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nutritional guidance for early years:
food choices for children aged 1-5 years in early education
and childcare settings
annex 1- nutrient guidance for children aged 1-5
years
The nutrient guidance in Annex 1 gives guidance for
adequate food and nutrition provision for children aged 1-3
years old and 4-5 years old. Children, as individuals, have
different energy and nutrient requirements depending on
their age, gender, body size, rate of growth and level of
activity. In the UK we have estimates for the average
amount of energy and nutrients required for groups of
children at different ages. These are known as the UK
Dietary Reference Values (DRVs). The nutrient standards in
this document are based on the UK DRVs for groups of
children aged 1-3 years and 4-6 years. The standards have
been based on energy requirements of boys, which are
marginally higher than for girls. As such the nutrient
standards represent
average requirements for groups of
children and do not apply to individual children.
Also, for young children, there are no hard and fast rules
about what must be served as a breakfast, a snack, a light
meal or a main meal. Depending on the likes and dislikes of
the children, their appetite, their willingness to try
foods, food items can be interchanged for snacks, meals or
breakfast. For this reason it was more appropriate to set
nutrient standards based on a combination of one meal and
one snack (including drinks) rather than for snacks, meals
and drinks individually.
Therefore the figures in Table 1 represent the
recommended average energy and nutrient intake from the
combination of one meal plus one snack (averaged over 5
days). This is because nutrient requirements are met over a
period of time, rather than within one day. These would
apply, for example, to children who are in the early years
setting for half a day, 5 days per week, and receive a
snack and meal at each session. We have also given (Table
2) the recommended average energy and nutrient intake from
food provided for children who are in day care for more
than 8 hours per day (based on provision of breakfast, two
meals and two snacks). Annex 2 outlines key issues with
regard to achieving the guidance on iron, salt and Vitamin
D.
To assist in food choices and menus to meet the nutrient
standards, menu-planning guidance and sample menu plans (10
days) for children in both age groups are provided in
section 2.4. These menus are designed to meet the guidance
(with the exception of salt and Vitamin D - see Annex 2).
They aim to be
sample menus and do not pertain to cover
the full spectrum of food choices suitable for this age
group. In practice the foods appropriate for both age
groups are similar, but the quantities and the way in which
the food is presented may differ.
Tables 1 and 2 set out nutrient standards for groups of
children in each of the respective age groups for energy
and key nutrients as a percentage of nationally agreed
Dietary Reference Values.
Table 1: Nutrient Standards for snack and
meal combination. For example: provision for children who
are in the early years setting for half days during the
week, and receive a snack and meal at each session.
Nutrient | 1-6 years | | Unit | 1-3 years | 4-6 years |
Energy | 40% of EAR | | MJ
(kcal) | 2.06
(493) | 2.86
(684) |
Total fat | About 40% of food energy for 1-3 years
falling to 35% for 4-5 years | | g | 22 | 27 |
Carbohydrate | About 50% of food energy | | g | 64 | 89 |
... of which NMES
a | No more than 10% of food energy | Max | g | 13 | 18 |
Protein (see Annex 2) | 40% of RNI | Min | g | 5.8 | 7.9 |
Vitamin C | Not less than 40% of RNI | Min | mg | 12 | 12 |
Vitamin D (see Annex 2) | Not less than 40% of RNI for 1-3 years
only | Min | µg | 2.8 | NA (see Annex 2) |
Vitamin A | Not less than 40% of RNI | Min | µg | 160 | 200 |
Iron (see Annex 2) | Not less than 40% of RNI | Min | mg | 2.8 | 2.4 |
Calcium | Not less than 40% of RNI | Min | mg | 140 | 180 |
Zinc | Not less than 40% of RNI | Min | mg | 2 | 2.6 |
Sodium (see Annex 2) | No more than 40% of SACN recommendation | Max | mg | 314 | 471 |
Fruit and vegetables | No less than 40% of the recommendation 2-3
child-sized portions (Annex 4) | Min | | | |
Water | Cool drinking water available throughout the
day. | Min | | | |
Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
The amount which satisfies 50% of
the children in a group (defined by age and gender).
Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI)
The amount of a nutrient which is
sufficient to meet the dietary requirements for about 97%
of the children in a group (defined by age and sometimes by
gender). Intakes above this amount will almost certainly be
adequate.
Percentage of energy (%)
Energy in kilojoules (KJ) provided
as fat, carbohydrate and non-milk extrinsic sugars.
Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition
(SACN)
Salt and Health (2003) London
www.sacn.gov.uk
a
Non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES): these
are added sugars (or free, e.g. fruit juice) in foods, e.g.
sweets, biscuits, soft drinks, added to breakfast cereals,
table sugar, honey, sugar in fruit juice. NMES does not
include sugars which are integrally present in the cells of
food, e.g. fruit and vegetables or milk sugar
(lactose).
Table 2: Nutrient Standards for full day
provision (around 8 hours). For example: provision for
children who are in the early years setting for full days
during the week, and receive breakfast, two meals and two
snacks at each session.
Nutrient | 1-6 years | | Unit | 1-3 years | 4-6 years |
Energy | 80% of EAR | | MJ
(kcal) | 4.12
(986) | 5.73
(1371) |
Total fat | About 40% of food energy for 1-3 years
moving to 35% for 4-5 years | | g | 44 | 54 |
Carbohydrate | About 50% of food energy | | g | 129 | 179 |
... of which NMES
a | No more than 10% of food energy | Max | g | 26 | 36 |
Protein (see Annex 2) | 80% of RNI | Min | g | 11.6 | 15.8 |
Vitamin C | Not less than 80% of RNI | Min | mg | 24 | 24 |
Vitamin D (see Annex 2) | Not less than 80% of RNI for 1-3 years
only | Min | µg | 5.6 | NA (see Annex 2) |
Vitamin A | Not less than 80% of RNI | Min | µg | 320 | 400 |
Iron (see Annex 2) | Not less than 85% of RNI | Min | mg | 5.9 | 5.2 |
Calcium | Not less than 80% of RNI | Min | mg | 280 | 360 |
Zinc | Not less than 80% of RNI | Min | mg | 4 | 5.2 |
Sodium (see Annex 2) | No more than 80% of SACN recommendation | Max | mg | 627 | 941 |
Fruit and vegetables | No less than 80% of the recommendation
Around 4 child sized portions (Annex 4) | Min | | | |
Water | Cool drinking water available throughout the
day. | Min | | | |
Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
The amount which satisfies 50% of
the children in a group (defined by age and gender).
Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI)
The amount of a nutrient which is
sufficient to meet the dietary requirements for about 97%
of the children in a group (defined by age and sometimes by
gender). Intakes above this amount will almost certainly be
adequate.
Percentage of energy (%)
Energy in kilojoules (KJ) provided
as fat, carbohydrate and non-milk extrinsic sugars.a
Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition
(SACN)
Salt and Health (2003) London
www.sacn.gov.uk
a
Non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES): these
are added sugars (or free, e.g. fruit juice) in foods, e.g.
sweets, biscuits, soft drinks, added to breakfast cereals,
table sugar, honey, sugar in fruit juice. NMES does not
include sugars which are integrally present in the cells of
food, e.g. fruit and vegetables or milk sugar
(lactose).
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