China's Ministry of Health, China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Chinese Nutrition Society jointly published on Wednesday a report guiding children's snack habits.

The Stardaily said the report divides children snacks into three categories: snacks that can be frequently eaten, snacks that can be properly consumed, and that be consumed with strict limitations.

Snacks that can be daily eaten include boiled eggs, toasted yellow beans, and sweet potatoes. While snacks that can be properly used once or twice a week include beef, black chocolate and coffee. But what the report advises children to take no more than once a week includes cotton candy, processed foods and chocolate pies.

Suggestions with regard to snacks for different age groups were also included in the report.

The report showed that 60 percent of children in China, aged from 3 to 17, eat snacks every day. Though the nutrition provided to children through these snacks has improved, widespread vitamin A and Ca deficiencies are still largely popular among many of such snack foods.

(CRIENGLISH.com August 16, 2007)