Nutrition, Health and Well-being | Class 11 Home Science Notes

NUTRITION, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN (1-6 YEARS)

Preschool children, aged 1 to 6 years, exhibit slower growth compared to infancy but remain highly active with ongoing physical, mental, and psychological development. Their nutritional needs are similar to other family members but adjusted for age, weight, height, health, and activity levels. Energy demands remain high to support growth and activity. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) provides recommended dietary allowances specifying energy, protein, fat, calcium, iron, and vitamins for two age groups: 1–3 years and 4–6 years. Healthy eating habits established during this period influence lifelong food behavior. Guidelines for healthy eating include making mealtime a family activity to encourage imitation, offering variety in textures, tastes, and colors, maintaining regular meal and snack times, and serving child-friendly finger foods. Children should be encouraged to finish their meals without pressure or punishment. Balanced meals should include cereals, pulses, milk, fruits, vegetables, sugar, and fats in quantities recommended by ICMR. Snacks are important as preschoolers may not eat enough in three meals; healthy snacks provide additional calories and nutrients. Examples of low-cost nutritious snacks include mixtures of soya bean dal, sunflower seeds, traditional sweets like chikki, and vegetable soups. Feeding children with special needs requires observation of their abilities and preferences, developing eating skills with positive reinforcement, ensuring comfortable seating, and modifying food textures or diets as needed. Immunization continues during preschool years with vaccines such as MMR, booster doses of DPT and OPV, typhoid vaccine, and vitamin A supplementation to protect against communicable diseases.

📊 Diagram: Table showing recommended dietary allowances for preschool children (energy, protein, fat, calcium, iron, vitamins) and balanced diet quantities for cereals, pulses, milk, fruits, vegetables, sugar, and fats. Illustrations of typical meals and snacks for preschoolers.

🧪 Activity: Activity 2: Plan meals and snacks for a four-year-old child from 10 am to 6 pm ensuring a balanced diet.

🔗 Connection: This section prepares the learner to understand the nutritional needs and health issues of school-age children (7-12 years) discussed in the next section.