may be so interested in a television program, or in

putting together a project, that he refuses tc come to

eat. It is often a help if the mothcr gives a warning: "ln
l0 more minutes, dinner will be ready." Out of respect
for the child's rights, she may have to schedule
dinner time so that it does not coincide with a favorite
television program or play project.
Fostering lnduslry
School-age children usually enjoy helping to plan
meals. They can prepare foods such as instant pudding,
jello. salads, scrambled eggs, and sandwiches by themself. They may eat meals that they
have planned or prepared more willingly than they do
meals that are just set in front of them.
Most parents would like their child to develop better
table manners. Because they are in a hurry to
finish a meal, school-age children tend to bolt their
food. Many meals are interrupted by spilled milk. As
the child approaches adolescence and becomes aware
of the impression he makes on people, table manners
improve dramatically. It is some comfort for parents
to know, that a child usualy displays better table man-
ners when he is at school or in other people's homes
than he does in his own home.
Recommended daily dietary allowances for
School age children are shown in.
Notice how,the dietary aillowances for girls and boys
differ as children approach adolescence. Bois require
nrore caiorics at this time. Both.girls and bols require
more iron in prepuberty than they did between 7 and
I0 years.
Obesity in Preadolescence
Many preadolescents, particularly boys become
overweight during this time.
All children need to be measured for height and
weight at health assessments and have their measurements
plotted on a standard height and weight
chart. A child is obese when his weight plots more
than the 97th percentile on a standard chart.
Obesity results from two combined factors: increased
intake that exceeds caloric requirements and
decreased activity that allows the extra calories to be
stored as body fat.
HEREDITARY AND ENVIRONMTNTAL FACTORS
Many children who are obese in the prepubertal
period have been overweight since infancy; their nafural
weight gain at prepuberty makes them obese.
The appetite of the school-age child is greater than
that of the preschooler, because the child's growth
and caloric needs have increased. As the child reaches
preadolescence and the associated growth spurt, his
appetite may become ravenous
School-Age Nutrition Habits
The child's appetite at a particular meal is influenced
by the day's activity. If he has had a full
day of schooi and active play afterward, he may come
to the dinner table ready to eat anyihing. If the day
was full of frustration-a poor nrark in school, an argument
with a friend, a big game to think about-he
may pick and poke at the food on his plate. Ttris variation
is no different from that experienced by adults
and should be respected in tle same way as an adult's
changing appedtes are respected.
Most children are hungry after school and enjoy a
snack when they anive home. Because this snack may
dull a child's appetite for dinner, it should be nutri- .
tious: fruit, cheese, juice, or milk. rather than cookies
and soft drink.
School-age children need breaHast to provide
enough energy to get them through an active morning
program at school. Parents must therefore get up in
the morning rvith their- children to prepare breaHast
and eat some thenselves Children react verv badly to
the instruction "Do as I say. r'rot as I do."
If children take a packed lunch to school, they
should have some say in what type of sandwich or
soup is packed for them. Packed lunches are discouraging
to everyone after a while. If a child has no
sai' in his lunch, he can becone dissatisfie<i with ii
vcry quicklv. 'lhe school child ivho takes a packed
lunch or chooses itrnch ,trorn a cafetena needs to
knou' some elenreltary facis of nutrition so ihat he
does nct trade his sand*ich for cake or choose onl.
desserts from the cateteria counter. Ideallr, children
shouid receive guidance from school personnel, but,
in a bus1,' luqchroom or cafeteria, a child mar. not
alu'avs receive this help. Health care personnel,
therefore, need to play an active role in nuhition
education.
School-age children may develop strong prejudices
about foods, as thel' talk rvith other children. As a 5-
year-old, a child may have eaten spinach readily. As a
6-i'ear-old, after he learns that he is not supposed to
like spinach, he will refi-rse to touch it.
School-age children are often reluctant to take time
out from play to cone to the table for a meal. If a
chiid is a member of a kickballteam, he leh down the
team by having to come inside to eat. Likervise, he