November 20 is World Children’s Day. In Germany, this year’s motto is “Giving children a voice”. UNICEF Germany and the German Children’s Fund want to create more opportunities for young people to participate in various areas. Not everywhere in the world looks so good for children and young people. Especially not when it comes to the age-appropriate supply of healthy food and drink. Germany, on the other hand, is virtually bathing in an oversupply of products from the food industry.
Suitable drinks without a sugar trap
Not everything on offer in the supermarket is great. Even if the clever marketing strategies want to make consumers feel good by advertising special health benefits. Soft drinks or drinks based on dairy products that are specially created for children often contain far too much added sugar. Over 50 different names in the list of ingredients of a product can indicate sugar. In a 2016 market study, the organization foodwatch found that more than every second soft drink in Germany is over-sugared. The best drinks for children and teenagers are therefore still drinking water, mineral water, warm or cold fruit and herbal teas or homemade juice spritzers. The latter are healthiest as thirst quenchers when they are prepared with one part direct juice and three parts water.
Drink water according to age
As the human body has a high water content, and the younger a child is, the higher this is, young children need to drink more in relation to their body volume than older children and adolescents. The current recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (D GE) for fluid intake according to the different age groups are as follows:
Infancy
Babies from birth to 4 months of age should be given around 620 ml of water per day in the form of drinks. In most cases, hydration is achieved via breast milk or industrial formula milk prepared with water. If the infant is not unexpectedly exposed to a feverish illness or extreme heat, drinking additional water is not necessary. After the introduction of complementary foods, by the end of the 4th month of life at the latest, the baby should then receive 400 ml of water via drinks and 500 ml via solid food per day until the age of 1.
Toddler and kindergarten age
Children aged 1 to under 4 years should be hydrated with 820 ml of drinks and 350 ml of solid food per day. As preferences for later years develop particularly intensively at this age, it is advisable to introduce young children to regular drinking of tap water or still mineral water. Tap water should always be boiled, especially for younger children.
Preschool and early school age
Between the ages of 4 and under 7 years, 940 ml of fluid intake should come from drinks and 480 ml from solid foods per day. At this age, children like to experiment themselves. Homemade infused water drinks are therefore a great idea for this age. Fruit, vegetables or herbs can “take a water bath” and make drinking water more attractive for children in an aromatic and visual way. Even in the age group of 7 to under 10-year-olds, the self-design of water is well received. At this age, 970 ml of fluid from drinks and 600 ml from solid foods should be available per day.
School and adolescence
From 10 to under 13 years of age, children should receive fluids from 1,170 ml of drinks and 710 ml of solid food per day. From 13 to under 15 years of age, 1,330 ml in the form of drinks and 810 ml via food are recommended daily. From the age of 15 up to young adulthood, a daily water intake of 1,530 ml of drinks and 920 ml of solid foods per day is recommended. Although soft drinks are extremely popular in this age group, the arguments of beautiful skin, a slim figure and physical fitness can often be used to introduce at least some children and young people to drinking water or spritzers.
Tip for getting used to water: The example of adults or older children is particularly important for young children. If there is a water jug on the dining table at every meal and in between meals and the “grown-ups” drink water as a matter of course, the “little ones” will learn to pour and drink water themselves by imitation. The role model function is one of the most important factors for young children in all aspects of health.
