Download Nutritional Needs and Health Concerns Study Sheet

Nutritional Needs and Health Concerns Study Sheet
Nutritional Needs Change Throughout the Life Cycle
Nutritional Needs:
follow the recommendations from the food pyramid
follow recommended dietary guidelines
many health problems are linked to nutrition
exercise is important through the life cycle
good nutrition helps the body to resist disease, helps recuperation, and
supplies energy
proper amounts of fiber in the diet is directly linked to preventing many
health concerns.
Children:
Follow recommended number of servings and serving sizes for children
(children age 2 to 6 - milk servings; meat 2 servings; vegetable 3 servings; fruit 2
servings; grain 6 servings)
Servings sizes/portions for children are smaller than adults; children under
age 4 a serving is usually 2/3’s of a regular serving: children 4 years and
older can eat the same amount as a regular food pyramid size
Need a variety of nutrient dense foods in small frequent amounts
Expose to new and a wide variety of foods
Introduce new foods one at a time
Taste buds are very sensitive
Avoid sweet foods as snacks
Make foods interesting and inviting for children; color, texture, shape, size
and temperature
Adolescents:
Follow recommended number of servings from the food guide pyramid
milk 2-3 servings; meat 2-3 servings; vegetables 3-5 servings; fruit 2-4 servings;
grain 6-11 servings.
Time of great activity and rapid growth
Need a variety of nutritious foods throughout the day
avoid high sugar and high fat snack foods; monitor amount of caffeine and
carbonated drinks
Teen Athletes:
Carbohydrates, fats and proteins all contribute to stored nutrients that help
produce energy
Muscles built by exercise, NOT extra protein
Because of high energy/caloric output more complex carbohydrate foods
are required
Meals should be eaten 3 - 5 hours before an athletic event
Water is essential; two cups of water is recommended for every pound
lost during workout
Potassium replacement is recommended by eating dried fruit, low-fat milk,
most fruits and vegetables
Adults:
Metabolism slows down; generally total food intake needs to be reduced
Exercise is an important component to balancing food intake and output
Sedentary lifestyle creates a greater need for daily exercise
Aging:
Nutrient dense foods are important
Taste sensations and smells are less sensitive
Low sodium and low-fat diets are commonly recommended to lower the
risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and certain types of cancer
Various physical and mental challenges may limit ability to purchase and
prepare foods
Elderly who live alone have a harder time eating a variety of nutritious
foods; malnutrition is a concern
Many health concerns and diseases incident to aging affect eating habits
and food choices
Food assistance programs are available to help feed the elderly
Health Concerns Relating to Food and Nutrition
Weight Management:
factors that influence food intake behavior - physical, emotional, social,
religious, cultural, financial/income, nutritional knowledge, habits
physical body characteristics are inherited; can’t change body proportions
learning to accept inherited shape and maintaining a healthy weight will
influence overall lifetime health
one general rule to determine healthy weight:
women - 100 lbs. for 5 ft. and 5 lbs. for each additional inch (range
equals plus 10% and minus 10%)
i.e. 5’5” = 125 lbs. general range = 112 - 138 lbs.
men - 106 lbs. for 5 ft. and 6 lbs. each additional inch (range equals
plus 10% and minus 10%)
i.e. 5’10” = 166 lbs. general range = 150 - 183 lbs.
obesity is defined as 20% above normal weight range for a person’s
gender, height and frame
obesity is associated with the following health concerns - stroke, adultonset diabetes, heart disease
inactivity and/or underactivity is probably the most important single
contributor to obesity in the U.S.
energy balance equation = calories in/consumed vs. calories out/used
generally people tend to underestimate their daily food/caloric intake and
overestimate their calorie output (exercise)
3500 calories = 1 lb.
recommended weight loss program - cut calories a little and increase
exercise
maximum weight loss per week is 1 - 2 lbs.
