If your child has ever been constipated you might have considered a lack of fibre intake as the main culprit.
Did you know that less than half of all children in Australia meet dietary recommendations when it comes to fibre intake?
With only 1/3 of children experiencing signs of constipation, it shows us that many children with low fibre intakes are flying under the radar.
If it’s not causing constipation then why worry, right? Wrong! While helping us have healthy bowels is one very important function of fibre, it’s not the only benefit that we get from it. For children there are many other immediate and future health benefits from getting enough fibre. They include:
- Preventing (and treating) childhood obesity
- Maintaining normal blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure – just as important in kids as it is in adults
- Reducing the risk of developing certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and diabetes as adults
Children with higher fibre intakes also tend to be more likely to meet the daily recommendations for other important vitamins and minerals, in particular iron, zinc and vitamins A, D and E.
How much fibre do they need?
How much fibre a child needs varies depending on their age and gender.
| Age (Years) | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | 14g/day | 14g/day |
| 4-8 | 18g/day | 18g/day |
| 9-13 | 24g/day | 20g/day |
| 14-18 | 28g/day | 22g/day |
Foods that provide fibre include fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, as well as wholegrains. Children that enjoy a wide variety of foods tend to be more likely to meet their daily fibre requirements. Those with fussy eating tendencies are at a much greater risk of having inadequate fibre intakes.
How can I increase my child’s fibre intakes?
These simple swaps can help to increase your child’s fibre intakes:
- Switching from white bread to wholemeal bread sandwiches doubles fibre intake from 2.5g to 5g.
- Switching from white pasta to wholemeal pasta increases fibre intake from 3g to 8g.
- Snacking on fruit instead of biscuits and chocolate increases fibre intake by 3-4g.
- Switching to a high fibre breakfast cereal can increase fibre by at least 4g.
If your child has fussy eating tendencies that are limiting fibre intakes you should start to take steps to address this with the goal of improving their acceptance of high fibre foods.
Get in touch with our paediatric dietitian Michelle Bulman who can help you make positive changes to your child’s diet and address fussy eating.
