L13 School Aged Children Development and Nutrition

Question 1

What are the ages and classes of school-aged children?

Answer 1

Middle childhood: 5-9
Preadolescence: 9-11-year-old girls. 10-12 year old boys
*there is an increased outside influence of food intake

Question 2

What are the trends in growth in these ages?

Answer 2

• gain an average of 3-3.5 kg and 6 cm per year
• growth rate increases in spurts and growth rate is lower than in earlier stages
• fat mass increases starting around about 6 -7. There is a greater increase in fat mass in women. Called rebound adipocity.

Question 3

What is rebound adipocity?

Answer 3

The increase in fat mass beginning around the ages of 6-7. Early rebound adipocity is associated with obesity.

Question 4

How do we measure growth in ages 5 -12?

Answer 4

weight for age until 10
height for age
BMI for age

Question 5

How do we measure underweight for 2-5 yr olds and 5-19 yr olds?

Answer 5

2-5 yr olds weight for age is less than the 3rd percentile

5-19 yr olds BMI for age is less than the 3rd percentile

Question 6

How do we measure severely underweight in 2-5 yr olds and 5-19 year olds?

Answer 6

2-5 yr olds weight for age is less than 0.1 percentile

5-19 yr olds BMI for age is less than 0.1 percentile

Question 7

Why do we use the WHO growth references after 5?

Answer 7

Standard growth data is not available over 5 years old.
WHO references best resemble standards.
*data excludes obese and height below expectations and weight is skewed toward the higher end

Question 8

How does motor skill develop during this time?

Answer 8

• improved motor coordination
• perform more complex pattern movements
• increased muscular strength
• physical activity contributes to more energy expenditure

Question 9

How do feeding and food skills develop in this time?

Answer 9

• mastered the use of utensils
• should be involved in food prep and clean up
• ready to learn about simple nutrition facts and relate to food they are eating (ie. “good or bad foods”)

Question 10

How do cognitive and social skills develop during this time?

Answer 10

• decreased egocentrism
• more rational thinking
• developing self and self-efficacy
• peer relationships become more important
• greater independence

Question 11

How do eating behaviors change for school-aged children and what are the influences on food choices? x5

Answer 11

• eating more meals and snacks away from home
• more independence of food choices away from home
• family still have the strongest influence on food choices but peers, environment, and media have more influence
• the environment becomes an important influence on food choices (childcare centers, extracurricular activities)
• marketing of foods ( advertising, cartoons, celebrities, athletes, sports teams, fundraising)

Question 12

How is estimated energy expenditure determined for school-aged children?

Answer 12

• there is enough energy for growth, maintenance, and activity
• there is a separate formula for girls and boys
• there is a different formula for 3-8 year old and 9-18 years
• weight, height, age and physical activity is considered

Question 13

The Canadian Health Measures Study identified what percent of 5-11-year-old children as overweight, obese, and underweight?

Answer 13

overweight 19.7%
obese 13.1%
underweight about 1.5%

Question 14

What are the healthy 24 hours guidelines for sit, sleep, step, and sweat?

Answer 14

Sit: no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time and limit sitting for extended period of time

Sleep: for a 5-11-year-old 9-11 hours is recommended with consistent wake-up and bedtimes

Step: is light activity. Several hours of structured and unstructured activity is recommended.

Sweat: at least 60 min of vigorous activity, muscle, and bone strengthening at least 3 days a week

Question 15

What is the DRI for fibre for the age groups: 4-8, 9-13 males and females?

Answer 15

4-8: 25g
Males 9-13: 31g
Females 9-13: 26g

The median fibre intake is below the AI for both age groups

Question 16

What are the AMDR’s for 4-18-year-olds?

What % of 9-13-year-old girls and boys diet is fat in this age group?

Answer 16

CHO: 45-65%
Protein: 10-30%
Fat: 25-35%

boys: 12% fat intake is above the recommended fat intake
girls: 6.5% fat intake is below the recommended fat intake and 11% is above the fat intake

Question 17

What are the micronutrients of concern (intake is less than the EAR for 9-13-year-olds)?

Answer 17

Iron <3%  
Calcium 44-67% 
Vitamin D 84-93%
Vitamin A 12-22% (reduced milk intake) 
Magnesium and zinc 10-25% 

sodium 80-97% is above the UL
potassium: median intake is below the AI

Question 18

What are some goals for feeding school-aged children? x4

Answer 18

• established in early life and encouraged in later life
• adequate but not excessive energy intake
• enough to support normal development (growth, motor, cognitive, and social)
• encourage healthy eating patterns and behaviors (family still strongest influence)
• support self-regulation of energy intake

Question 19

What is the division of responsibility of feeding between parents and children?

Answer 19

Parents decide what, when and where

Children decide whether or not to eat and how much

Question 20

What are 5 tips for helping a school-aged child develop healthy eating habits?

Answer 20

• role modeling
• food available and accessible
• food preparation
• consistent eating schedule
• meals at a table without distractions

Question 21

What are some parental control practices that can have a negative impact on feeding practices? x5

Answer 21

• pressure to eat can lead to an act of defiance
• restriction of food for weight
• threats and bribes
• too much control can lead to indecisive feeding and vice versa
• too much pressure, rules, limits, redirection, and negotiation can lead to overriding internal cues

Question 22

What are some things that can negatively impact body image?

Answer 22

• can start in early childhood
• rebound adiposity can trigger negative opinions of body image
• parents attitudes towards their own body can impact children’s body image
• severe restriction of unhealthy foods and/or focus on weight can increase the risk of disordered eating in children

Question 23

What kinds of foods should you feed school-aged children?

Answer 23

• a variety of foods within all of the food groups
• unprocessed or minimally processed food emphasized
• processed in moderation, and ultra-processed not needed