Nutrition During School Age (6-12 Years): Growth Pattern

NUTRITION DURING SCHOOL AGE (6-12 YEARS)

The school age, six to twelve years, is a latent period of growth. During this stage growth is slow and body changes occur gradually. The nutritional requirement is the same for boys and girls upto nine years after which girls out do boys and there is a change in some of the nutrient requirements for boys and girls.

GROWTH PATTERN

Though rate of growth is slow during school years, adequate reserves are laid down during this period for the rapid growth during adolescence. Hence the age from 6-12 years is being called the 'lull before the storm'.

Usually girls have a higher deposition of body fat as compared to boys of the same age but have less percentage of muscle tissues. During childhood boys are taller and heavier at each stage than girls but at the age of 11 to12 years girls become heavier and taller.

As the child enters school he/she develops ability to work out problems and participate in group activities. This is a period of emotional stress, competitive behaviour and dreaming which brings a drastic change in the previous learning and personality pattern. There is a change from dependence of parental standards towards those set by peer group.