Transcript 3.41 MB - Food a fact of life

Education
Phase 3
Diet through life
© CommNet 2014
Key stages in life
The key stages in life include:
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Pregnancy;
Infancy;
Childhood;
Adolescence;
Adulthood;
Older adulthood.
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Energy needs change through life
Energy requirements change through life and depend on many factors, such as:
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age;
gender;
body size;
level of activity.
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Pregnancy
A varied diet, providing adequate amounts of energy and nutrients, is
essential before and during pregnancy.
Having a healthy body weight is important:
-Being underweight can make it more difficult to become pregnant and
make it more likely for the baby to have a low birth weight. Babies with
low birth weight have a higher risk of developing diseases in adulthood
such as heart disease, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes as
compared to babies with normal birth weight.
-Being overweight and obese increases the risk of complications in
pregnancy and potentially affects the health of the child in later life. The
risk of diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy is increased, and
so are the risk of complications during labour and the risk of an
emergency caesarean operation.
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Early pregnancy: folate
Folate (the natural form of folic acid found in foods) is needed for rapid cell division and
growth in the foetus. This vitamin is important for the development of the neural tube,
which develops into the central nervous system (this is the brain and the spinal cord). An
adequate intake is essential to protect against neural tube defects including cleft palate,
spina bifida and brain damage.
Foods that are good sources of folate are green leafy vegetables, oranges and folate
fortified foods such as some breakfast cereals and breads.
Women who are trying to become pregnant, or are pregnant, should take a supplement
of folic acid as recommended by their member state guidelines. Women who have a
higher risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect may be advised by their doctor to
take higher dose folic acid supplements.
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During pregnancy
During pregnancy, particularly in the last trimester, a woman’s nutritional needs increase
to:
• help the growth of breasts, uterus and placenta;
• meet the needs of the growing foetus;
• lay down stores of nutrients in the foetus, and in the mother for lactation.
On average pregnant women are advised to eat an extra 200 kcal per day in the third
trimester only. But women who are underweight at the start pregnancy or stay as active
as before getting pregnant may need more energy.
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Lactation
The process of producing breast milk and delivering it to the baby is called lactation.
A mother who is breastfeeding requires extra energy and nutrients. There are also
increased demands for nutrients, such as calcium, phosphorous, vitamin A and C.
Breast milk provides all the energy and nutrients a baby needs for growth and
maintenance during the first 4 to 6 months of life.
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Breast milk
Breast milk provides all the energy, nutrients and fluids that your baby needs in order to
grow and develop healthily during the first six months of life. Breast milk provides special
proteins, antibodies and white blood cells which help to protect the baby against
infection. It also provides growth factors and hormones, important for the healthy
growth and development of the baby.
In the first three days after birth, the mother produces a special form of breast milk
called colostrum. It contains less fat, more protein and more protective factors than the
breast milk produced later.
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Weaning
At around 6 months of age, milk no longer fulfils all the baby’s need for energy and
nutrients. The baby then must be given other foods in addition to breast milk or infant
formula. This is called weaning. It is important that weaning is not delayed once a baby is six
months because stores of essential nutrients such as iron, built up prior to birth, need to be
replenished. Also delays in the introduction of new flavours and textures at this stage can
make the introduction and acceptance of new foods more challenging.
Foods used during the first stage of weaning include baby rice and mashed or pureed ripe
fruit and vegetables. Cow’s milk should not be given to infants under 1 year of age as the
main drink, because it does not provide adequate nutrients for the infant. Some EU
countries may also recommend infants receive supplements from 6 months.
CommNet project EarlyNutrition are
investigating the long term effects of
early nutrition. Learn more here:
http://www.project-earlynutrition.eu/
© CommNet 2014
Childhood
Children have a higher energy requirement for their body size compared to adults and
need foods that provide sufficient energy but are also rich in nutrients. Childhood is an
important time for growth and development and children need a good supply of
protein, and other nutrients including calcium, iron and vitamins A and D. Calcium is
needed for healthy tooth development, and together with vitamin D, can help develop
strong bones.
Young children do not have large stomachs to cope with big meals.
Therefore, to achieve the relatively high energy intake for their age, foods should be
eaten as part of small and frequent meals.
CommNet project NUTRIMENTHE looked at
role that diet plays in the mental performance
of children. Learn more here:
http://www.nutrimenthe.eu/
© CommNet 2014
Healthy weight in childhood
Children should be encouraged to remain a healthy weight with respect to their height.
To help children maintain a healthy weight, they should be encouraged to:
• Eat a healthy varied diet;
• Take plenty of physical activity;
• Limit the amount of foods, drinks and snacks high in calories.
