Nutritional recommendations for children and adolescents.

A single food item cannot possibly provide all of the essential nutrients in the amounts required. The best way to insure an adequate diet is to choose a wide variety of foods from all food groups that are available. Toddlers, children, adolescents and even the elderly persons require sufficient calories for growth and the maintenance of body functions. Excessive calories however, can lead to obesity and therefore, those should be avoided. Ingestion of unsaturated fatty acids and consumption of carbohydrates, minerals, proteins and fiber are essential for optimal growth and development. A balance needs to be maintained in order to have lower average serum cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It has been shown that the lactating mother's diet does not have effect on the total fat content or the cholesterol content of breast milk. Breast milk has been strongly recommended for infants, provided the mothers remain healthy and normal. Finally, manufacturers of food items should be encouraged to promote consistently the recommended eating patterns especially among children and adolescents.