Learn the nutrition pyramid for children 3-5 years old

According to research results from the National Institute of Nutrition, 1 out of every 3 children under 5 years old is stunted. The rate of malnourished children in Vietnam has decreased but is still high, accounting for 24.6%. Nutritional supplementation for children from 3 to 5 years old should be properly cared for by parents and properly adhered to the preschool nutrition pyramid.

Scientific nutrition makes an important contribution to ensuring the growth and physical and intellectual development of children, helping children increase their resistance against diseases and improve their health.
Children if not provided with proper nutrition, can lead to problems such as underweight, stunting, micronutrient deficiency or overweight, obesity, metabolic disorders that increase the risk of diseases chronic is not contagious.
Nutrition pyramid for children from 3 to 5 years old and a guide to using the preschool nutrition pyramid is a publication of the Institute of Nutrition, based on scientific and factual bases to compile and help caregivers of children. parents, family members, person in charge of boarding, etc.) know how to choose the right and varied foods in the right quantity to have a reasonable nutrition for the child.
Preschool nutrition pyramid consists of 2 parts:
Part 1: The pyramid layer with foods of the same type can be substituted for each other. Part 2: The number of food units eaten at each level of the pyramid together illustrates the amount of food equivalent to the servings of each food.

2.1. Stratification of the pyramid of nutrition The nutrition pyramid for children from 3 to 5 years old is shown with the base of the pyramid wide at the bottom and the top of the pyramid gradually pointed up, corresponding to the amount of food children need to eat in a day.
Tower floors include:
Floor 1: includes 2 groups of spices, salt and salty spices, sugar and sweets. Layer 2: includes foods that provide fats such as oils, fats, and butters. 3rd floor: milk and dairy products. Level 4: protein-rich foods include meat, seafood, eggs, and beans and peas. Floor 5: grains, the body's main source of energy. Floor 6: vegetables and fruits, a source of minerals, vitamins and fiber. Level 7: water Food groups on the floors at the bottom of the tower need to be consumed in larger quantities than the floors at the top of the tower (eg floors 5,6,7...). The top layer of the pyramid at the top of the pyramid is the food that should be limited in consumption (eg, floor 1,2) to ensure optimal development for children.
2.2. Food units in the nutrient pyramid To make it easier to estimate how much each food should be consumed and to diversify foods, food quantities are presented as serving units for each food and can be used to replace each other in the same floor.
Parents just need to choose the corresponding foods in the same group to change with the amount given in the table below to be able to easily prepare a daily menu for their children.

Example:
Breakfast: 2 units of cereal + 1 unit of meat + 1/2 unit of vegetables + 1 unit of milk Lunch: 2 units of cereal + 1 unit of vegetables + 1 unit of fish + 1 unit milk + 1 unit of fruit Evening: 2 units of cereal + 1/2 unit of vegetables + 1.5 units of eggs + 2 units of milk + 1 unit of fruit. The number of food units in each group of the nutrition pyramid for children from 3 to 5 years old has been calculated by experts on the basis of ensuring to provide 1300Kcal and meet the nutritional needs of children in this age group.
Besides diet, regular physical activity is also essential for children to develop optimally and have good health.
For children under 5 years of age, the World Health Organization recommends that children should be physically active with moderate intensity or more, such as walking, running, chasing, jumping rope, soccer, basketball, swimming. , ride a bike...for a minimum of 60 minutes a day. You can break up your exercise time, but at least 10 minutes for each activity.
Above are the contents to help parents take care of nutrition for children from 3 to 5 years old reasonably and easily. Learning about the role of each food tier and the eating units of each tier will help parents prepare a daily menu for their child. Nutrition pyramid for children from 3 to 5 years old is expected to be a useful tool to care for and improve nutrition for pre-school children.

The application of the nutrition pyramid for children from 3 to 5 years old into the diet will help them ensure good nutrition, physical and mental development is comprehensive.
In the period of children from 3 to 5 years old, children often suffer from diseases of the respiratory tract, digestive tract, anorexia, slow weight gain... To help parents understand their baby's health status and have a plan For a better parenting plan, Vinmec International General Hospital has developed a Health Checkup Program: Children Package. Through the above package, the baby will receive a comprehensive examination, from eyes, teeth, blood pressure, weight to necessary tests, combined with diagnostic imaging. Through the test results, the doctor will evaluate the overall health of the baby, screen for symptoms to detect and treat if necessary.
In addition, parents should also add some supporting foods containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, B vitamins,... nutritional needs. At the same time, support the immune system, enhance resistance, reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, flu,...