Lifespan Nutrition

1. Lifespan Nutrition Chapter 13

2. Nutrition for Lifetime • Your nutritional needs change throughout your lifespan • The human lifespan includes 5 stages: • The prenatal period • Infancy • Childhood • Adolescence • Adulthood • Each life stage brings its own growth and nutrition needs and challenges • Meeting these demands promotes good health at each time of life and builds a solid case for the future

3. Prenatal Period • Good food choices are important for pregnancy women • Single most important requirement during pregnancy • The baby’s growth and development, including crucial brain development, depend on nutrients from the mother • Poor nutrition can harm both the mother and baby’s nutrition • If the fetus does not get enough nutrients from the mother’s diet, it draws them from her body’s tissue. This creates a deficiency • Teen pregnancies are particularly risky because teens need added nutrients for their own growth and development • Poor nutrition increases the chance that the baby will have a low birth weight as well as physical and learning problems later in life.

4. Daily Food Plans for Mom • Give recommendations for pregnant and breast feeding moms • Choose low-fat, nutrient dense foods • Grains • Contain carbohydrates, which provide our body with energy • Grains fortified with folic acid can help prevent defects to the baby’s nervous system • Vegetables • Keeps mother’s heart healthy • Reduce chances of her getting diabetes, high blood pressure, and some kinds of cancer • Rich in potassium and dietary fiber • Rich in folic acids and vitamins A, C, and E • Low in fat and calories, and therefore can help to control the mother’s weight • Fruits • 7 or more servings of fruit and vegetables combined every day • Rich sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals. • High vitamin C help mother and baby have healthy gums and other tissues • Also helps the body heal wounds and to absorb iron

5. Milk Products • Nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein • Vital for building healthy bones and teeth • Important so they can prevent osteoporosis • Choosing milk products that are low fat or fat-free is also important • Meat and Beans • Choose meat and poultry cuts that are low-fat • Provide protein, which is vital to the baby’s growth and development of bones and teeth • Also helps keep the mother’s body healthy • Need more protein than they did before they were pregnant • Oils • Fats at liquid temperature • Solid fats, such as margarine and shortening, contain hydrogenated oils that are higher in saturated fats and trans fats than oils. • Should try to limit saturated fats and trans fats

6. Vitamins and Minerals • Vital to both mother and fetus • Best to get from healthy diet instead of getting from supplements • Pregnant women should take vitamins, minerals, or other supplements only with their doctor’s approval • Vitamins • Help maintain a healthy pregnancy • Women usually need more vitamins during pregnancy • Vitamin A ensures proper eye development and helps keep skin healthy • Vitamin C helps build healthy teeth and gums – it also helps form the connective tissue of skin,bone, and organs • Vitamin D aids in the creation of bones and teeth • Folic acid is necessary for normal spinal development in the fetus • Lack of folic acid can lead to spina bifida. Pregnant women need twice the normal amount. Even women who are considering becoming pregnant should increase their intake of folic acid.

7. Minerals • Pregnant women need iron, a mineral that helps prevent anemia and assists in developing the baby’s own blood supply • Extra iron is stored in the body’s liver and is used in the months right after birth • During this period, a baby who lives on breast milk lacks iron in the diet • The mother can get iron from dried beans, raisins, dates, meat, and leafy green vegetables • Calcium and phosphorus are also important minerals during pregnancy • These nutrients work together to produce strong bones and teeth and ensure regular elimination of waste from the body • Milk and other dairy products are key sources of calcium and phosphorous

8. Food Quantities • Should eat a wide variety of healthy foods • Exact quantities vary depending on the mother’s age, weight, and activity level, as well as the stage of pregnancy

9. Pregnancy and Weight Gain • Most women gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy • Overweight women should gain less, and underweight women should gain more • Women carrying twins should also gain more – as much as 45 pounds • Pregnant women gain weight from the growth of the baby and from physical changes of pregnancy • Healthy women need only about 300 calories per day more than usual • These extra calories should come from nutrient-rich foods • Pregnancy is not a good time for a weight-loss diet, even for women who are overweight • Limiting food deprives the fetus of vital nutrients • Women can lose weight after delivery by eating healthfully

10. Infancy • Good nutrition is the single most important requirement during pregnancy • The baby’s growth and development, including crucial brain development, depend on nutrients from the mother • By eating nutritious, balanced diet, a pregnant woman promotes her baby’s development and maintains her own health

11. Feeding Newborns • Two options: Breast-feeding or bottle feeding • Breast-feeding • Breast milk has exactly the right balance of fat, carbohydrates, and protein for a baby • The protein in breast milk is better digested and absorbed than the protein in formula • Protect infants from infection • Mother passes her immunity to disease to the baby through colostrum • A breast-feeding woman should eat well and drink plenty of liquids to ensure that she produces enough milk • Lactation burns added calories that makes weight-loss diet unnecessary and unwise • Breast-feeding woman may need to adjust her food choices if the infant is sensitive to certain foods

12. Bottle feeding • Infant formula also provides good nutrition • A mother may choose to feed formula if she cannot produce milk or if she takes medications that could be passed to her infant in breast milk • Formula allows a mother to have a more flexible schedule and can be stored longer • Formula can be expensive and it does not give the baby natural immunities to disease

