Every mum’s heart skips a beat when their little one achieves a new milestone, whether it’s their first step, navigating the house on their tricycle or climbing into your bed for a cuddle. But did you know the amount of energy and nutrition that is required to achieve these little milestones? On a daily basis these physical tasks for toddlers are comparable to the power grown-ups need to complete major feats, like:
  • Running 30 miles at 10 minutes per mile – that’s longer than a marathon
  • Cycling 82 miles at 12-14 mph – the distance between London and Southampton
  • Climbing 2,980 metres – more than twice the height of the UK’s highest mountain
  • More than 300 minutes of competitive football – that’s three rounds of the Euro’s...plus extra time at every match
  • Eight hours of straight singles tennis – just three hours shy of the record breaking 11 hour, five minute match set at Wimbledon by Nicolas Mahut and John Isner in 2010  
  • Rowing for six hours – plenty of time to row the 21 miles of the English Channel
The First Steps Research, commissioned by www.growingupmilkinfo.com, shows how a toddler’s daily antics uses the same energy, when compared ‘pound for pound’ to an adult running 30 miles.  
 
Leading dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton explains the science behind these findings: “If a little one saw their mum or dad run a marathon every day they would be pretty impressed! Of course, parents experience the same positive emotions when they witness the many milestones their toddler achieves each week…they are just unaware how much extra nutrition is needed to fuel this amazing development between the ages of one and three years.
 
“To illustrate the difference between a toddler’s and an adult’s diet, the First Steps Research worked out the average calories required to support a toddler on a daily basis. We took into consideration their weight, resting metabolic rate and energy necessary for growth, development and activity. Each of these factors, when compared with an average 70kg (154lb) adult, equated ‘pound for pound’ to a 3,600 calorie daily diet for an adult. Enough to run marathons, climb Ben Nevis twice and box more than seven fights consecutively.
 
The key message of this research, is that it’s vital for parents to get the right nutrition into their toddler’s diet. Toddlers, ‘pound for pound’, require:
  • Nearly three times as much energy from food compared to adults
  • More than four times the amount of iron and vitamin C
  • Around three times the amount of calcium, zinc and vitamin A
  • More fat than adults, particularly ‘good’ unsaturated fats
  • Less salt in their food than adults
Growing Up Milk is made from cow’s milk enriched with key nutrients that toddlers need, like vitamins A, C and D, iron and calcium. By giving your little one two 150ml beakers of Growing Up Milk each day, you will provide your toddler with the extra nutrients they need.
 
Visit www.growingupmilkinfo.com to find out more about toddlers’ development, advice, and opinions from experts.

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