Nutritional Requirments Across the Lifespan

Nutritional requirements are not the same for everyone.  Women and Men require different nutritional requirements such as women when they are going through menopause they are higher risk for osteoporosis and therefore need increase intake of vitamin D.   Children need more calories then adults and pregnant women need to make sure they are eating the correct number of calories recommended by the doctor during their pregnancy.

First we will look at nutritional requirements during pregnancy. 

When women find out they are pregnant the saying is true that "you are eating for two", but that does not mean that it is all you can eat on what every your cravings are such as ice cream, cookies, or pickles for example.   A women's diet will need to be healthy one with adequate macro and micronutrients for her and her fetus.   The minute that a pregnant women goes for the first time to see the doctor, he or she will put them on prenatal vitamins.  These vitamins are important to make sure the mother is consuming the right vitamins and minerals in the correct amount to help with proper fetal development.  "Adequate vitamin D and calcium are indispensable for normal bone development of the fetus...Zinc is needed for protein synthesis and cell development during pregnancy...A pregnant women needs iron to help increase her blood volume and to provide for placental and fetal needs" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013 p. 519).   The doctor will also give a recommendation about the calories needs of the pregnant mother. 300 extra calories a day are recommended through out the duration of the pregnancy.  If the mother decides to breastfeed, they will still need the extra 300 calories a day.  Nutrients dense foods are essential to the mother and fetus.  A healthy diet will help keep the mother and fetus healthy without causing the mother to gain to much weight. Also it is recommended for the mother to stay away from alcohol and caffeine during the pregnancy.

Infant nutritional requirements are constantly changing that first year. "Infants' rapid growth and development depend on adequate nutrient supplies including water from breast milk and formula" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013 p. 533).   During the first few months of life, the infant will only require the breast milk or formula. The milk the baby receives from formula or breast contains all the nutrients they will need for growth and development. When the baby reaches four months, the pediatrician will recommend starting the baby on some solid foods and the one that most individuals start with is the  iron-fortified cereals and slowly adding in the baby food including strained fruits, vegetables, and mashed meats.  By slowly introducing these foods into the baby's diet, the mother can watch for signs of allergies to the new foods. During the first year the baby will continue to drink the formula or breast milk and usually transition to cow's milk takes place around 12 months. 

Children's calories needs are increasing as they age.  The chart below shows the age and recommended calories need for the child per day. 

(Together Counts Partner, 2012)

Children need adequate dairy products for the growth of healthy teeth and bones. They will consume this through milk, cheese, and yogurts.  The vitamin D is crucial the development of bones and teeth.  Iron is recommended in their diet for proper brain function and also if the child is lacking iron they will be fatigue and unfocused.  Fluoride is a mineral that can be consumed by drinking fluorinated water, if the area the child lives in does not have fluorinated water then the pediatrician will have the child take fluoride pills.  Diets in children can be quite tricky because of the many obstacles that can stand in the way.   For example, you might have a child that is lactose intolerant and can not consume cows milk or products containing cows milk and will need to be on a special lactose free milk and dairy products.  There are children that are allergic to different types of foods such as nuts and have to be very careful to not consume any foods that have nuts in them because if they do it could result in death.  At schools, they take this very seriously and you will see in some lunch rooms they have nut free tables for the kids to eat at to make sure they are safe while eating their lunches.  Children's calorie range also depends on their activity levels.  Those that are very active in sports will require more calories than those that are sedentary most of the day.   Sugar is bad habit that most kids get addicted too and can have serious side effects when it comes to behavior in kids.  Sugar makes kids more hyper and unable to focus.  Also sugar can cause dental caries and cause teeth to rot.  Sugar should be kept to a minimum in children's diets.   

 Adolescent diets especially those that do a lot of sports in school require more calories.  Adolescent's  are going through a lot of changes during this part of their lives.  They are growing taller, going through puberty and some are physically active in sports and this all takes into account their energy needs for each day.  A boy who is playing football will need more calories than a boy who is not very physically active during the day.  Also a boy who is physically active requires more calories than a girl who is physically active.   Nutrient needs are also based on gender.  Girls will need more iron that boys because of menstruation.  With adolescent a healthy diet is very important because as they start to hang out with their friends and get more independent they often go for junk foods in the vending machines or out to the fast food joints to hang out.  

Diets as adults up until old age is also an ever changing need.  As we get older and less active our calorie needs are not as high.   As we go into adulthood, those diets of junk food and fast food will catch up quickly on us.  There are individuals who are in their 40's and say they eat like they did in the 20's but the only difference is they now have gained weight.  They are also less active now then they were during their 20's.  "When you hit the 40s, your body is still good at absorbing the nutrients in your food.  But with every year, nutrient absorption becomes less efficient" (2010).  This is why it is important to eat a healthy diet that is full of variety to make sure you are getting the recommend nutrients you need.  Older individuals find that adding fiber to their diet helps them go to the bathroom regularly.  Calcium is very important because of their risk of osteoporosis.   A diet low in sodium helps decrease he risk of cardiovascular disease.   Those with certain health issues might need to be on a diet recommended by their doctor.   For example, if an individual has diabetes, they need to watch the sugars in their foods.    Fat intake needs to be watched to make sure they are not consuming foods high in tans or saturated fats because those foods can increase the individuals risk of heart attack or stroke.   "As energy needs decrease, lower calorie protein sources, such as lean tender meats, poultry, fish, boiled eggs, fat-free milk products, an legumes can help hold weight to a healthy level" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013 p. 577).



References

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Together Counts Partner. (2012, October 1). Together Counts. How Nutrition Changes as Kids Age. Retrieved June 21, 2014, from http://blog.togethercounts.com/hownutritionchangesaskidsage/


Wina Sturgeon Adventure, S. W. (2010, Apr 23). Nutrition needs change as we age. Saint Paul Pioneer Press Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/237606904?accountid=32521