Does this seem crazy to you?

[babybluehun0327]

I'm taking an online nutrition course and right now I'm on the section for childhood nutrition. The course says that one to three year olds need approx. 1300 calories, four to six: 1800 calories, and seven to twelve: 2000 calories.

Doesn't that seem like a little too much to you?

[zebedeelovesme]

it does seem a little insane, but i guess the point is kids need the same amount of calories as adults even though they are smaller because they are growing so rapidly.

[need.to.be.thin]

Yeah that does seem like alot :s .. My nephew is 9months and the doctors have said he's in the overweight catergory and that my sister needs to restrict what he eats, but he doesnt even seem than big. All he eats is baby food, surely those little pots cannot have that many calories?!! Its crazy. And all these celebritys are supposabily on baby food diets lol, so if this were true they wouldnt even be eating much less than is recommended for an adult anyway? Lol x

[Jessicella]

And people wonder why we have an obesity epidemic in our country (I'm in the U.S btw). These professionals who come up with these numbers need to consdier that times have changed. Maybe 15 or so years ago those calorie ranges would be fine. But these days, kids play computer games and such and are not as active as years ago. So, their calorie ranges need to be lower because they are not active. I remember when I would come home from school, I would play outside (wow. I just made myself sound old and I'm only 23 lol). But now, kids don't think going outside is fun; they'd rather play video games and watch tv.

[The Aftermath]

And people wonder why we have an obesity epidemic in our country (I'm in the U.S btw). These professionals who come up with these numbers need to consdier that times have changed. Maybe 15 or so years ago those calorie ranges would be fine. But these days, kids play computer games and such and are not as active as years ago. So, their calorie ranges need to be lower because they are not active. I remember when I would come home from school, I would play outside (wow. I just made myself sound old and I'm only 23 lol). But now, kids don't think going outside is fun; they'd rather play video games and watch tv.

Another problem is that some kids are probably getting MORE than this amount. Im not sure but it seems possible! How many calories are in a cheeseburger from McDonalds? Probably more than they should be eating for that entire meal but they'll still have fries and a sugary drink with it too! That and the fact that kids hardly exercise these days is a huge problem.

[BaRbieee]

I'm an elementary education major and have taken child development courses, and that seems about right. We went a little more in depth about child nutrition, and we talked about how generally that isn't a set guideline, it depends on how active the child is. Even a toddler (ages 2-3) who is not very active still needs around 1000 calories a day. That seems high, but it burns a LOT of calories to grow and develop properly.

I think what The Aftermath said was pretty accurate though. It would be surprising, but a three year old can EASILY exceed 1000 calories in a day, which is sad because at three, they are clearly not making their own food choices. A cheeseburger Happy Meal with a chocolate milk is 700 calories, and that is one meal. Even if their other meals and snacks are healthy they far exceeded their calories for the day. Even active toddlers who are recommended 1400 calories.. that's half in one meal.

While I was studying kid's nutrition the most surprising to me were nutritional needs of teenagers. Active boys around the age of puberty are recommended over 3000 calories a day! And girls are recommended 2400, again if they are active.

I developed my ED around the age of 14. I usually had about 900-1100 calories a day, if that all throughout those key developing years. I danced, I played tennis, I was pretty active. I wonder if I completely screwed myself up. I know I at least did a number on my metabolism.

[bigfatana0555]

i think also they are goring, and that consumes a lot of calories in little kids..........

[jEm]

id say that they are probably about right for a normal active child but because there days so many kids just come home from school and jump on the computer or video games, while eating fatty snacks like potato chips, then its too high. I will always encourage my daughter to get outside and play more when she is older. I want to encourage a more healthy lifestyle even if mine is anything but.

[iliketurtles]

I heard that in the UK they've had to change the guidelines for the nurses who see babies and toddlers for their checkups (I don't know the proper name for them). Since the guidelines existed the emphasis has been on looking out for underweight kids but now they're changing it to overweight because that's now the bigger problem. In the same article they said that some people were just giving toddlers puréed versions of whatever they were eating: chinese takeaways and fish suppers included, and didn't understand why this was bad.

On topic though, I guess those calories seem reasonable if it's not for couch potato kids.