Specific Nutritional Needs for Children. Are Children Small Adults?

Authors: Vandenplas, Yvan; Hauser, Bruno; Schepper, Jean D.

Source: Current Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 1, Number 2, June 2005 , pp. 135-142(8)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

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Abstract:

Parents have always been concerned about the eating habits of their children. One should be as cautious of the uncritical use in children of products designed for adults, as one should be observing the counter arguments that products designed for adults should never be used in children because they have never been tested in children. The nutritional requirements for adults and children differ. Although the chemical composition of organs differs according to age, organ size is a factor that changes much more according to age. The accurate assessment of food intake in children and adolescents is of concern because dietary habits formed early in life in response to physiological requirements and psycho-social pressures may have considerable impact on long-term health status. Future research should focus on refining dietary survey methods to make them more sensitive to different ages. Regarding nutrient requirements and dietary habits, children cannot be considered as small adults.

Keywords: toddlers; nutrients; carbohydrate intake; energy intake; total energy expenditure; bioimpedance analysis; tomography

Document Type: Review article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573401054022682

Affiliations: 1: Academisch Ziekenhuis Kinderen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.

Publication date: 2005-06-01

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Current Nutrition & Food Science publishes frontier reviews on all the latest advances on basic and clinical nutrition and food sciences. The journal's aim is to publish the highest quality review articles dedicated to research in the field. The journal is essential reading for all nutrition and food scientists.