Nutrition for nursing
Dr. Fahad Aldhafiri
Nutrition throughout
the life cycle
INFANCY (BIRTH TO 1 YEAR)
• Birth weight doubles by 4 to 6 months of
age and triples by the first birth-day.
• Length (height) increases by
approximately 10 in during the first year.
Breast Milk
• Breast milk is specifically designed to support optimal growth
and development in the newborn, and its composition makes
it uniquely superior for infant feeding.
• Breastfeeding is credited with numerous potential health
benefits for the infant, including lower risks of otitis media,
upper respiratory tract infection, lower respiratory tract
infection, asthma, atopic dermatitis, gastroenteritis, obesity,
celiac disease, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, certain types of
leukemia, and sudden infant death syndrome.
Infant Formula
• Infant formulas may be used in place of
breastfeeding, as an occasional supplement to
breastfeeding, or when exclusively breastfed infants
are weaned before 12 months of age.
• Term formulas contain cow’s milk protein and lactose
and are made to resemble human milk.
• Recently, formulas with long-chain polyunsaturated
fatty acids (arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic
acid [DHA], an omega-3 fatty acid) have been
marketed to promote eye and brain development
(O’Connor, 2009). They are more costly than routine
formulas, and most well-conducted randomized trials
show no benefit t to using them.
Infant Feeding and Obesity
• Many overweight infants remain overweight as children;
childhood obesity has long been known as a strong predictor
of adult obesity.
• Breastfeeding duration and/or exclusivity has been inversely
related to the rate of weight gain during infancy and with
weight and risk of overweight and obesity in toddlers and
preschoolers.
Complementary Foods
Introducing Solids
• Developmentally, most infants exhibit readiness to spoonfeed around 4 to 6 months of age.
• For both breastfed and formula-fed infants, iron-fortified
infant cereal is traditionally the first solid food introduced.
• Iron-fortified infant cereals are recommended until the infant
is 12 to 18 months old because the iron in these cereals is
absorbed more readily than that from other cereals.
• New foods should be introduced in plain and simple form one
at a time for a period of 5 to 7 days to identify allergic
reactions, such as rashes, fussiness, vomiting, diarrhea, or
constipation. If there is a positive family history for food
allergies, milk, eggs, wheat, and citrus fruits should be
introduced cautiously.
• Peanuts and peanut butter should be avoided because of the
potential for severe allergic reaction.
NUTRITION FOR TODDLERS AND
PRESCHOOLERS
• Evidence suggests that dietary habits acquired in early
childhood persist through to adult-hood (Kelder, Perry, Klepp,
and Lytle, 1994).
• Parents are the primary gatekeepers and role models for their
young children’s food intake and habits; their feeding
practices and style have been shown to affect children’s
eating behavior and their weight status (de Lauzon-Guillain et
al., 2012).
Calories and Nutrients
NUTRITION FOR CHILDREN
• School-age children
• As children get older, they consume more foods from non
home sources and have more out-side influences on their
food choices. School, friends’ houses, childcare centers, and
social events present opportunities for children to make their
own choices beyond parental supervision.
• Family meals promote social interaction and allow children to
learn food-related behaviors. Parents should provide and
consume healthy meals and snacks and avoid or limit emptycalorie foods.
NUTRITION FOR ADOLESCENTS (12–18 YEARS)
• The slow growth of childhood abruptly and dramatically
increases with pubescence until the rate is as rapid as that of
early infancy. Adolescence is a period of physical, emotional,
social, and sexual maturation.
• Approximately 15% to 20% of adult height and 50% of adult
weight are gained during adolescence. Fat distribution shifts
and sexual maturation occurs.
• Gender differences are obvious. For instance, girls generally
experience increases in growth between 10 and 11 years of
age and peak at 12 years. Because peak weight occurs before
peak height, many girls and parents become concerned about
what appears to be excess weight.
• In contrast, boys usually begin the growth spurt at about 12
years of age and peak at 14 years. Stature growth ceases at a
median age of approximately 21 years.
• Nutritional needs increase later for boys than for girls.
• In early adolescence, peer pressure overtakes
parental influence on food choices. As the
adolescent becomes increasingly independent, more
self-selected meals and snacks are purchased and
eaten outside the home.
• A natural increase in appetite combined with fastfood marketing practices geared toward adolescents
and a decrease in physical activity increase the risk of
overeating.
NUTRITION CONCERNS DURING CHILDHOOD
AND ADOLESCENCE
• Overweight and Obesity
• Breakfast Skipping