The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student No: NC36066

The Complete Childcare Level 3

Assignment 6

Address: 8, Wyresdale Crescent

Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex

UB6 8TQ

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 2

6.1 Explain the five food groups, giving at least three examples of each.

We can put all foods into one of the following five food groups:

Meat and vegetable protein

Milk and dairy products

Fruit and vegetables

Carbohydrates

Fats and Sugars

A good balanced diet is made up of the all five food groups and we have to remember that our body also needs plenty of water.The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay.

Meat and vegetable protein

This group contains meat, fish and eggs as well as vegetable protein, nuts, beans, peas, lentils, dahl, Quorn and soya. These foods give us protein, iron (mineral) and some other minerals and vitamins. Helping the body to grow and repair itself. They are the building blocks for our bodies. Meat is a very good source of iron. We should eat two to three servings of these every day.

One portion of meat or vegetable protein in our diet could be for example, two slices of cold ham, turkey or chicken, one medium chicken breast, two sausages, three bacon rashers, one beef burger, one fillet of fish or fish steak, one small can of tuna or salmon, mackerel, sardines, four fish fingers, one cup of cooked lentils or beans, half a large can of beans, chickpeas or lentils, a 100g portion of Tofu or Quorn (no meat option – vegetarians)The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay.

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 3

Milk and dairy products

This group contains milk, yoghurt, fromage frais, milkshakes, cheese – both hard cheese and soft cheese including soft cheese triangles. These foods contain protein and calcium (mineral) and some vitamins like vitamin B12, vitamin A and vitamin D. Dairy products keep our bones and teeth healthy. The body absorbs the calcium in dairy foods easily. We should try and eat three servings of this group a day.

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One portion of milk and dairy products can be for example, one glass of milk, one pot of yoghurt or fromage frais, one matchbox size piece of cheese or two triangles, half a tin of low-fat custard.

Fruit and vegetables

This group includes fresh as well as frozen items, tinned, dried and juices of fruits and vegetables. The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay. Fruit and vegetables give us lots of vitamins and chemicals called antioxidants which keep us healthy. These can even stop us getting some illness like certain cancers. They also contain fibre to keep our digestive system healthy. Because fruit and vegetables are low in calories and high in fibre (which keeps kids and adults feeling full) eating plenty will help control our weight. It is important to eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. This way we get the whole range of all the important nutrients these foods give. We should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 4

One portion of fruit and vegetables could consist of, one apple, orange, pear or banana or similar sized fruit, two smaller fruits such as plums, satsumas, or kiwi fruit, a handful of very small fruits such as grapes, cherries or berries, half to one tablespoon of dried fruits such as raisins, prunes or apricots, a slice of large fruit such as a piece of melon or a slice of pineapple, three heaped tablespoons of raw, cooked, frozen or canned vegetables, a dessert bowl of salad.

Carbohydrates

This group contains starchy foods which include rice, potatoes, oats, pasta, noodles, green bananas, yam, breads, sweet potato, couscous, breakfast’s cereals, barley, millet, and rye. Carbohydrates give us energy, calcium (mineral) and B vitamins.The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay.  Wholegrain ones give us lots of fibre to help keep the digestive system healthy. Many breakfast cereals also have extra iron (mineral). A healthy diet should include up to 3-5 servings of carbohydrate a day. Each portion should be spread throughout the day and eaten with every meal, including snacks.

One portion of carbohydrate can include one slice of bread, one bread roll or half a pizza, six tablespoons of breakfast cereal or porridge, six tablespoons of pasta, rice, millet or couscous, two small new potatoes, four whole-wheat crisp breads, two tablespoons of mashed sweet potato.

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 5

Fats and Sugars

This group contains butter, margarine, cooking oils, cream, salad dressings, chocolate, crisps, sugary soft drinks, sweets, jam, cakes, pudding, biscuits and pastries. These foods give us a lot of energy (calories) but not many nutrients.

Junk foods are often high in fat, sugar and salt. It’s extremely important not to have too many foods from this group too often as the calories can make you gain weight.

6.2 Analyse at least four main long-term benefits of a healthy life style.

What is a Healthy Lifestyle?

A healthy lifestyle is one where we make conscious decisions throughout the day that benefit our emotional and physical well being. When we talk about a lifestyle, we are talking about a way of living and not just doing periodic activities such as a particular exercise or eating a healthy meal during a day. A true healthy lifestyle requires making good choices in all the areas of our life including our working and social life, choices for ourselves and for our family. The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay.

We have to remember that a good, healthy lifestyle is a comprehensive plan that impacts every area from what we eat for breakfast to how well we and our children sleep. By taking care of our health, we are also better able to take care of our children.

A healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, healthy nutrition and a stress reduction plan/happy approach to life. This sounds like a lot to add to an already full family schedule, but a healthy lifestyle is not something we “add”, but something we have to work towards.

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 6

A healthy lifestyle pattern means being between normal weight levels, having a good BMI (body mass index), participating in regular physical activity, limiting exposure to second-hand cigarette smoke, and consuming higher amounts of fruits and vegetables in a long term benefit in reduced mortality – premature death and chronic diseases or cardiovascular diseases.

Long term benefits of exercise would include strong muscles, strong bones, and child less likely to become overweight.

Getting regular exercise is critical to good health. Children in pre-school age are very active but with older children (where the weather, TV, computer games, mobile phones are present) the task of getting them active becomes very difficult. We don’t have to join a gym if we are unable to get away from home or simply cannot take the time to attend. There are plenty of ways to incorporate exercise into our day i.e. dancing, action rhymes, musical chairs or status (younger children), obstacle exercise routines (if we are lucky to have the space inside of our house).

An exercise program should include (for adults and older children – teenagers) both strength training and aerobic exercise. By building strong muscles and a healthy heart we reduce our chances for developing disease later in life – especially those common to women such as osteoporosis. We can incorporate exercise easily by adding daily walks (walk to school with children) or learning to take the stairs instead of the elevator, parking our car further the car park when we go to a supermarket. By doing that we and the children are less likely to become overweight and have lower blood pressure.

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 7

Long-term benefits of good nutrition in our diet would include a healthy, strong body; lover blood cholesterol and proper body mass index.

A healthy lifestyle is one that provides our body with the nutrition it needs at the cellular level. The current research is amazing in that it is uncovering the deep dark mysteries of how each cell in our body works. What the research shows is that we have to make healthy food choices every time we eat.

Good nutrition means eating a balance of carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats (low-fat food for adults).  The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay.We also need to eat a variety of carefully selected foods that supply the essential vitamins and minerals needed to fight diseases and fast aging process.

Good nutrition is an integral component of a loving plan to care for our body as well as our children bodies. By doing that we are less likely to become overweight.

Long term benefits of relaxation would include calm and healthy outlook on life.

A healthy lifestyle is not complete unless we also take time to caress our spirit weekly through relaxation techniques. We don’t have to spend thousands at a local spa, because we can bring the spa to our home. There are many aromatherapy spa health products that promote a sense of well being. But relaxing tactics also include doing the things we enjoy in life whether it is playing with our children, reading a book or gardening. Good, quality time spent with our children, listening to them with our full attention and love. Some people find peace in prayers.

So what is it this healthy lifestyle and its long term benefits? It is a balance of everything – exercise, nutrition and relaxation time, which provides us with strong physical and mental health throughout our life.

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 8

6.3 Summarise examples of child’s diet which could affect him/her in adulthood.

As a part of children’s day to day care, early years workers (nursery workers, childminders and nannies) may be involved in preparing and giving children food and drinks.

Food is so much part of everyday life, that we tend to take it for granted, but without food we cannot live. Food that children eat is especially important as it helps them to grow and gives them energy to develop. Scientists nowadays have also found that the food we eat in our childhood may affect us and our health in later life. A healthy diet in childhood is one of indicator of high life expectancy.

We have to remember that food is fun as well as pleasure so mealtimes can bring opportunities for children to socialise.

For the body to function well it needs nutrients. We have five types of nutrients.

Fats (benefits for the body – energy and fat are needed for the body to absorb vitamin A and D, examples of food: butter, oil in olives, fat present in meat, fish and also dairy products),

Carbohydrates (benefits to the body – mainly energy, examples of food, bread pasta, flour, potatoes, bananas, vegetables),

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 9

proteins (benefits for the body – energy and growth and repair, examples of food: proteins found in meat, fish, soya, and dairy products they can be absorbed by themselves by the body and proteins found in vegetables – peas, beans, lentils need to be eaten in combination with other food so the body can absorb them. The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay.

Mineral elements

I.e. iron – helps body to carry oxygen, iron can be found in red meat, broccoli, spinach, plain chocolate, egg yolk.

Calcium and phosphorus – are responsible for bones and teeth repair and maintenance, products which contain them – milk, cheese, yogurt.

fluoride – responsible for forming and maintaining teeth, can be found in sea fish, added into some water, often taken in by the body through toothpaste.

And vitamins

Vitamins A – responsible for maintaining skin and good vision, can be found in cheese, margarine, apricots, and fatty fish.

Vitamins B group – responsible for growth and development, can be found in bread, flour, meat, yeast, pasta, rice, noodles

Vitamin C forming bones, teeth and blood vessels, helps with body immune system, can be found in fresh fruits and greens i.e. oranges, kiwis, potatoes, blackcurrants and cabbage.

