Got All the Groups Covered?

Kids today get plenty of calories -- often more than enough. The trouble is, too few of these calories are coming from nutritionally sound sources.

As RealAge pediatric expert Dr. Trachtenberg -- Dr. Jen, as her patients call her -- points out in her brand-new book, Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children, almost one-third of 2- to 11-year-olds are not meeting the daily recommended intake of fruits, grains, meats, dairy products, and vegetables. Perhaps most surprising, 16 percent don't meet any of the recommendations at all! So where are kids' calories coming from? You guessed it: fats and sugars -- two things that should be playing minor roles in their diets.

Filling up on "junk," such as chips, cookies, and soft drinks, usually means that protein, fiber, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals get pushed out. The result over time: A greater risk for a number of health problems, including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, just to name a few. Take a moment and think about your child's diet over a week, not just one day. When you add it all up, are all the main food groups covered?

• Grains
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Dairy products
• Meat/chicken/fish/eggs
• Fats

And what about amounts? Do you know how much of each food group kids should strive for on most days? Dr. Jen breaks it down by age and gender in this chart from Good Kids, Bad Habits. Use it as a guideline, and read through these resources for more tips on improving your family's diet.