A NEW study has condemned British toddlers’ diet as one of the worst in the world.
Researchers at the University of Sao Paolo, Brazil, compared the diets of more than 66,000 children.
GettyA Brazilian study found that British toddlers consumed high quantities of ultra-processed foods[/caption]
SuppliedNutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, pictured, shared some surprising foods that parents should think twice about feeding their toddlers[/caption]
They found that British toddler’s diets ranked the worst compared to seven other countries, including the US, Australia, Brazil and Mexico.
Ultra-processed foods made up 61 per cent of the energy intake for children aged two to five in the UK, researchers said.
Responding to these findings, registered nutritionist and Sunday Times best-selling author of The Science of Nutrition Rhiannon Lambert shared some foods parents should avoid feeding their youngsters.
Speaking to The Sun, Rhiannon mentioned a few foods and nutrients parents should be mindful of if their children are under five.
The first of these was salt, especially for children between one and three.
This age group “should have no more than 2g of salt per day”, she said.
Rhiannon told parents: “There is no reason to add salt into your child’s diet unless you’re advised to by a healthcare professional.”
She also urged parents to avoid added sugar on foods, which can cause oral issued such as tooth decay.
“Stick with natural sugars found in fresh/frozen fruit and yoghurts instead,” she said.
“Of course sometimes it is ok to have a small amount of refined sugar in items to normalise it and not encourage it through a route of restriction,” she continued.
“Often children want what they cannot have.”
This is recommended for children over two in the UK, Rhiannon noted.
Parents can start by feeding their two year olds with banana breads they can make with lower sugar or oat banana cookies.
Saturated fat was another ingredient Rhiannon told parents to be mindful of.
She said: “Limit your child’s intake to 10 per cent of their overall daily calories and try to avoid highly processed foods that contain lots of saturated fats, salt and sugar, to help keep the intake of saturated fats to a minimum.
“Some examples of foods that may be higher in saturated fat include butter, certain cheeses, such as cheddar, processed meat products, such as sausages or pies, and biscuits, cakes, crisps, and pastries.”
The 3 foods you should never give a toddler…
Honey
Rhiannon said babies under the age of one should not be given honey, as it can contain certain types of bacteria.
It’s also a source of sugar, which could cause tooth decay in babies if consumed.
2. Dried Fruit
“Children under the age of five should not snack on popular dried fruit items, such as raisins or dried apricots, unless they are eaten as part of a meal,” she said.
Like honey, too much of these can cause tooth decay.
3. Unpasteurised cheeses
These types of cheeses can make your child very unwell, Rhiannon said, as are at risk of carrying the bacteria listeria.
“So it’s important that these are avoided,” she warned.
“Make sure to check the labels on cheeses to ensure that they are made with pasteurised milk.”
Children under two need a lot of energy from fat, so full-fat options of foods are recommended.
But Rhiannon noted that they’re not necessary over the age of two.
What SHOULD toddlers be eating?
Rhiannon had a few more bits of advice for parents on toddlers’ diets.
Variety is key in making sure children develop a healthy relationship with food and become accustomed to different flavours.
“It’s important that your child is exposed to a variety of foods,” she said.
“There is research to suggest the more variety of food youngsters consume, the healthier their gut microbiome and likelihood of consuming fruit and vegetables at an older age,” she continued.
As with older children and adults, balance is also key to ensure toddlers are getting all the nutrients they need.
They should get three balanced meals a day as well as regular snacks, such as fruit or veg with nut butters or wholegrain oat cakes, Rhiannon said.
The snacks and meals should be made up of such as fruit or veg with nut butters or wholegrain oat cakes, she advised.
“Fortified foods, like breads or cereals, may also be a helpful choice as these contain added nutrients, such as calcium, iron, vitamin D etc, that are needed for optimal growth and development.”
Rhiannon also referred to NHS and government advice, which recommends that children between six months and five years take a daily supplement with vitamin A, C and D.
It adds that kids between one and four should take a daily supplement that contains 10mcg of vitamin D.
Rhiannon Lambert (@rhitrition) is a registered nutritionist and Sunday Times best-selling author of The Science of Nutrition.
Getty“It’s important that your child is exposed to a variety of foods,” , Rhiannon said[/caption] Read More