Nutrition Throughout the Lifespan: Conception to Death

Nutrition is Important from Conception to Death

Pregnancy

 Although nutrition is essential for a pregnant women, it is also important before conception. A women can set her self up for a more healthy pregnancy before she ever actually begins to carry the baby. Establishing a good diet and habits is a great way for a women to prepare for the day when she will carry a baby, and maintaining a healthy body weight may mean less issues and concerns during the pregnancy while cutting down chances of having a high-risk pregnancy. Once a women does become pregnant, a good habit to establish is the use of prenatal vitamins. "Prenatal supplements typically provide more folate, iron, and calcium than regular supplements. Women with poor diets need them urgently, as do women in high-risk groups: women carrying twins or triplets, and those who smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or abuse drugs" (Sizer & Whitney).

Vitamins that are important for building bones are extremely important, so making sure that vitamin D and calcium levels are adequate is essential. Iron is also vital to increasing blood volume, essential to the health of the fetus and the placenta. Women that are pregnant also need to watch their weight, and need to know how much weight gain is healthy. According to the Institute of Medicine, women that are underweight should gain 28 to 40 lbs., a women in healthy weight range should gain 25 - 35 lbs., overweight women should gain 15 to 25 lbs., and obese women should gain 11 - 20 lbs. (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).

Infancy

 For an infant the main source of nutrition is breast milk or formula for approximately the first six months. "A baby grows faster during the first year of life than ever again" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013). Babies also have an extremely fast metabolism, making them need more nutrients and more often. The energy producing nutrients of fats, carbs, and proteins are extremely important as well as the vitamins and minerals that help the body perform needed functions. As with adults, water is extremely important for infants too.  

Children

Children grow fast, making diet and nutrition extremely vital for this stage of life. Different children have different energy needs, and their diet should reflect this. A child that is always on the run will need more energy yielding nutrients, while a less active child will require less. Children need to eat a well rounded diet full of fruits and veggies, appropriate portions of protein, as well as whole grains and dairy. Parents have the ability to teach their children good eating habits and how to make wise food choices that will last a life time.

This website is an excellent source for information on children's nutrition and diet needs:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Dietary-Recommendations-for-Healthy-Children_UCM_303886_Article.jsp

Teens

"Food choices in during the teen years profoundly affect health, both now and in the future" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013). Energy is needed at this stage for work, play, learning, and the changes that happen throughout the body. An extremely active teenager may need a diet high in calories to maintain energy levels and to aid in growth and hormonal changes. Iron is essential in a teenagers life. "A boy needs more iron at this time to develop extra lean body mass, whereas a girl needs extra not only to gain lean body mass but also to support menstruation" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013). Calcium plays an important part in the strength of bones at this time, as well as throughout life. Many teens are involved in sports or other activities, and bone health is very important in protecting bones. 

Check out this link for a great resource on teen related topics for parents and teenagers:

http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/

Adults

As an adult, every ones diet needs differ. Some adults may require more energy producing nutrients than others. Some may require vitamin and mineral supplements and some may not. Genetics play a role in the health risks that an adult faces, and even though these conditions may be inevitable, nutrition can play a role in prevention and the onset of some conditions. Many chronic illnesses can be off set with a healthy diet and exercise. 

Elderly

As people move into their elderly years the habits and behaviors that they have had throughout life may begin to affect day to day life. Poor diet choices and living sedentary may cause may different health conditions and consequences. These choices may also reflect how long a person lives. "How long a person can expect to live depends on several factors. An estimated 70 to 80 percent of the average person's life expectancy depends on individual health-related behaviors, with genes determining the remaining 20 to 30 percent" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013). Protein intake can also affect conditions such as arthritis, and making sure that elderly people are choosing the "good" fats rather than the "bad" fats. 

Check out this link for some great info on diet as you age:

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/eating-well-as-you-age.htm

Reference:

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

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