Putting Fat Into Perspective

While nutrition experts know that some dietary fat is needed for good health, the general public has come to believe that "fat" is a dirty word. Many people have construed dietary advice to moderate fat consumption to mean "consuming as little fat as possible." In short, they have become fat-phobic.

Young Children Are Not Little Adults

While fat phobia isn't likely to harm adults, growing children are another story. The latest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recognizes that there are important differences between children and adults. It specifically states that the guideline - "Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol" - does not apply to infants and toddlers below the age of two. Keep in mind that young children need more calories per pound than adults. Because of their greater calorie needs and smaller stomachs, young children would find it difficult to consume enough calories if all they ate were low-fat foods. In extreme cases, growth and development can be affected by a very low-fat diet.

Gradually Reduce Fat Intake After Age Two

After age two, children should gradually adopt a diet that, by about five years of age, contains no more than 30 percent calories from fat. During this transitional period, children also learn many of their eating habits. Nutrition education for preschoolers should focus on helping children develop a positive attitude toward food and encouraging them to accept a variety of healthful foods. Through hands-on activities, they can learn that low-fat, nutrient-dense food are tasty and fun to eat.

What About School-Age Children?

By the time children enter the primary grades, many health experts believe they should adopt a diet with 30 percent or less total calories from dietary fat (see the "How Much Fat?" sidebar for specifics). Although it is not yet clear whether adopting such a dietary guideline early in life will reduce childrens' risk of heart disease as it does for adults, most health authorities feel that the 30 percent recommendation is prudent for childrens' diets. How close are children to this goal? Believe it or not, today's children are eating less fat, reflecting the trend for the population. In the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture survey, intakes ranged from an average of 32 percent for teen girls to 34 percent for preschoolers. Compared to the 37-40 percent range in the late 1970s, children have made progress. Even with this decrease, however, lots of children are still eating more than the 30 percent recommended limit for fat calories. The challenge for teachers is to encourage children to choose a diet low in fat without fostering unhealthy attitudes about food or setting the stage for future eating disorders.

What Can Teachers Do?

KEEP THE MESSAGE POSITIVE

Not surprisingly, positive nutrition messages (why a food is important) have a greater educational impact than negative nutrition messages (why you shouldn't eat a food). Focus educational efforts on encouraging students to enjoy a variety of low-fat foods rather than zeroing in on foods to avoid.

TEACH CHILDREN THAT A HEALTHFUL DIET IS FLEXIBLE

Let children know that it's OK to eat high-fat foods once in awhile because all foods can fit into a healthful diet. Keep in mind that the 30 percent guideline is not meant to be applied to single foods or meals, but is a goal to be met over several days. In other words, not every food or meal children eat needs to contain 30 percent or less fat calories. Instead, children can balance high fat foods (or meals) with foods that have less fat over several days.

STEER STUDENTS AWAY FROM THE GOOD FOOD/BAD FOOD MINDSET

Emphasis on restricting certain foods can lead to unhealthy attitudes about food and, in some cases, may set the stage for the development of eating disorders. Instead of encouraging avoidance, teach upper elementary students how to make trade-offs and balance what they eat over several days. Shaping Up My Choices (66 CG) from Dairy Council of California is an excellent curriculum in the NET Loan Library that helps you do just that.

HOW MUCH FAT?

Are you confused about how much 30 percent of total calories from fat is? You're not alone! Following is a breakdown of what it means in grams of fat for children consuming different calorie levels. Keep in mind that these figures are guidelines, not prescriptions.

4-6 year-old/1800 calories/60 grams fat

7-10 year-old/2000 calories/67 grams fat

11-14 year-old girl/2200 calories/73 grams fat

11-14 year-old boy/2500 calories/83 grams fat