Spring is often the high incidence of infectious diseases, kindergartens, schools are one of the places with a high concentration of people, relatively large density, in limited classroom space, students play and play with each other frequently, etc., it is easy to cause the spread of pathogens.
In daily life, while doing a good job in bacterial and viral defense, school-age children aged 6-18 should start with healthy eating behaviors and lifestyles to enhance their own resistance and build an immune firewall.
Have a good breakfast
Eat three meals a day, do three meals regularly, time and quantitative, especially pay attention to the nutritional intake of breakfast. It is recommended that breakfast should be completed between 6:30-8:30, with a guaranteed dining time of 15-20 minutes. Rest days should not be because of bed, skip breakfast, thus breaking the three-meal rule.
Reasonably purchase and eat snacks on a daily basis. The diet should be less oil and sugar, and reduce the intake of preserved foods, milk tea, candy, preserves and other foods; Eat less fried foods such as fries and fried chicken; Limit the intake of foods containing trans fatty acids, such as margarine and pastry. Choose natural and fresh foods and learn to pick foods.
Skipping breakfast or having a single breakfast food can affect children's cognitive ability and increase the risk of overweight, obesity and related chronic diseases.
Breakfast should be varied and sufficient. The four types of food to choose from mainly include, cereals and potatoes (such as steamed buns, flower rolls, whole wheat bread, noodles, rice, sweet potatoes, oats, etc.); Fresh fruits and vegetables (such as spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, apples, pears, bananas, oranges, etc.); Animal foods (such as eggs, fish and shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, etc.); Dairy, soybeans, nuts (such as milk, yogurt, soy milk, tofu brain, walnuts, etc.). Choose at least three or more of these categories for daily breakfast.
For example: 1 whole wheat steamed bun + 1 part scrambled egg with tomatoes or 1 part fried chicken with green pepper + 1 cup of milk + half a banana; 2 slices of bread sliced cheese + cucumber, tomato slices and omelette + 1 cup of yogurt + a pinch of nuts; 1 small wonton + greens + dried beans or eggs; Milk + oatmeal + boiled egg + apple slices + a little nuts, etc.
Try to make sure that the colors are rich, the variety is varied, and the taste is changed appropriately to increase children's appetite.
Ensure adequate intake of milk and dairy products
The Dietary Guidelines for School-Age Children in China (2022) provide detailed recommendations for the dietary intake of school-age children of all ages. Parents can arrange children's daily diet according to the recommended intake of various foods in the balanced diet pagoda.
Specifically, the energy intake level of school-age children aged 6-10 years is 1400-1600 kcal/day; The energy intake level of school-age children aged 11-13 years is 1800-2000 kcal/day; The energy intake level of school-age children aged 14-17 years is 2000-2400 kcal/day.
Dairy products are rich in nutrients and are a good source of calcium and high-quality protein. School-age children should ensure a daily intake of 300 ml or more of liquid milk or equivalent dairy products (300 ml of milk = 300 ml of yogurt = 37.5 g of milk powder = 30 g of cheese, converted to the protein ratio of fresh milk). Depending on the season and personal preferences, children can choose fresh milk, ambient milk, yogurt, milk powder or cheese.
It should be noted that when choosing yogurt, you should choose low-sugar and cheese should choose low-salt. For children who are lactose intolerant, yogurt, cheese or other lactose-resistant products are options.
You can drink milk at any time of the day, such as a glass of milk for breakfast and a cup of yogurt for lunch, and you can easily reach the recommended amount of at least 300 ml/day. For middle school and college entrance examination students who go to bed late, they can drink a glass of milk from 20 to 21 every day. You can also make yogurt fruit salad, cheese and vegetable salad, oat milk porridge, cheese sandwich, etc. daily to ensure sufficient milk intake.
Take the initiative to drink plenty of water
Daily drinking water intake should be ensured sufficiently, do not drink or drink less sugary drinks, and avoid replacing water with drinks.
When feeling thirsty, it is the body that releases a clear signal of lack of water, you should take the initiative to drink water, a small amount of many times, do not wait until thirsty to drink water. Children can drink 100-200 ml of water before, during and after physical activity to maintain good hydration.
If the child does not like to drink tasteless white water, you can add 1-2 fresh lemon slices or 3-4 mint leaves to the water for the color and taste of rich water, or you can make some traditional drinks, such as mung bean soup, sour plum soup, etc., be careful not to add extra sugar.
In mild climates, 6-year-olds with light physical activity levels drink 800 ml of water per day; 1000 ml for children aged 7-10 years; Boys aged 11-13 drink 1300ml of water per day, and girls 1100ml; Boys aged 14-17 drink 1400ml of water per day, and girls 1200ml.
Learn to shop for snacks wisely
First of all, clarify the concept of snacks. Snacks are all foods and drinks eaten outside of three meals a day, excluding water. Remember, snacks cannot be substituted for meals. Foods containing salt, oil or added sugar should not be used as snacks, such as spicy strips, chips, potato chips, etc. See the packaging clearly and avoid buying "three no" (no production date, no quality certificate, no manufacturer information) products.
Every day, we must learn to choose foods that are clean and hygienic, have high nutritional value, and are not easy to eat during meals. Fruits and fresh vegetables that can be eaten raw are rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber; Milk, soybeans and their products contain high-quality protein and calcium; Original nuts such as peanuts, walnuts, melon seeds, etc. are rich in protein, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and vitamin E, which are ideal snack options. When eating snacks, it is advisable to control the amount so that it does not affect the appetite of the main meal.
The time of snacking is also particular, it is recommended that the interval between the meal and the main meal is better than 1 hour; It is best not to snack half an hour before going to bed; Do not eat snacks while watching TV or other video screens, or playing. Remember to rinse your mouth in time after eating snacks and pay attention to oral hygiene.
Reduce video sitting time and get enough sleep
Under the premise of ensuring safety, actively participate in basketball, football, volleyball, fast running, aerobics, chase games, supine crunch, push-ups, planks, skipping rope, long jump and other sports according to their own conditions.
Daily should reduce the time for sedentary behaviors such as video screens, and parents and teachers should remind school-age children to do appropriate physical exercise when they sit for more than 60 minutes. Control the daily use of electronic products and watching TV and other video screens within 2 hours, the less the better.
Getting enough sleep is also key to boosting immunity. Children aged 6-12 should arrange 9-12 hours of sleep per day, not less than 9 hours. Children aged 13-17 should sleep 8-10 hours a day.
Strengthen health education and guidance on a daily basis to make children aware of the importance of adequate sleep. Parents should also help their children create a relaxed, quiet and comfortable bedtime environment.
Author: Gong Xiaoyan (Clinical Nutritionist, Children's Hospital of Fudan University)
Editor: Li Chenyan
Image source: Visual China