Introduction
“I don’t think life is to be taken too seriously. Take it too seriously, and it’ll getcha.”
-Chef Paul Prudhomme
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Define childhood, puberty, and adolescence.
- Describe physiological changes that generally occur during the adolescent growth spurt.
- Describe the physiological basis for nutrient requirements during childhood and adolescence.
- Describe how growth affects the nutrient needs of children.
- Discuss the energy and nutrient needs of children.
- Discuss major diet-related concerns of school-age children.
- Discuss the factors that contribute to childhood obesity and the health problems associated with obesity.
- Discuss nutrition-related issues of adolescents.
- List strategies for preventing and treating obesity in children and adolescents.
Early childhood encompasses infancy and the toddler years, from birth through age three. The remaining part of childhood is when children enter school from ages four through eight. Several critical physiological and emotional changes occur during the life stage from childhood through adolescence. Children’s attitudes and opinions about food deepen. They begin taking their cues about food preferences from family members, as well as from peers and the larger culture. This normative developmental transition that all youth experience is shaped by both social and biological processes.
Parental food habits and feeding strategies are the most dominant determinants of a child’s eating behavior and food choices. Parents should expose their offspring to a range of good food choices. This time in a child’s life allows parents and other caregivers to reinforce good eating habits and introduce new foods into the diet while remaining mindful of a child’s preferences. Parents should also serve as role models for their children, who will often mimic their behavior and eating habits. Parents must continue to help their school-aged children and adolescents establish healthy eating habits and attitudes toward food. Their primary role is to bring a wide variety of health-promoting foods into the home so that their children can make good choices.
Learning Activities
Technology Note: The second edition of the Human Nutrition Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook features interactive learning activities. These activities are available in the web-based textbook and are not in downloadable versions (EPUB, Digital PDF, Print_PDF, or Open Document).
Learning activities may be used across various mobile devices; however, for the best user experience, it is strongly recommended that users complete these activities using a desktop or laptop computer.