A healthy family lifestyle can help in the weight management of children.
CommNet project I Family is investigating the
determinants of eating behaviour in European
children, adolescents and their parents. Learn more
here: http://commnet.eu/02_Network/History.kl
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Dental hygiene
Children should pay attention to dental hygiene and ways to prevent dental caries.
If children choose to eat food and drinks high in sugar occasionally, this should be done
at mealtimes and not in between meals.
Brushing teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and regular dental visits are also
important for dental hygiene.
© CommNet 2014
Adolescence
Adolescence is a period of rapid growth and development and is when puberty occurs.
The demand for energy and most nutrients is relatively high. Boys need more protein and
energy than girls for growth.
For boys and girls, an average of 23cm is added to height and 20-26kg is added in weight.
Before this growth spurt, boys and girls have an average of 15% body fat. During
adolescence this increases to about 20% in girls and decreases to about 10% in boys.
© CommNet 2014
Weight management in adolescence
It is important to encourage an active lifestyle with a healthy, balanced diet during this
time.
This is because good habits practised now are likely to benefit their health for the rest of
their lives.
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Adolescence: Iron
It is important to eat plenty of foods containing iron, especially
girls, as during menstruation, the body loses some of its iron
stores. Iron is important for carrying oxygen around the body.
Many teenage girls do not get enough iron in their diet.
Sources of iron include:
- Red meat and liver;
- Chicken, turkey, eggs, fish;
- Wholegrain bread and breakfast cereals;
- Dark green vegetables, pulses, dried fruit and nuts.
© CommNet 2014
Adulthood
Nutritional requirements do not change much between the ages of 19 to 50, except
during pregnancy and lactation.
A poor diet can lead to diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and
diabetes.
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A balanced diet for adults
To reduce the risk of developing these diseases, it is important to:
•eat a balanced diet;
•eat plenty of fruit and vegetables;
• drink alcohol in moderation;
• stay active;
• do not smoke.
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Healthy weight for adults
Adults should aim for a healthy body weight for their height and try to keep it at that
level.
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a good indicator if a person is underweight, overweight
or a healthy weight. To calculate BMI (kg/m2), divide weight (kg) by height (m) x
height (m).
Recommended BMI range
Underweight
less than 18.5
Normal
18.5 - less than 25
Overweight
25 - less than 30
Obese
30 - 40
Very obese
over 40
© CommNet 2014
Look at the statistics on overweight and
obesity in the EU here:
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistic
s_explained/index.php/Overweight_and_
obesity_-_BMI_statistics
Older adults
Requirements for energy gradually decrease after the age of
50 as activity level falls.
Older adults is the term usually refers to people over the age
of 65.
Healthy ageing
To maintain good health, it is important that older adults:
-enjoy their food;
-keep active;
-have adequate nutrient intakes.
It is also important they keep hydrated by drinking plenty of
fluid. Even minor dehydration can lead to health problems.
© CommNet 2014
Older adults
As we progress through adulthood, bone resorption (replacement of old bone tissue)
takes place at a faster rate than bone formation. This leads to a gradual fall in bone
mass as we age. In women, bone loss is accelerated following the menopause.
Osteoporosis may occur when bones become weak, brittle and break easily. This can
lead to fractures in the wrist, back and hip.
Osteoporosis is a major problem in older adults, especially women. Based on the WHO
diagnostic criterion approximately 22 million women and 5.5 million men aged between
50-84 years are estimated to have osteoporosis in the EU (2010 figures)*.
*Osteoporosis in the European Union: Medical Management,
Epidemiology and Economic Burden Arch Osteoporos 2013.
Hernlund E, Svedbom A, Ivergard M, Compston J, et. al. A report
prepared in collaboration with the International Osteoporosis
Foundation (IOF) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical
Industry Associations (EFPIA). Arch Osteoporos 2013 8:136
© CommNet 2014
Older adults
Older adults should have plenty of calcium intake from milk and dairy products, green
leafy vegetables, beans, pulses, and products made from flour.
As we age, our skin is less efficient at making vitamin D from sunlight and it is unlikely
that the diet alone will provide adequate vitamin D, so some European health bodies
recommend that older adults and other ‘at risk’ groups take a vitamin D supplement.
CommNet project PERFORMANCE is investigating
use of 3D printing as part of a personalised food
supply chain for frail, older adults facing swallowing
and/or masticating problems. Learn more here:
http://www.performance-fp7.eu/
CommNet project NU-AGE is investigating new
dietary strategies to address the specific needs of
elderly population for an healthy ageing in Europe.
Learn more here: http://www.nu-age.eu/
© CommNet 2014