“In childhood, food is literally building the body and the brain,” says Amati. As well as healthy calories, children also need iron, iodine, and a wide range of vitamins to support immunity, brain development and muscle growth.
This means plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, beans and lentils, good quality fats including nuts and seeds, and minimal ultra-processed foods.
“From conception through the first 1,000 days and into the school years, children are growing rapidly and laying down most of their future bone mass,” says Amati. “That’s why calcium and vitamin D are priority nutrients at this stage; they’re essential for normal bone development and for achieving a healthy peak bone mass, which reduces the risk of osteoporosis and fractures later in life.”
There’s good evidence that eating the right foods in childhood can benefit health later in life
In practice, Amati says, this means regular sources of calcium – such as milk, yogurt, cheese, calcium-set tofu or fortified plant drinks – and vitamin D, from sun exposure and foods like fish and eggs.
There’s good evidence that eating the right foods in childhood can benefit health later in life. In one 2023 study, researchers looked at the diets of children and compared this to their health as children and young adults. They found that children who met three or more dietary recommendations from the UK’s Eatwell Guide at the age of seven had lower heart disease risk markers at age 24 compared to those who had met none of the requirements.
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