Calcium and fibre but these are often lacking in Singapore kids’ diets.
GERALDINE LING reports

The new year has come and gone, primary school is in full swing and active children’s stomachs rumble.

As children work and play hard at school, parents need to make sure that their kids eat right and healthily during these growing years.

However, Singapore children often do not have enough calcium and fibre in their diet, said Ms Ang Bixia, a dietitian at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Calcium
Calcium is vital for bone growth during puberty, which usually starts from age nine.

Children need the following amounts of calcium daily:
600mg (ages four to six);
700mg (ages seven to nine)
and 1,000mg (ages 10 to 12).

Drinking two cups of milk daily – which contains 300mg of calcium per cup – is enough to meet this requirement for kids aged four to six.
 
Other dairy foods like yogurt and cheese are also rich in this nutrient.

For a yummy drink, Ms Ang offered this tip: Add fruit to milk or yogurt and blend into a smoothie.

If a child is lactose-intolerant, meaning that he or she cannot digest milk sugar, non-dairy alternatives include almonds, cooked soya beans, spinach and kailan.

Fibre
Fibre helps to keep the digestive system healthy and maintain blood sugar levels.

Children need to consume a daily amount equal to their age plus 5g, said Ms Ang. This means a 10-year-old child should consume 15g of fibre daily.

However, while vegetables are rich in fibre, they tend to be bland, so children here may not be eating them regularly, she said.

Ms Nehal Kamdar, a senior dietitian at Raffles Hospital, said parents should ideally be the role model for healthy habits and eat vegetables during meals to encourage children to do the same.

Ms Ang suggested that to make eating vegetables more interesting, parents can include different coloured ones at meals instead of the usual greens. Examples are corn, eggplant and red and yellow capsicums, which can also be used easily as pizza toppings.

Vegetables can also be chopped up and added to meatballs or patties for that extra crunch, she said.

Other foods high in fibre include wholemeal or wholegrain breads, biscuits, cereals, pasta and fruit.

Packed lunches
For parents who want to pack lunch for their kids, having a main item and a fruit or dairy product is recommended, said Ms Ang.

Wholemeal sandwiches with fillings like ham, cheese, tuna, peanut butter or eggs make good main items. Include vegetables like tomatoes or shredded carrots for added nutrition, she said.

Besides their fibre content, tomatoes and carrots contain vitamin C, which helps keep the immune system healthy.

Ms Kamdar said that children who have a diet high in processed and junk food may need to take children's vitamin supplements.

She added: “However, remember that taking vitamins isn't a cure-all for an unhealthy diet, so parents should continue offering healthy food choices to their kids.”