 2012)
The Guardian. Childhood obesity 'an exploding nightmare', says health expert (25/01/2016)
The number of children under five who are overweight or obese has risen to 41 million, from 31 million in 1990, according to figures released by a World Health Organisation commission.
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Consequences of Childhood Obesity - (Healthy Ireland Smart Start 2015)
Short Term Long Term
• problems with bone health
• breathing Difficulties
• psychological and social issues • Cancer
• heart Disease
• type 2 Diabetes
Children’s Diets
Many children do not achieve the dietary recommendations for vegetables and fruit.
• 20 percent (1/5) of their energy intake comes from cakes, chocolate, biscuits, confectionery and sugary drinks
• Pre-school children are exposed to more than 1000 advertisements for unhealthy food each year
Healthy Ireland Smart Start - Nutrition
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Benefits - Healthy Diet