Children and Calories

To ensure children’s healthy growth, it is necessary to provide them with the nutritional needs their bodies require. Giving kids healthy and nutrient-rich meals throughout the day will help their physical and mental development, as well as teach them how to live a healthy lifestyle.

Children’s Daily Calorie Needs

Children’s calorie needs is dependent mainly on their age. With the changes in a child’s body, as well as their daily activities, children’s daily calorie needs increases as they age.

Here’s a table of children’s daily calorie needs, based on their age, gender and level of activity.

Age		Boys			Girls
	Sedentary	Moderately Active	Very Active	Sedentary	Moderately Active	Very Active
2-3 years	1,000-1,200 calories	1,000-1,400 calories	1,000-1,400 calories	1,000 calories	1,000-1,200 calories	1,000-1,400 calories
4-8 years	1,200-1,400 calories	1,400-1,600 calories	1,600-2,000 calories	1,200-1,400 calories	1,400-1,600 calories	1,400-1,800 calories
9-13 years	1,600-2,000 calories	1,800-2,000 calories	2,000-2,600 calories	1,400-1,600 calories	1,600-2,000 calories	1,800-2,200 calories
14-18 years	2,000-2,400 calories	2,400-2,800 calories	2,800-3,200 calories	1,800 calories	2,000 calories	2,400 calories

Keeping yourself aware of your child’s calorie requirements not only helps you make sure that you are giving them enough nutrients and energy to keep them healthy and active, but it also helps them keep a disciplined diet. 45 to 65 percent of daily calories should come from carbohydrates, 25 to 35 percent from fat, and 10 to 30 percent from protein. You should also make sure your child has a daily supply of fibre, sodium, calcium and vitamin D.

Most kids can be picky about food, so it is important to know what foods interest them whilst still able to give them healthy and nutritious meals. Making them eat the same kind of meal repeatedly at short intervals will cause them to lose appetite and turn to junk foods.

To emphasise the importance of healthy food, involve them in activities such as preparing healthy dishes, and introducing them to new foods. Children can be hesitant about eating new kinds of food, but they will eventually start trying something new at their own pace. Do not push or force them to eat meals that they do not enjoy. What you can do is slowly encourage them by eating with them to show them that you enjoy the food, and hopefully, they will, too.