Many parents are always concerned about how many kilograms a 4-year-old child should weigh. However, weight is not necessarily the only factor, so parents do not need to be too concerned about their child's weight, but should find ways to help their child develop comprehensively in both physical and mental health.
1. Four years old is a golden time for weight development
According to experts, for young children, weight is probably considered an important factor, not only to assess nutritional status but also to help determine whether the child's level of development is in accordance with recommendations. Therefore, many parents are always concerned about how many kilograms a 4-year-old child should weigh. However, weight is not necessarily the only factor, so parents do not need to be too concerned about their child's weight, but should find ways to help their child develop comprehensively in both physical and mental health.
Most children go to school at the age of 4, so their development is very rapid, both physically and in the necessary skills. Physically, at this age, the rate of weight gain increases quite quickly. Because the child's diet at this stage is more diverse and the child is also familiar with many types of food. To have a nutritious diet according to the development needs, the number of meals for children at this age usually applies 3 main meals and possibly 2 additional meals.
To know the appropriate body weight for a 4-year-old, in addition to paying attention to the diet, 4-year-old children also need to be guided in motor skills such as running, jumping, sliding, swimming, cycling... And parents should create conditions for children to be able to perform these activities.
Moreover, the quality of children's sleep also contributes to how many kilograms a 4-year-old child weighs. Because sleep will help children grow better in weight. For 4-year-old children, on average, children need enough sleep every day with a period of 11 to 12 hours. To help children sleep well and deeply or not be awakened in the middle of their sleep, parents need to form a scientific sleeping habit, go to bed on time and wake up early... for their children. In addition, parents should let their children take a nap of 1 to 2 hours to help them recharge their energy for activities in the afternoon.
2. How much should a 4-year-old weigh?
According to the weight statistics table for children up to 5 years old applied to Vietnamese children in particular and children in the world in general, the data published by the World Health Organization is as follows:
• For girls, the standard weight is about 14.5 - 17.3 kg.
• For boys, the standard weight is about 15 - 17.6 kg.
The child's body weight also depends on their current physical condition, for example, if the child is obese or malnourished, parents can find ways to control the child's weight at the most standard and appropriate level.
A child's weight is considered an index to assess nutritional status. However, parents should not rely solely on this information to put pressure on the child. Besides weight, assessing the child's development also requires many decisive factors, including physical condition, spirit and intelligence.
3. Some issues related to the weight of 4-year-old children
Scientific nutritional care for children is considered to play an important role in the health and physical condition of children. When children are supplemented with a variety of nutrients, it will help them develop comprehensively, healthily and rarely get sick. But on the contrary, if children eat less, do not ensure enough nutrients or use unhealthy foods, it can cause many consequences and hinder their growth.
Parents can use some healthy foods to help children achieve their weight goals as required:
• Fresh milk is listed as a food that is beneficial for children's physical and intellectual development. The ingredients in fresh milk contain a lot of protein, fat along with vitamins and minerals. Milk is also considered the food that provides the most nutrients, helping mothers save time raising children while still keeping them healthy and intelligent.
• Salmon contains high nutritional content, including protein, omega-3, calcium, vitamin D ... all of which help promote children's development.
• Tofu: Made from soybeans, it helps supplement a rich source of vegetable protein along with high iron and vitamin B1 content. Fiber along with copper, magnesium, zinc ... in tofu helps improve health and promote children's development.
• Eggs are rich in protein, supplement vitamin D and calcium along with other important minerals. The protein in eggs is quite good because it provides all the necessary amino acids for the body.
• Shrimp is rich in protein, iron, magnesium, potassium... Parents should choose this food for their children's meals to meet their nutritional needs.
In case of overweight and obesity, parents should:
• Take the child to see a doctor because obesity can be caused by many reasons and nutrition is considered a key factor in determining this condition.
• Parents should absolutely not arbitrarily reduce their children's diet or use supplements to help improve their children's condition. Because children at this age need a lot of nutrients to develop.
If the child is malnourished - a condition that can cause the child to develop poorly both physically and mentally. It can even cause serious problems that affect the child's health. When the necessary nutrients are not provided enough for the child, the child cannot develop comprehensively. At that time, parents need to:
• Take the child to the doctor for advice on building a suitable menu for the child. This diet must ensure that it contains enough of the 4 food groups rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Fat should be provided to the child at this stage in the range of 30 to 40% of the daily energy content.
• The number of meals for the child should be divided into 3 main meals and 2 snacks. In the snacks, parents should add fruit and milk for the child, and in the main meals, fiber and whole grains should be added.
• Limit the child's intake of foods containing a lot of sugar, salt or solid fat. Avoid giving the child too many sugary drinks, as these beverages contain high levels of sugar and artificial colors. These types of drinks make children feel full, leading to a state of lazy eating. Additionally, excessive consumption of sugary drinks can cause calcium to be excreted from the body, leading to a deficiency of this essential nutrient.
In short, a child's weight is considered an indicator of nutritional status, but parents should not base on this parameter to put pressure on the child. Because in addition to weight, assessing a child's development also requires many decisive factors, including physical condition, spirit and intelligence.
Children need to be provided with enough elemental zinc/day so that they can eat well, reach the standard height and weight and exceed the standard. Zinc plays an impact on most biological processes taking place in the body, especially the process of decomposing and synthesizing nucleic acids, proteins... Zinc deficiency in the body's organs can lead to some diseases such as neurological disorders, irritability, etc. Therefore, parents need to learn about the role of zinc and instructions on appropriate zinc supplementation for their babies.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins, etc. to help their children eat well, have a good immune system, and increase resistance to less illness.
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