Kids Don't Get Enough Nutrients

Parents often worry about their children's diets. Many kids are picky eaters. Some other children just don't seem to eat very much at all. And then, of course, there are the kids who eat more than they should (or who eat and get no exercise) and end up overweight. All in all, it can be rather difficult for parents to make sure that their kids are well-nourished. And, according to a research study that was published in the medical journal Chest and an article in U.S. News & World Report, parents have cause to worry-children aren't getting enough of some very important nutrients.

It was found that kids are lacking in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. The research did not indicate exactly why deficiencies in these nutrients is so common, but it is suspected that one crucial reason is that most kids do not eat a diet that has enough variety. As any parent knows, some children balk at eating some foods. And, many children grow up without eating a lot of healthful foods, either because of pickiness or because parents do not always provide these foods for the children.

Why wouldn't parents feed their children a nutritious and varied diet? It isn't usually out of neglect-in many cases, the parents are very busy and rely on freezer meals and convenience foods, most of which do not contain much nutrition. Other parents are picky eaters themselves; therefore, a varied diet isn't presented to the family due to parental pickiness. And, there are some parents who simply feed their families as they, themselves, were fed as children-every meal is chock-full of meat and potatoes and bread, for example.

So, what can parents do to make sure that their children get the nutrients they need? Is the answer as simple as the nearest chewable multivitamin? Not really...the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids get most of their nutrition through food, not through pills. Of course, parents should check with their own pediatricians, but as a general rule a pill is not going to solve the problem. Instead, parents should try to modify their children's diets to include foods that are rich in nutrients. Which foods do children need to eat? Here are some ideas of specific foods parents should try to incorporate into their children's diets:

Vitamin C

Most people associate vitamin C with citrus fruits. While it is true that citrus fruits do contain a good percentage of vitamin C, there are some other excellent sources. Try adding some of the foods below to your child's meals-all of these contain high percentages of vitamin C:

Broccoli
Cantaloupe
Kiwifruit
Strawberries

Vitamin E

This vitamin is generally present in dark green vegetables. This can sometimes be a difficult group of vegetables to get children to eat, but try different recipes-sometimes a light cheese sauce will work wonders. Adding these vegetables to a casserole might also be a good idea.

Asparagus
Bell pepper (green)
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Green beans

Vitamin D

The best source of vitamin D is fortified milk. But, even if your child drinks several glasses of milk each day, he still may not be getting quite enough of this vitamin. One study showed that over 55% of children did not have enough vitamin D to build healthy bone-and these were children who looked outwardly healthy. So, what can parents do? There are two options: either supplement your child's diet with a vitamin D pill or make sure that your child goes outside around midday for about ten minutes without sunscreen (the body absorbs ultraviolet rays, which it then uses to make vitamin D). It is probably best for parents to check with their pediatrician to see which option is best for their child.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

These are the "good" fats-the ones that researchers have discovered to have health benefits for people. But, healthy or not, many people-especially children--just don't really enjoy eating the foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Creativity may be the key here; use these types of fish in casseroles and baked homemade fish sticks, for example. Or, let your children help prepare them-kids are more likely to want to try a food if they have helped prepare it. Here are some foods that are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids:

Salmon
Mackerel
Tuna

The main idea for parents to remember is that they need to add more variety to their children's diet. When kids eat more different types of foods, they are more likely to get more of the nutrients that they need to grow up strong and healthy. And parents shouldn't give up if their child balks at a food the first time it is presented-try offering the food again, perhaps in a different recipe. Parents also need to show their children that they, themselves, enjoy the food-no more parental pickiness, because if kids see parents being picky, they are going to think it is acceptable to be picky.

It may be a gradual process trying to include more of these healthful foods in your children's diet, but keep at it-children need these nutrients to be healthy. And isn't that what all parents want?