Version June 2024
| Why we need fiber |
| Fiber helps children and adults have regular bowel movements and helps prevent constipation and other health problems. Dietary fiber helps keep the bowel and digestive tract healthy and enhances feelings of fullness after eating. |
| How much fiber is needed |
| For prevention of constipation, a practical target for fiber intake is the child's age plus 5 to 10 grams per day.[1] Giving more than this fiber goal has no proven benefit for management of constipation in children.[2] Somewhat higher targets for fiber intake (14 grams/1000 kcals in the diet) have been recommended by the Institute of Medicine.[3] For children, this translates to an intake of about 20 grams/day in early childhood, rising to 29 grams/day for adolescent girls and young women, and 38 grams/day for adolescent boys and young men. To find out the number of grams of fiber in a certain food, read the label, or see the foods listed in this table. High-fiber foods contain 3 or more grams of fiber per serving. |
| How to help your child eat more fiber |
| A high-fiber diet should be a balanced diet with foods from all the food groups. The most common sources of fiber are whole grain breads and cereals, legumes and nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Include these in your child's balanced diet: |
| Offer your child a variety of high-fiber foods during the day rather than giving only one or two high fiber foods. |
| Mix a high-fiber cereal with a cereal your child likes. |
| Offer fresh fruits with the skin on. Prunes and pears act as natural laxatives. |
| Offer raw vegetables, such as carrots, jicama, or cherry tomatoes for snacks and with meals. Offer a salad with dark green lettuce each day. |
| Use whole-wheat bread or white bread with added fiber, brown rice, whole-wheat crackers, bran muffins, barley, bran cereals, or oatmeal. Use less refined white flour bread, cereal, and other starches. |
| Offer 4 to 6 ounces of prune, apple, orange, or pear juice each day. Remember that fresh fruit has more fiber than juice. |
| Offer snacks that have fiber, like granola bars, fruit bars, fig cookies, or popcorn (after age 3 years). |
| Help your child develop a taste for bran. Try to include 2 to 4 tablespoons of some form of bran each day. |
| Add nuts or seeds to breads and salads, or use them as a snack. This is not recommended for children younger than three years. |
| Read labels on foods, and look for foods with 3 or more grams of fiber per serving. Have your child eat 3 or more servings each day of breads and cereals made from whole grains and bran. Have your child eat 5 or more servings of vegetables and fruits, including beans. It is important to increase water in the diet when you increase fiber. |
| Preventing constipation |
| If your child is constipated, follow the dietary guidelines above. Also, encourage your child to drink at least 4 to 8 cups (32 to 64 ounces) of fluid per day, preferably water, low-fat milk, and low-sugar decaffeinated beverages. |
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