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1.1
Nutritional Requirements
Summary
● Nutritional requirements increase as children ●● There are no set fluid requirements for
grow and are theoretically defined for different children over 1 year of age as the kidney
age groups of children. functions well and can cope with varying
amounts of fluid intake, however, dehydration
●● Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) are used to should be avoided by offering 6–8 drinks per
define the average daily amount of protein and day.
each essential micronutrient that different age
groups of children need. ●● Different nutrients have different functions in
the body and a combination of all the nutrients
●● Energy requirements depend on weight and is required to maintain health and sustain
activity and are theoretically defined by Estimated growth and development.
Average Requirements (EARs) for each age group.
Food and drinks provide water, energy and nutrients Infant milk feeds are about 90 per cent water
that are required for growth, development, health and a young infant’s water intake can come entirely
and a strong immune system to fight infection. A from milk feeds. Once solid food is introduced,
balanced, nutritious diet provides adequate amounts some water will be obtained from food as well as
of water, energy and all the nutrients. drinks. Older children obtain about 60 per cent of
their water intake from food and the remaining
In general, energy and nutrient requirements 40 per cent is from drinks.
increase with age as children grow, but to support
rapid rates of growth in infancy there are some Energy
exceptions: calcium, iron and phosphorus
requirements are higher in infancy than in Energy requirements in children must provide for
subsequent years. (Wiskin et al. 2011):
Water ●● basal metabolic rate, which is around 60–70 per
cent of energy expenditure
Water makes up about 75 per cent of a newborn
infant’s body weight and about 70 per cent of that of ●● physical activity, which varies considerably and
a toddler. Throughout childhood this percentage can be up to 30–40 per cent of energy expenditure
slowly decreases to about 60 per cent of an
adolescent. Infants and young children have a ●● growth – the energy required varies throughout
larger skin area in relation to their size than older childhood as the rate of growth changes as
children and can dehydrate very quickly, so need described in Chapter 2.1.
regular fluid intakes throughout the day.
Throughout childhood, energy requirements
increase as weight increases and individual