13. Adding Solid Food • Between four and six months of age, a baby is ready to start the transition to the solid food • For easier swallowing and digestion, solids are strained to resemble a mash or paste • Iron-fortified rice cereal mixed with breast milk or formula is a good first solid food • Once babies have started to eat cereal, other new foods can be introduced • Vegetables and fruits come next • It is not unusual for a baby to have an allergic reaction to a new food • Some foods may cause a skin rash or digestible trouble • By keeping track of what the baby has eaten and by introducing new foods one at a time and four days apart, you can know which food the baby is reacting to

14. At about 8 months, a baby is ready for protein foods. • Introduce choices one at a time • That makes it easier to tell whether a food is causing a negative reaction • At around 9 months, infants’ eating skills improve • They are able to sit up steadily in a high chair • They start to self-feed, picking up and chewing soft finger foods • Cutting food into small pieces makes it easier to handle and guards against choking • A 1 year old child can usually eat the same foods as the rest of the family if they are cut into small pieces. • Children under 2 have high energy needs, so caregivers should not limit fat

15. Childhood • Young children are active and growing. They need to eat a wide selection of nutritious foods. Children have small stomachs and short attention spans, so small servings and regular snacks are better than heavy meals. • A rule of thumb for portions is 1 tablespoon of food for each year of the child’s life. • A child’s appetite can vary from day to day • During growth spurts, children often eat more than usual • Children sometimes go on food jags, insisting on a certain food at every meal. • Humor these phases until they pass

16. Encouraging Good Eating Habits • Serve foods that vary in color and texture. Cut foods into imaginative shapes. This adds interest and encourages children to appreciate food’s sensory appeal. • Share meals with children and make mealtime enjoyable. Model good manners and eating habits. • Do not use food as a reward or punishment. This practice gives the wrong impression about the purpose of food. • Allow children to leave food on their plates if they are not hungry. Insisting that they finish all their food can lead to overeating.

17. When possible, let children choose meals and snacks from several nutritious options. Keep plenty of nutritious snacks on hand. • Teach children how to prepare a few simple, healthful foods by themselves, with your supervision. Depending on their age, they might tear lettuce or make sandwiches. As children grow older, allow them to help in preparing meals. • Making shopping trips with children fun and educational. Help them identify fruits and vegetables. Point out flavorful foods of different cuisines. • Encourage children to drink water when thirsty rather than sugary drinks.

18. Nutrition and Special Needs • Children with special physical, emotional, or cognitive needs may need extra help with eating and nutrition • Caregivers, family members, physicians, and dieticians need to work together to help children with special needs cope with daily challenges • Caregivers may need to learn special skills, such as how to use a feeding tube or how to respond to disruptive behavior at mealtime

19. Adolescence • Second most rapid growth period of life • Dramatic physical changes increase a teen’s need for almost all nutrients • During growth spurts, teens’ calorie and nutrient needs increase • Every teen’s growth rate is different, and your needs are different from your friends’ needs. • Base your food choices on your own body cues, such as hunger and height gain • You may need to resist peer pressure to eat more or less than you need

20. Nutrition for Teen Athletes • Carbohydrate Needs • Teen athletes should get 55 to 60% of their daily calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 25% from fat, and 15 to 20% from proteins • Water Needs • Should drink water before and after events • Drink water every 15 minutes during an event • Drink 2 ounces of water for every 3 pounds of weight (if you weight 100 pounds, you should drink 66 ounces of water per day) • Pre-event Meals • Eat 3 to 4 hours before an event for proper digestion • Should include complex carbohydrates. • After a hard workout, refuel the body with nutritious foods and fluids

21. Adulthood • Many adults face a nutrition dilemma. • They need the same amount of nutrients as they get older, but they need fewer calories. • The demands of work and family leave less time for exercise and balanced meals. • Adults may find their weight rising, along with their risk of heart disease, carious types of cancer, and other assorted heath problems • It is easier and healthier to maintain a healthy weight than to gain weight and then try to lose it • Adults need to choose a variety of healthful, low-calorie foods and make physical activity a priority. • Your study of foods and nutrition today can help you keep those commitments as an adult

22. Older Adults • Good nutrition plays a major role in wellness and disease prevention in older age • Healthy food helps older adults and seniors stay healthy, active, and energetic • Calorie needs drop in older adulthood, but nutrition needs often rise • Aging and disease cause the body to use some nutrients, notably calcium and vitamins D and B12, less efficiently • To make every calorie count, older people should choose nutrient dense foods • Thirst signals also decline with age, although fluid needs remain the same

23. Nutrition Challenges for Older Adults • Older adults face challenges that can get in the way of healthy eating • Seniors who live alone or on fixed income may not have the desire or means to prepare nourishing meals • It may take longer to prepare meals • Lifestyle changes also affect food choices • Older adults may have health problems that require a special diet and limit the foods they can eat • Disabilities can make kitchen tasks painful • The death of loved ones can depress the appetite as well as the spirit • Most older adults want to stay independent for as long as possible • To do this, they can use the same strategies used by busy families – such as buying convenience foods, cooking ahead and freezing meals. Health care aides can teach new cooking skills to people with physical limitations • Social service programs, churches, and community groups can also provide services to help older adults stay healthy • Families and neighbors can also help by grocery shopping for an older adult, or making them a meal. • This kindness satisfies more than a nutrition need – it nourishes the whole person!