Nutrition
Across the lifespan
Nutrition Across the Lifespan
All nutrients are required across the
lifespan.
 The needs change across the different
stages of the lifespan
 To acquire the required daily nutrients
it is important to consume a wide
variety of nutritious food across the
lifespan.

Pregnancy and Lactating Women
An increase in energy especially during
breastfeeding approximately 20%
 No need to eat for “two”, its more
eating a balanced diet.
 During pregnancy the woman’s appetite
may change
 What the woman chooses to eat will
affect her health and the health of her
emryo/fetus

Pregnancy and Lactating Women
The main nutrients required during
pregnancy and lactating women. (hand
out table from Journey through HHD)
 Protein
 Folate
 Iron
 Vitamin C
 B group vitamins
 Minerals

Infancy
Need smaller quantities
 Infants can increase in length by 50%
and weight by 300% between birth and
1 year
 Breast milk is preferred to formula due
to the large number of protective and
immunological factors

Infancy
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Water: Very susceptible to dehydration during early
infancy. Breast milk or correctly prepared infant
formula usually provides enough water
Fats: Provide a source of energy for growth and
acts as a carrier for fat soluble vitamins. Gets fat
from breast milk.
Protein: Required for rapid cell duplication and
release of growth hormone.
Carbohydrates: Needed for energy for BMR.
Infants BMR is twice the rate of adults due to the
rapid growth and need for energy.
Folate: Helps the body form red blood cells, helps
with the formation of DNA and helps cells grow and
divide.
Calcium: Required for growth of teeth, lengthening
and ossification of bones.
Childhood
Children's appetites tend to vary as
their growth patterns and physical
activity needs change.
 A child’s nutrient needs change as they
get older and their body size increases.

Childhood
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Carbohydrates: Most important energy source for
children. Should eat it in its complex form such as
fruit, vegetables and wholegrain cereals. Energy
needs increase throughout childhood as they grow
and their activity levels increase and their muscle.
Protein: Need for protein increase steadily
throughout as both hard and soft tissue continues to
form. Protein forms the matrix of all tissue in the
body.
B group vitamins: Allows energy to be released
and are water soluble.
Calcium: Needed for the ossification process of
bone and teeth. Its required in large amounts during
childhood.
Iron: Required for the increase in blood volume as
the body grows larger.
Adolescence
A time for rapid growth
 An adolescent’s nutritional needs are
greater than any other time of the life
except during pregnancy and lactation.
 Meeting nutritional needs during
adolescence maybe hindered by
behaviours such as skipping meals,
dieting, take away foods etc…

Adolescence
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Calcium: is needed for the lengthening and ossification of
bones. They need to reach their peak bone mass. Calcium in
the bloodstream is important for muscle contraction and
conduction of nerve impulses.
Iron: Needed for the increase in blood volume, energy and for
females to replace the blood lost during menstruation.
Protein: Needed for rapid growth of soft tissue as well as bone
lengthening during adolescence. Needed for the formation of
hormones.
Vitamin C: Function to release energy. Works together with
protein to form connective tissue, also needed for the
absorption of iron.
Carbohydrates: During the growth spurt energy needs are
high but after the main years of growth, energy needs are
related more to physical activity levels.
B group vitamins: Required for energy levels. Quantities
increase according to energy levels.
Adulthood
Growth has ceased
 Nutrients still needed for maintenance
and repair of body tissues
 Nutrients maybe needed for protective
factors such as fibre to help reduce
blood cholesterol, antioxidants to help
protect against disease.
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Adulthood
Protein: Needed for the replacement of
cells
 Calcium: Maintain bone density
 Iron: The intake of iron needs to be
maintained to ensure adequate blood
formation in order to prevent anaemia.
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Older Adults
Food and energy intake decline as
appetite and hunger change.
 Physical activity and level of health
change
 Hard to reach a nutritionally adequate
diet
 Need to reach at least the same if not
more levels of intake of most vitamins,
minerals and protein
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Older Adults
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Fibre: For the digestive system, to aid in the
passage of food. Helps prevent illness such
as colon cancer.
Calcium: Will help protect the body against
developing osteoporosis. Calcium is lost
through urine and needs to be replaced.
When oestrogen levels in menopausal
women drop.
Protein: Needs to stay the same as
adulthood. Need it for the maintenance of
body tissue and replacement of dead cells.