To feel and be well, the body needs good nutrition. nutrition is needed by the body at all stages of life, to provide material for the growth and development of cells; to repair and replace damaged body tissues; and to provide energy for physical activity and to maintain body temperature. The easiest way to assess the nutrition recommendations and dietary guidelines, during pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, is to keep in mind the food groups; eating a variety of foods from each of the food groups every day will automatically balance the nutrition for each of the developmental stages of human's life. However, the amount of food which makes up the one serve will vary according to the age of the individual.
The quality of a baby's nutrition before birth lay the foundation for good health and well-being in later life. Research has shown that, "the quality of a baby's nutrition before birth may also lay the foundation for good health in later years". (Ravelli, van der, Meulen, Michels, Osmond, & al, e 1998). During pregnancy the fetus gets all its nutrients from the mother. It is important to note that, the requirements for micro-nutrients such as, calcium, iron, and folic acids are increased during pregnancy. Therefore, it is recommended that, during pregnancy women should eat a well-balanced diet. Unfortunately, some women are at risk from poor nutrition during pregnancy. In the first three (3) months of pregnancy, a well-balanced diet allows a woman to build up reserves of the nutrients vital for the unborn baby. Every day, the diet of a pregnant woman should include foods such as: potatoes, cereals, fruits, vegetables, milk and milk products, and high protein foods. Where possible, the consumption of fresh foods is recommended, and pregnant women should cut down on sugary foods. Prepackaged foods and any other foods, which carry the risk of salmonella, must be avoided during pregnancy. Pregnant women should not go on weight-lose diets, but should follow their appetite and avoid eating more than is needed.
The nutrition recommendations and dietary guidelines for infancy involves more than simply providing enough food to meet nutritional requirements: for the infant sucking milk is a great source of pleasure and is also rewarding and enjoyable for the mother. The ideal food for infants to start life with is breast milk and breast-feeding should always be encouraged as the first choice of nutrition in infants feeding. Breast-feeding has advantages, which include proving food constituents in the correct balance for human growth; the breast-milk is sterile and at the correct temperature; infants are provided with maternal antibodies, which help protect from infections; infants are also less likely to become overweight with the consumption of breast-milk. As a substitute for breast-milk, commercially modified cows' milk/formula milks must be used for providing nutrition for infants. If infants develop an intolerance to formulas/modified cows' milk, soya-based milks can be used as infants nutrition. Infants progress to follow on formula milks until one (1) year old., when finger foods or any foods, which can be given to infants to manage by themselves are provided.
When analyzing the nutrition recommendations and dietary guidelines for children, it is imperative that one tries to make food/nutrition as attractive as possible; avoid putting too much food on children's plate at once; and it is important to remember that, children often cope better with foods that do not require too much chewing. Children require servings of breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, bread, and potato, because, they are high-energy foods, which contain vitamins and mineral; by including cereals and potatoes in their skins will increase the fiber content of children's diet. Cakes, sweets, chocolate, and crisps are all high-energy foods, but they have little nutritional value. Children run the risk of putting on too much weight and suffering tooth decay if a lot of these foods are eaten by children. Healthy foods such as raisons and carrots should be given to infants, as snacks, instead of sweets or cakes. Children should be able to follow their own individual appetites in deciding how much they want to eat. "New foods should be int4roduced to children in stages when changing their menu, and always involving the children in choices as far as possible" (Sizer, & Whitney, 2012. p. 537).
It is important that bran should not be given to children as an extra source of fiber because it can interfere with the absorption of calcium and iron, an may consequently cause stomach cramps. Fruits and vegetables should be included in children's diet everyday; fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are needed by children's body to maintain good health. significantly, fruits and vegetables are best eaten raw as their vitamin content is easily destroyed by cooking and processing. When preparing food for children, it is important to present the food in a manner which will attract the children's interest, for example, colorful, shapes, themes, and characters, by using these techniques, mealtime becomes more fun. The use of salt to any food at the table should be avoided because too much salt can cause dehydration in toddlers and may cause hypertension if it is taken over a lifetime. To ensure adequate calcium intake, milk is required by children. If children cannot achieve this milk intake, equivalent amounts of calcium can be consumed from milk products. High-protein foods are required by children every day, to provide materials for the growth of body cells, added to the repair and replacement of body tissues for growing children.
