Food Tips for Tots

By Christine Gorman

Considering all the pseudoscientific mumbo-jumbo that passes for nutritional advice these days, I can't help being enthusiastic when a really good guide based on solid research shows up in bookstores. And when the subject of that book is young children's nutritional needs--which are very different from those of adults--you can bet I'm going to recommend it to every parent I know. I'm talking about Feeding Your Child for Lifelong Health (Bantam; $15.95) by Susan Roberts, a nutrition researcher at Tufts University in Boston, and Dr. Melvin Heyman, a pediatric gastroenterologist at the University of California in San Francisco. Their book, which is available starting this week, should be required reading for anyone with children under age six.

Even the most diligent parents are likely to learn something about feeding their kids. Paradoxically, as the authors explain, many families following the latest nutritional guidelines may actually be putting their children's health at risk. Why? Because the reduced-fat, high-fiber diets that make sense for most adults don't have enough of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients essential for growing bodies. "With the current emphasis on eating less red meat and fewer eggs, it's virtually impossible for kids to eat a balanced diet," Roberts says. The two biggest gaps are iron and zinc. Kids also aren't getting the calcium they need, in part because they're drinking more soda and juice and less milk than kids did 20 years ago.

It's best to get these and other nutrients from food. But they're so important for proper development--even a short bout of mild anemia, for example, can have permanent effects on young brains--that Roberts and Heyman recommend daily supplements (though not megavitamins) for kids at least up to age three. And no, they didn't take money from the vitamin companies to make that recommendation.

You're still going to find the emphasis on fruits and vegetables that you'll get in any good book on nutrition. But there's plenty of practical advice on how to make sure that your kids actually eat their peas rather than just shoving them aside. One tip: you may have to serve two-year-olds a new food frequently--as often as 15 times over several months. As Roberts and Heyman explain, there's an evolutionary reason for toddlers to be picky eaters: it cut down a tiny hunter-gatherer's chances of food poisoning. Most important, don't trigger their natural rebellious streak by letting on that you think the food is good for them.

Feeding Your Child also has the smartest take I've ever seen on the importance of variety in healthy eating. Government guidelines stress the consumption of many different foods. But they never warn that this can work against you. Studies show that if a plate contains two types of cookies, for instance, you'll eat more than if only one kind is available. The same is true for vegetables. Roberts and Heyman advise parents that if they must keep cookies in the house, they should stick to one brand and save the variety for healthier foods. As with anything having to do with children, it takes a little planning and a lot of patience to make sure they eat right. But the results are worth it.

For more information, visit www.feedingyourchild.com or time.com/personal You can e-mail Christine at gorman@time.com