Nutritional norms for a child from birth to adulthood: Ministry of Health tables

By the age of one, a baby is just getting acquainted with solid food, and an older child, who is already very active and quite ready for "adult" nutrition, must receive the substances necessary for its growth and development - proteins, carbohydrates, fats, as well as vitamins and minerals.

Nutritional standards – content:

• Children's daily requirement for proteins, fats, carbohydrates and energy
• Children's daily vitamin needs
• Children's daily mineral needs
• Healthy food plate

A child's body adapts to "adult" food gradually, and the needs of a growing child differ significantly from the needs of its parents and even older children. The Ministry of Health has developed tables of daily nutrient requirements for children from birth to 17 years of age, based on a thorough study of the physiological processes of a growing body at different periods of life.

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We all know that a child up to 6 months old does not need additional food and gets everything he needs for growth and development from his mother's milk (or from an adapted milk formula, if breastfeeding does not work out). But after 6-7 months, other products are needed, since the child's body is ready to get acquainted with new food, the child becomes more active and his needs increase.

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According to the Ministry of Health tables, after a year, a child's need for energy, protein, fats and carbohydrates increases sharply. And other nutrients are needed more. By the way, please note that the Ministry of Health recommends introducing a larger proportion of animal products (animal protein) into a child's diet, which means that vegetarianism is a very bad choice for children.

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Children's daily requirement for proteins, fats, carbohydrates and energy

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*For children 0-12 months of age, the requirement is given per 1 kg of body weight.

• The optimal ratio of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates (by weight) in the daily diet is 1:1:4.
• The recommended content of animal protein in the diet relative to the total amount of protein for children is 60% or more.
• The recommended protein content relative to the energy value (calories) of the daily diet for children is about 15% of calories.
• The recommended content of vegetable fats is 20% of the total amount of fats. The content of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in the diet is about 10% and 10% of the daily calorie intake, respectively.

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Children's daily vitamin needs

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Children's daily mineral needs 

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Healthy food plate

Experts from the Harvard School of Public Health have developed a special guide to proper nutrition, which is available in the form of infographics. These norms are suitable for both adults and children, but, of course, taking into account the Ministry of Health tables.

Source: Harvard School of Public Health

• The main part of the diet should be vegetables and fruits (except potatoes).
• The main sources of protein include animal products, as well as some plant-based ones – legumes, nuts. But for children, the main protein part of the plate should be meat, fish, and dairy products.
• It is extremely important to avoid all kinds of sweet drinks or reduce their amount in a child's diet.
• The little red man running in the lower left corner of the healthy food plate reminds us that physical activity is very important, no less than proper nutrition.