Children's Nutrition and Healthy Weight

Learning how to eat well as a child can set the stage for a lifetime of good food choices.

Featured Articles

Are Vegan Diets OK for Babies and Toddlers?

Children have different nutritional needs than adults. Ensure your child’s diet is adequate.

Kids, Fruits and Veggies

Many children need encouragement to eat fruits and vegetables. Here’s how to help your child.

Constipation in Children

Children at any age can have constipation – from a tiny newborn to an active high schooler.

View All Children's Nutrition and Healthy Weight Articles

Ask an Expert

Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

Is it healthy for children to be vegetarians or vegans? I am a vegetarian, but I have some concerns that my children (4 and 8) might not get enough nutrients.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarian and vegan diets can meet all nutrient needs for infants and children. Diets for infants and children should contain enough calories to support gro... continue reading about Is it healthy for children to be vegetarians or vegans? I am a vegetarian, but I have some concerns that my children (4 and 8) might not get enough nutrients.

Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

I'm a very active pre-menopausal 50-year-old who eats right and works out four to six times a week. Why in the world can I not lose my belly cellulite and build more muscle? I'm ready to quit everything and just get fat and eat junk food!

Don't give up! As many women approach menopause they find themselves experiencing unexplained weight gain, especially around the waist and hip areas, despite their best efforts to watch what they eat and to inc... continue reading about I'm a very active pre-menopausal 50-year-old who eats right and works out four to six times a week. Why in the world can I not lose my belly cellulite and build more muscle? I'm ready to quit everything and just get fat and eat junk food!

Joyce Giammattei, DrPH,RD, CDE

Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

With all this talk about carbs being the enemy, is a low-carb diet appropriate for children?

Growing children should be encouraged to follow a healthy diet that includes all the food groups: lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Low-carb diets are restrictive in many of the nutrients ch... continue reading about With all this talk about carbs being the enemy, is a low-carb diet appropriate for children?

Karen Handy, M.P.H.

Palo Alto Medical Foundation

My body seems to have found its favorite weight and its hard to budge it from there. Do people have a normal weight for their body, despite media pressure to be thinner or heavier?

Our society certainly sends a mixed message when it comes to our weight: the media bombards us with images that equate being beautiful and glamorous with being thin - and yet we are bombarded even more with ads... continue reading about My body seems to have found its favorite weight and its hard to budge it from there. Do people have a normal weight for their body, despite media pressure to be thinner or heavier?

Karen Handy, M.P.H.

Palo Alto Medical Foundation

How do I compute my basic healthy calorie intake? What are some basic facts about how many calories a person needs to burn to lose weight?

I have a formula that you can use to calculate the calories you will need for your ideal body weight. Get ready for some math! Let's start by looking at how many calories you would need per day just to maintain... continue reading about How do I compute my basic healthy calorie intake? What are some basic facts about how many calories a person needs to burn to lose weight?

Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

Are commercial smoothies healthy?

Smoothies can be a healthy way to get some of your recommended servings of fruits and vegetables for the day. It really depends on what type of smoothie you order or buy. Most smoothies from the market or a smo... continue reading about Are commercial smoothies healthy?