skipping meals is not a good way to lose weight; breakfast is the most
important meal of the day
weight loss should include:
eating a variety of foods; including all the groups in the food
pyramid
include all the groups in the food pyramid
carbohydrates, protein and fats
eating at regular intervals; avoid skipping meals
successful weight loss through behavior modification:
set realistic goals
develop new eating habit/change old ones
increase exercise; finding something you enjoy will increase the
chances of staying active
eating a variety of foods; include all the groups in the food pyramid
gaining weight:
eat larger portions of nutrient dense foods
eat regular meals
add nutritious snacks between meals
avoid high-sugar and high-fat snacks
avoid fad diets
very low calorie (1000 calories or less per day)
diets based upon limited foods or a single food
plans that promise quick weight loss (over 2 lbs. per week)
high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets
diet pills
fasting - going without food
yo-yo dieting
lose weight, gain weight, lose weight
cycle of body weight going up and down
hard on the body and may have harmful long-range health effects
Anemia:
severe depletion of iron stores resulting in low blood hemoglobin
symptoms include - weak, tired, mental state affected
loss of blood creates a loss of iron
menstruating females are at higher risk
not all ingested iron is absorbed; vitamin C helps to absorb iron when
taken together
meat is an excellent source of iron
fortified cereals have iron added
often a concern for female adolescence
Colon and Rectal Cancer:
one of the top causes of cancer deaths in the U.S.
insoluble fiber will not dissolve, absorbs water, contributes bulk, lowers the
risk for cancer
insoluble fiber significantly inhibits the development of precancerous colon
and rectal polyps
fiber helps food move through large intestine
good sources of fiber include fruits, whole grains, vegetables, dried beans
diets should consist of 20-35 grams of fiber a day
high fiber diets need lots of liquids to avoid problems
Diabetes:
hyperglycemia - blood glucose levels are too high
diabetes affects the body’s production and use of insulin - making blood
glucose levels abnormally high
insulin is a hormone produced in the body
types:
Type I - child/juvenile diabetes and Type II - adult onset diabetes
risk factors
many people have a genetic predisposition to acquiring the disease
maintaining a healthy body weight helps to prevent hyperglycemia
symptoms/warning signs occurring in combination may include:
excessive urination and thirst
weight loss with nausea, easy tiring, weakness, irritability
cravings for food; especially sweets
vision disturbances blurred vision
slow healing of cuts and bruises
soluble fiber may improve the control of blood sugar and can reduce the
need for insulin or medication
important to manage carbohydrate intake through diet and/or receiving
insulin
causes damage to the kidneys, eyes, and other body parts
Hypoglycemia:
low blood glucose levels
types:
a drop in blood glucose following a meal and is accompanied by
symptoms of the stress response, this is a case of the body not functioning
properly; special diet considerations must be followed
fasting/starving can induce hypoglycemia; usually after 8 - 14 hours
of not eating; self-induced hypoglycemia corrected with normal eating patterns
symptoms/warning signs may include:
headache, mental dullness, fatigue, irritability, trembling, hunger,
anxiety
Heart Disease:
coronary heart disease (CHD) refers to disease of the heart and blood
vessels; it is the leading cause of death in the United States
atherosclerosis is the most common form - plaque forms along the inner
walls of the arteries
saturated fat in the diet is changed to cholesterol which forms the plaque
plaque causes hardening of the arteries and the more advanced condition
of atherosclerosis
factors increasing the risk:
genetics, age, high-fat diet (high blood cholesterol), lack of
exercise, stress, smoking and tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, low
fiber intake, low vitamin/mineral intake
decrease consumption of foods high in saturated fats and sodium
high sodium/salt foods - onion rings, pickles, french fries potato chips,
some soft drinks, canned soups, frozen entrees, processed foods, i. e. lunch
meats
buildup of plaque in the arteries leading to the brain may result in a stroke
Osteoporosis:
a condition manifested in older adults; females at higher risk
bones become porous and fragile due to the lack of calcium
bone density is developed during the first 25 years of life
after age 25 calcium consumption helps to maintain the existing bone
density
daily calcium consumption - ages 9-19 1,300 mg; age 19-50 1,000 mg
age 50+ 1,200
1 cup of milk has approximately 300 mg. of calcium
risk factors
advanced age, low-calcium diet, female gender, thinness, smoking,
lack of exercise, alcoholism, chronic steroid use
exercise
when people are confined to a bed, their bones and muscles lose
strength
weight-bearing exercises such as walking, dancing, jogging and
calisthenics are especially effective in maintaining bone density