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166 6.1 Primary School Age Children

Table 6.1.1 Suggested foods from the five food groups for school age children

Group 1: Bread, rice, potatoes, 1–1½ slices wholegrain or white bread, muffin, roll or pancake
pasta and other starchy foods Small bowl 4–9 tbsp breakfast cereal
7–10 tbsp of hot cereals like porridge made up with milk
Group 2: Fruit and vegetables 4–7 tbsp of rice or pasta
1–2 egg-sized potatoes or 3–6 tbsp of mashed potato
Group 3: Milk, cheese and yogurt 2–4 crispbreads or crackers
¾–1 apple, orange, pear, banana
Group 4: Meat, fish, eggs, nuts and 5–12 small berries or grapes
pulses 3–6 tbsp freshly cooked, stewed or mashed fruit
2–4 tbsp raw or cooked vegetables
Group 5: Foods high in fat and 150–200 mL whole cow’s milk as a drink
sugar 1–2 small pots (125 mL) yogurt or fromage frais
3–6 tbsp grated cheese
Cheese in a sandwich or on a piece of pizza
100–180 mL custard or a milk pudding
3–6 tbsp ground, chopped or cubed lean meats, fish or poultry
1 whole egg
3–7 tbsp whole or mashed pulses (peas, beans, lentils, hummus, dhal)
1–1½ tbsp peanut butter or 2–3 tbsp ground nuts
1–2 digestive biscuits or 2–4 small biscuits
1 medium slice cake
1½ tsp butter, mayonnaise or oil
1½ tsp jam, honey or sugar
4–6 crisps or sweets
1½ small fun-sized chocolate bars

The measures used are 1 tbsp = one 15 mL tablespoon and 1 tsp = one 5 mL teaspoon. These are the spoons found within
a set of spoons for standard recipe measures.

then a child should be referred to a paediatrician Inappropriate dieting among children
for investigation.
When children choose to restrict their food intake
Anorexia nervosa should always be considered as to control weight they do not usually do this so that
a cause for poor growth or weight loss. Although they meet their nutrient requirements. They often
rare, cases have been noted in children as young as reduce their intake of nutritious foods such as
7 years. Anorexia nervosa is a psychological eating milk, cheese and meat.
disorder in which a person controls their food
intake obsessively and reduces their intake below Girls as young as 9 years old, and some younger,
their needs in order to reduce their body weight. indicate body dissatisfaction and a desire to
Maintaining a regular meal and snack routine and be thinner. The Health Survey for England
eating together as a family reduces the risk of (Prescott-Clarke and Primatesta 1998) found that
eating disorders (Hammons and Fiese 2011). young children were already acting on their
concerns: