Health Message

Are you and your family eating in a right direction? Nutrition is about choosing the right foods in the right quantities to satisfy the needs of the body. Because the body changes throughout life, so too will be the eating requirements. It is important that a person changes the nutrition needs to suit his or her age and lifestyle. Although the tendency to mark off life into stages based on age groups should be discouraged because of wide individual variations as to health and degree of activity at certain ages, the following classification served as a guideline for your reference:

Infancy The first year of the life of a baby is the most rapid growth period. And so the food given to an infant must be very nutritious. Breast milk is a complete food for babies. It has many nutritional advantages. It contains higher levels of lactose, vitamin C and cholesterol than the dairy milk and less protein. It also has a more efficient nutritional balance between iron, zinc, vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids. Human milk seems particularly suitable for rapid brain cell development. The additional cholesterol in early infancy may induce the production of enzymes required for cholesterol breakdown in adulthood. Another advantage of breast milk is that it also contains anti-infectious agents, which protect the baby from gastrointestinal and upper respiratory disease. With exception of vitamin D, breast milk provides all the nutrient needs for the first four to six months of life. Some infants can make enough vitamin D to meet their needs. The amount formed depends on skin color, exposure time to sunlight, time of the year and so on. Babies will start to eat solid food at about six months of age. They only eat small amounts and the food must be very plain without sugar or salt added. Rice cereal is usually introduced first, followed by strained fruits, vegetables and meats. Between their first and second years, they will start to eat the food that the family eats. Because their bones, teeth, muscles and organs are growing so quickly, they need plenty of calcium, iron, protein and vitamin-rich foods. Nutrient focus: Protein B-group vitamins for growth and activity Vitamin C for growth of collagen and the absorption of iron Calcium for rapid growth and the ossification of infact soft bones Iron for rapid growth of blood and muscle tissue

Childhood This is a time of growth and development. And so it is essential that children eat foods with lots of nutrients, especially calcium and protein for growing bones. On the other hand, if they eat all the time, especially eating those containing lots of fat, salt and sugar such as high-fat, high calorie junk foods and also taking sugar-containing beverages such as soft drinks, problem of obesity can occur. Obesity can handicap a child physically and socially. Peers are often cruel in their ridicule of an overweight child. Thus they usually have poor self esteem. However, many obese children are still poorly nourished because they overeat predominantly high carbohydrate and fat foods. According to some findings, overweight children have a 70% chance of becoming overweight adults. Foods such as wholemeal bread, cereals, fruit and vegetables can help provide the energy needs essential for this age group. Children do not usually need vitamin supplements if they have balanced diets. Young children are more susceptible to the common cold than their elders are because they have had less opportunity to build up anti-bodies against viral organisms. Nutrient focus*: Protein Vitamins (A, C (both for healthy tissue growth), B group (for energy metabolism) and D (for healthy bone and tooth formation)) Calcium Phosphorous Iron

Adolescence During adolescence, the body goes through major physical changes. For this reason, the health and nutrition taken should be very important. Besides, good nutrition is needed to maintain emotional health during this stage. One of the noticeable changes at the onset of puberty is the growth spurt. This is a sudden increase in the rate of growth of the body. Because everyone is different, the rate of growth will vary from person to person. Teenagers need to eat more during pubescence to provide their bodies with the nutrients necessary for rapidly accelerating growth. Appetites normally correspond with the need for more food. A balanced diet will ensure that this growth period progresses normally. However, many eat the wrong kinds of foods, they overeat, or they refuse to eat to keep fashionably slim. Usually, the need for protein as well as vitamins and minerals especially calcium, phosphorus and iron will increase in this stage. The substitution of snack foods for meals helps to account for the deficits in these nutrients. Refined sugar, salt, and saturated fats are the most common excesses in adolescent diets. If not careful with his or her diet, an adolescent can increase the possibility of obesity and heart disease in later life due to intake of calories through refined sugars and fats. One nutritional problem in adolescent girls is iron deficiency anaemia. And so iron-rich foods such as eggs, grains and dark green vegetables are necessary in the diet. Nutrient focus*: Protein Calcium Iron Vitamins (foliate, vitamin A, B6 and C, B-group (thiamin, riboflavin and niacin)) Because adolescents frequently rebel against having someone else supervise their eating, they should be given a great deal of nutritional information. If they can understand what they should eat and why, there is a higher probability that they eat the right kind of foods.

Adulthood At this stage, the body has stopped growing and so the amount eaten should be less. Health is maintained most efficiently when a person eats balanced nutritious meals including foods from the four basic food groups to satisfy the needs of the body for maintenance and repair of tissue and to support energy for physical activity as well as to regulate the body processes. It is also vital to avoid excess intake of fats, sugars, and salts. When the food eaten provides more calories than used each day, it will be stored as fat and obesity will occur. Moreover, a high dietary intake of protein foods containing saturated fats contributes significantly to the risk of heart disease. In fact, physical well-being is threatened more by noninfectious agents such as obesity, alcohol, drugs and smoking. Hence, the emphasis here should be on the low-fat varieties and high-fibre foods. Nutrient focus*: Protein Decrease need for B-group vitamins (thiagmine, riboflavin, niacin and B6) due to decrease in energy requirements Requirements for zinc, magnesium, sodium, selenium and potassium remain constant Calcium to support bone mass and prevent osteoporosis Iron Pregnancy presents special requirements. The diet needs to be high in nutritious foods, espcially calcium, iron, zinc, proteins and vitamins. And a pregnant woman needs extra extra food energy. Nutrient focus*: Protein to build new foetal tissue and for growth of the placenta Vitamins (Vitamin C (for formation of connective tissue), D (support calcium usage in the body), folate (support increased cell division as the fetus grows and develops, can be obtained from fruits, juices, green vetetables, wholegrain and fortified cereals), B12 (for increased cell turnover and activates folate), B6, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin) Minerals (calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium and selenium) A balanced diet can meet most of the needs of a pregnant woman except for iron to support her enlarged blood volume and to provide for placental and fetal needs. And so iron supplements may be required.

The Elderly This is the time when people should pay more attention to eating foods high in nutrients but low in fats.Because calorie needs decrease with age but amino acid needs do not, the elderly need to eat more calories from protein foods. The elderly often omit fruits and vegetables from their diet. And dehydration is a risk for older adults, who may not notice or pay attention to thirst. The elderly have a problem with vitamin B12. The stomach secretes less gastric acid and pepsin, which are needed to break B12. And so less B12 is absorbed but B12 is necessary to make new cells, maintain the protective cover around nerve fibres. In this regard, supplements might be necessary to remedy this. Studies on vitamin B6 show that its metabolism is changed with age, resulting in a higher requirement in the elderly. As the elderly tend to be outside less, they make less vitamin D from exposure to the sun. Also they have less of the vitamin D precursor in the skin. Because milk is the only dairy product with vitamin D, it is is important for them to drink more milk. The elderly also need to take more calcium and zinc. Zinc is needed in cell production, wound healing, the immune system and taste. In addition, older adults may absorb zinc less efficiently. Many of the health problem that are chronic in the elderly had their origins in childhood or earlier adulthood. And so careful eating should be started in these early stages.

* Although some nutrients are highlighted, it must be emphasized that a person needs a balanced diet involving all four groups in the food pyramid to be in healthy state.