Emerging between childhood and adulthood, adolescence experience both a physical and psychological transformation in their search for identity; their independent nutritional choices will adversely affect their present health, and also as adults. (Moreno, González-Gross, Kersting, Molnár, de Henauw, Beghin,. Marcos, 2008). Although chronic health diseases are now rare among adolescence, still they do fall victims to eating disorders, obesity, drug, alcohol, and tobacco use/abuse. Combined with issues of increasing proportions, which consist of more salty and fatty foods, and with more time spend watching television, playing video games, and using electronic devices, such as computers, the odds of unhealthy nutrition are increasing among adolescents. The intake of minerals by adolescence is of importance because during teenage years, iron is needed by boys for building and strengthening of bones, muscles, and nerves. Teenage women also need iron in support of lean body structure, and regulating fluid balance during menstruation. During adolescence, both boys and girls require increased iron intake for energy production, as they become more active.
Adults experience decline in their strength and vitality, as their physical conditions decrease because of the advancement in age. Their bones become brittle, with the odds of developing life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, and chronic illnesses such as, diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis becoming significantly high. Therefore, adults should try to support their health by limiting the amount of saturated and trans fatty foods. Carbohydrates are needed to help prevent constipation, with an increase in protein intake for the strengthening and repair of bones and tissues. Consequently, the advancing of age in adults will show significant signs of decline in their physical and mental health. The healing process for injuries in adults take a much longer time. According to research, "physical activities reduce the risk factor for falls and future disability in older breast cancer survivors is reduced." Winters-stone, Dobek, Nail, Leo, & Schwartz, June, 2012. Vol. 6, Iss. 2; pg. 189).
It is commonly acknowledged that exercise is of significant benefit to persons of all ages, and no less to persons of advanced ages. Adults may benefit from various forms of exercise which have been shown to benefit their overall health and well-being across a broad range of aspects of living including, but not limited to, strength, balance, flexibility, functional activity, mental alertness, cognition, and general quality of life (QOL). Our healthy nutritional habits, tastes, and preferences are shaped very early on- by the example set by parents, and the foods consumed in infancy. Our whole attitude towards food and eating throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, are often mould by these early influences during infancy. Routine physical activity help people of all stages of development gain strength in their muscles and joints, ,while exercise has been attributed to improved health outcomes in all stages of human development. The consequences of unhealthy nutrition and a lack of physical activity and exercise put people at risk of chronic diseases and infections, and increasing mortality.
References:
Moreno, L. A., González-Gross, M., Kersting, M., Molnár, D., de Henauw, S., Beghin, L., . . . Marcos, A. (2008). Assessing, understanding and modifying nutritional status, eating habits and physical activity in European adolescents: The HELENA (healthy lifestyle in Europe by nutrition in adolescence) study. Public Health Nutrition, 11(3), 288-99. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1368980007000535
Ravelli, A. C. J., J H P van der, Meulen, Michels, R. P. J., Osmond, C., & al, e. (1998). Glucose tolerance in adults after prenatal exposure to famine. The Lancet, 351(9097), 173-7. Retrieved July 3, 2013, from http://search.proquest.com/docview/198989860?accountid=32521
Sizer, F. S & Whitney, E. N. (2012). Nutrition Concepts & Controversies (12th. ed. ). Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Winters-stone, K. , Dobek, J. , Nail, L. , Leo, M. , & Schwartz, A. (2012). The effects of resistance training on muscle strength and physical functioning in older, postmenopausal breast cancer survivors: a random controlled trial. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 6(2),189-99. Retrieved July 2, 2013, from Research Library.
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