How much fiber does my child need?

Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet, but how much fiber you need per day depends on your age. When it comes to feeding our children, how much fiber do kids really need?

Why is fiber important?

First, let's look at where fiber comes from. Dietary fiber is any part of food from plants – including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans – not digested by the body.

There are many benefits to including high-fiber foods in your family’s diet. "Fiber has many health benefits such as aiding in fullness, to improving digestion of the food we eat, to potentially avoiding heart disease or diabetes issues," says Gundersen dietitian Rebecca Cripe.

How much fiber in a day is enough?

In determining the amount of fiber your child needs, use the following formula for children from 3-18 years of age: Age + 5 = grams of fiber needed per day.

For example, a five-year-old child would need 10 grams of fiber per day (five years plus five equals 10 grams of fiber). For children less than 3 years, it's best to consult their primary care provider for advice. For adolescents over 18 years, aim for the adult guidelines of 20-30 grams of dietary fiber per day.

How do I get my child to eat more fiber?

Getting kids to eat a fiber-rich diet can be a challenge. When considering the list of foods containing beneficial fiber, you may quickly realize that many of these foods may not be your child's favorites.

"When introducing fiber rich foods to the diet, keep in mind that it can take a child to be open to something new, a few times, so don't be discouraged if they don't like a new fiber rich food you are introducing,” Rebecca says. “One tip to help your child be open to a new food would be including them into the making of the meal. Maybe you give them two options for a new snack, and they can choose what sounds good. Or ask them to help you make the new snack. The likelihood they would want to try the new fiber rich food will increase."

Including your child in food decisions early on can help them make healthy decisions as they get older.

Tips on how to incorporate high-fiber foods for kids

• Add fiber into the diet slowly. Increasing fiber too fast could cause your child to have adverse GI symptoms.
• Keep the amount of fiber consistent from day to day and spread it out throughout the day.
• Too much fiber may cause premature fullness resulting in poor calorie intake.
• Remember to include enough fluid along with the fiber. Fiber without adequate fluid can make constipation worse.

Try these food hacks to add fiber to your child’s diet

• Increase fruit and vegetable intake by spreading crunchy peanut butter on apples, bananas, pancakes, or bread or using it as a dip.
• Sprinkle granola on fruited yogurt.
• Add dried fruits to cereals, muffins, and breads.
• Add nuts to baked goods.
• Offer high fiber snacks such as popcorn, trail mix, whole wheat pretzels, or raw veggies.

For information specific to your child’s dietary needs, talk to your child’s pediatrician or primary care provider.