What to eat and what not to eat?BACK

As a paediatrician I am frequently asked by parents regarding the diet of their child. And the most common complaint is that my child does not eat!!

Every individual has his/her own requirements and individual taste. One food item may be liked by one member of the family and disliked by another. Hence it is difficult to give an exact diet recommendation to an individual. More so ever if the child is growing according to its standards then we need not worry about the quantity. However we have to ensure that the individual gets adequate quantities of:

1. Protein
2. Carbohydrate
3. Fat
4. Minerals
5. Vitamins

These can be obtained if we have a balanced diet. To facilitate your decision on the food items to be consumed I would like to draw your attention on the following two food triangles:

USDA Food Pyramid

Simplified Food Triangle

The first diagram suggests the number of servings required of the various groups of food items and the second one, which is a more simpler diagram, explains to the children the food items to be consumed most. So encourage your children to eat better food items and remain healthy.I explain the young ones to ensure that they consume all food items of varied colours like the seven colours in the rainbow. This way you will be ensuring both a variety and quality of the basic fruits and vegetables in your diet.

EAT WELL AND REMAIN HEALTHY.

Rajiv K Khandelwal Paediatrician, Vardaan Hospital