Vitamin D – needed for bones and teeth can be found in dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurts, and fish.

Vitamin K – helps blood to clot can be found in green vegetables i.e. spinach, broccoli and peas.

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 10

Vitamin E – gives the body protection from cancer, heart disease, can be found in vegetables oils. Greens leafy vegetables, milk and nuts.

In addition, the body needs water, which is not strictly classed as nutrient.

To obtain all the nutrients the body needs we have to take in a range of foods – it is called a balanced diet. At different time in our lives our bodies may need different nutrients for example children when they are growing, adolescents during growth spurts, women during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay.

The role of nutrients is to provide the body with material for growth and repair and also to provide the body with energy.

Nutrients work with each other for example:

Calcium and vitamin D – calcium is absorbed by the body only if it is taken with vitamin D. If children do not have enough calcium and vitamin D in their diets there is a risk of a disease called rickets which affects children’s bones.

Iron and vitamin C – iron which is important for the blood is more easily absorbed in the body when vitamin C is present. Lack of iron causes a condition called anaemia (one of the symptoms is tiredness).

Vegetable proteins – vegetable proteins which are found in foods such as pulses, lentils, corn and barley can be absorbed by the body only if more than one of them is eaten. (Vegetarians must combine vegetables for example beans on toast, pulse and bean stew).

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 11

Diets which not provide enough nutrients may cause in children malnutrition (one or more nutrients are lacking from a diet) or under nutrition (people are not getting enough quantities of food). The common symptoms in children are, tiredness, lack of energy, mental alertness, failure to gain in height and weight, lowered resistance to infection e.g. colds, sore throats, bleeding gums, poor skin and hair condition.

Although undernutrition and severe malnutrition are extremely rare in western countries our diets and lifestyle can often cause other problems like obesity or heart disease.

The energy that food gives us is measured in kilo calories. In order to have enough energy we must eat enough food. The amount of food we take in should vary accordingly to our age and our lifestyle. This means that a man who works in a factory as a manual worker ( as he uses up more energy ) will need more calories than a man of the same age who works in an office. As children are growing their requirements for energy are high. For example a 4-6 months boy will need about 690 kilo calories a day; a 10-12 month boy will need 920 kilo calories a day; 4-6 years boy will need 1715 kilo calories a day and a grown up man 19-50 years will need 2550 kilo calories a day.

The best way to feed children is to plan a balanced diet – it is important to consider what children will be eating over a number of days. A balanced diet needs to be varied to ensure that the body gets all the nutrients it needs. The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay. It is also important that children develop a range of tastes, otherwise they will find it very difficult to like some new foods. Some groups of foods are particularly good for children and can be used regularly when planning a menu for them.

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 12

These include, fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, meat and poultry, fresh dairy products and eggs, pulses i.e. rice, beans, lentils. The key to planning a balanced diet is to make sure that children eat a variety of foods – fresh foods when possible. We have to remember that some children may have allergies for food i.e. nuts or may have religious preferences i.e. no pork or halal meat only.

Drinks are also very important for children – water is extremely needed by the body, our body weight is two-thirds water. The best thing to drink is water, diluted juices, or milk. We have to remember that dehydration (lack of water in the body) is dangerous particularly in children. This means that children should be offered drinks frequently, especially in the summer or after P.E.

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We should avoid giving children salt (too much salt can affect water balance in children bodies and later in life cause high blood pressure, uncooked eggs (risk of salmonella which is a type of food poisoning).

6.4 Analyse the principals of exercise for children.

Physical exercise is an essential part of everybody’s lives as it provides both physical benefits and social and emotional benefits. Regular exercise is especially important for children because it promotes healthy growth and development. It is also increasing self esteem and improves social skills.

Mrs Nicola Dejong

Student Number: NC36066

Assignment No 6: 1 page 13

Physical benefits could include, strengthening muscles, helping to develop the lungs by deep breathing, improving co-ordination and balance and body awareness, good posture, helping to prevent the build up of body fat – fat used for energy, burnt out, better sleep, improving appetite and digestion system, improved circulation by strengthen heart muscle.

Social, emotional and cognitive benefits of exercise could include, team play –sharing, turn taking, working together, giving a chance for adventure, challenge and an opportunity to take risks in a safe environment, active physical play is also known to improve and influence the way children learn, also encouraging achievements and sense of purpose helps to raise self-esteem and self-confidence, providing an opportunity to release tension, make lots of noise and used up plenty of energy constructively.

Children need plenty of opportunities to practise the physical skills they have already achieved, so it is important to supervise children and ensure their safety giving assistance only when required. The Complete Childcare Level 3 Health Essay.