Nutrition is critically important in growing boys who may be more active than their female counterparts in the playground in general, though both genders are very active physically at this age. According to the American Medical Association, children between 6 and 10 years old require about 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day. Broken down by food group, this should include two cups of low-fat milk; two servings of meat or a meat alternative, such as tofu; six servings of whole-grain pastas, cereals and breads; and at least five servings of fruits and vegetables.

As boys age, so do their nutritional needs. Boys over 12 years old need 2,300-2,900 calories a day. The goal should be to get these calories from healthy sources. Aim for 11 servings of whole-grain breads, cereals or pastas, two cups of low fat or skim milk, five servings of fruits and vegetables and two to three servings of meat or a meat alternative such as tofu.

Boys have high protein requirements at this age to support growth, so lunch boxes should be pack with high-protein foods. Energy from whole grains, which provide a more sustained release of energy throughout the day, are preferable to refined grains or sugars because it takes longer for the body to break them down.

A great way to make healthy food appealing to the child is to make up a list of their favorite food in each food group. Every day or week, ask them to mix and match from the lists to get a varied diet that they like.
It comes as no surprise that pop or sodas have no nutritional value and should be avoided. Try fruit juices or non-fat milk. Flavored fruit and milk are still better than sodas because at least they have more protein, vitamins and calcium.

Encourage your child to snack on something healthy throughout the day, such as yogurt, nuts, or whole grain cereals.

Don’t worry too much if your child is supplementing their diet with occasional unhealthy snacks from school. Just encourage full disclosure and over time they will figure out that these snacks are bad for them!
More parents are introducing their children to vegan diets. While overall it is a nutritionally sound practice, D vegan families should help parents identify good sources of vitamin B-12, riboflavin, zinc, calcium and, if sun exposure is not adequate, vitamin D, as well as omega 3 fatty acids – which all may be low in natural vegan diets. Look for fortified vegan foods.

Attention Deficit Disorder children should eat foods rich in omega 3’s, flaxseed, vitamin B6 (and other B vitamins), l-tyrosine, calcium, magnesium, GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid, an important inhibitory neurotransmitter), and proanthocyanidins.

Autistic children also may have special nutritional requirements. N,n-dimethylglycine (DMG), an amino acid derivative, is naturally found in the human body and a report in Korea found that this derivative may improve verbal communications. Also folate, vitamin B-6, magnesium have also shown to improve ADHD symptoms in autistic children.

There is not much good research to suggest a special diet for Down’s children, but in general, a healthy diet as outlined above is likely to be the most healthy.

Remember that no one nutritional approach is fit for the individual. Parents with growing boys or boys with special needs should see a physician or nutritionist to discuss in detail the best nutritional choices for their child.

Dr. Paul, the author of ShapeUp, is a staff physician with www.RightHealth.com. Dr Paul is a board certified Family Physician, currently working as a sports medicine physician in San Francisco at California Pacific Orthopedic and Sports Medicine. His academic interests include non-operative management of musculoskeletal injuries including the spine, shoulder, knee and ankle. He is also interested in exercise prescription for preventative and therapeutic health, injury prevention, concussion, exercise nutrition, as well as treating athletes of all ages with other diverse sports medicine problems.

Ref:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/pyramid.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11424545?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=3
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-for-kids/NU00606
www.nutrition.gov
http://www.healthresearch.com/special.htm

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