Counseling parents on feeding their children.
OBJECTIVE
The high-nutrient needs of children for normal growth and development are matched by ready access to low-nutrient high-energy foods. Parents are often confused by new and at times conflicting information. This review discusses three recently published papers that offer specific and important dietary information for school-aged children.


RESULTS
Lactose intolerance is common in some populations and there are misconceptions about dairy intake. Most lactose-intolerant children can consume some dairy products without symptoms. Fruit-juice intake can predict increased weight gain in children, especially those who are already overweight or at risk for being overweight. Hypertension is a serious disease with onset likely in childhood. This paper discusses the importance of dietary sodium as a contributor to the development of hypertension, and the sodium content of children's diets.


CONCLUSIONS
Advice to parents on feeding children should be based on the food pyramid and include information on exercise. Recent publications suggest that children consume dairy products, even if lactose intolerant, restrict juice intake, remove sweetened beverages from their diets and reduce sodium consumption.
Baker
Susan S
SS
Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Center, Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, 219 Bryant Street, Buffalo, NY 14222, USA. sbaker@upa.chob.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007787:Lactose Intolerance; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary