5 nutrition principles parents need to know for children to grow healthy every day
HƯƠNG SƠN (THEO TRANG XINHUA) – 14:00, Sat Aug 08, 2026 (GMT+7)
According to nutrition experts, building a scientific menu right from the family is an important foundation to protect the health of both adults and children
According to the China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC China), breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast or eating breakfast insufficiently can cause the body to lack energy and micronutrients, while increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes and affecting learning and working abilities
A balanced breakfast should have enough four food groups including cereals or sweet potatoes, vegetables, protein-rich foods such as eggs, milk, meat or bean products, along with nuts if appropriate. Experts recommend that adults with average exercise should add about 600–700 kcal to breakfast, while adjusting their diet depending on age and physical activity level
Besides eating enough nutrients, controlling the amount of food consumed is also very important. According to experts, excess energy is one of the main causes of overweight and obesity. To limit this situation, everyone should eat on time, eat slowly, chew thoroughly, avoid overeating and prioritize reasonable portion sizes
Reading the nutritional content list on food packaging also helps consumers choose low-sugar, low-fat products and limit processed foods with high energy content
Another issue experts noted is the “hidden hunger” – when the body has enough or even excess energy but is deficient in essential vitamins and minerals
This is a factor that increases the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some types of cancer. To prevent, the diet needs to be diverse in foods, combining reasonably grains, green vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, eggs, milk, beans and tubers. According to recommendations, each person should consume over 12 different types of food each day and over 25 types per week to ensure adequate micronutrient supply
For school-age children aged 6 to 18, adequate nutrition is particularly important for growth and development. Experts recommend that children maintain three main meals a day, especially not skipping breakfast
Children’s breakfast should have at least three food groups such as cereals, milk, eggs, meat, vegetables or fruits. At the same time, children should limit fast food, foods high in salt, sugar and fat
Milk and dairy products are aare recommended to use at least 300 ml of milk or equivalent amounts of dairy products per day. In addition, children need to drink enough water, prioritize filtered water, avoid sugary soft drinks and absolutely do not use alcoholic beverages
Experts also emphasize the role of exercise and sleep for children’s comprehensive development. Children should exercise moderately to vigorously for at least 60 minutes per day, increase outdoor play time, only use electronic devices for less than 2 hours per day and get enough sleep according to age
Parents need to periodically monitor the height and weight of children to promptly detect malnutrition or overweight, obesity. Building a scientific diet combined with reasonable exercise not only helps children develop healthily but also creates a foundation for preventing chronic diseases in the future
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