The development of food portion sizes suitable for 4-18-year-old children used in a theoretical meal plan meeting energy and nutrient requirements.

Abstract

Healthy eating guidelines for school-aged children are available but without advice on portion sizes. This is a concern because consuming large portions is associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity. The present study aimed to calculate recommended portion sizes for school-aged children based on weight for age and use them to develop a meal plan to meet nutritional needs within energy requirements. Portion size data on foods consumed by school-aged children (4-18years) were extracted from two sources: (i) British National Diet and Nutrition Survey (1997) and (ii) Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (1997-2006). Foods were allocated to groups based on the UK Eatwell Guide and the US My Plate Model. Portion sizes were developed for a variety of foods. A meal plan that included portion size guidance and met healthy eating guidelines was developed based on the number of portions of each food group needed to meet dietary requirements. Portion sizes were developed for 131 foods that were commonly eaten by children in age groups 4-6, 7-10, 11-14 and 15-18years. The meal plan met requirements for energy and nutrients as specified by UK dietary reference values, except for vitamin D for which there are few dietary sources. Food portion sizes informed by usual intake in UK children can help inform dietary advice for a range of childhood settings and for parents. The meal plan included a wide variety of foods to encourage dietary diversity and meet energy and nutrient needs for school-aged children.