1. SCI/241
Teresa SESCO
WEEK 7 CHECKPOINT
April 5, 2012

2. A HEALTHY DIET IS
IMPORTANT THROUGHOUT
LIFE
 As an infant, the nutrients in formula or breast milk allow
for optimal brain development. As a young child,
consuming the right balance of nutrients is key to
optimal growth and development.
 In the teen years, good nutrition allows for continued
growth, maturation, and sexual development.
 As an adult, a diet that provides enough of the right mix
of nutrients can help postpone or avoid the chronic
diseases that are common in the developed world.
 In older adults, a nutritious diet can help maintain health
despite diminishing function in organ systems.

3. INFANT NEEDS
Newborn growth
more rapidly and
require more energy
and protein per
kilogram of body
weight than that at
any other time in
life.

4. NUTRIENTS FOR BABY and
CHILDREN
 Breast milk is the ideal food for new babies.
 If breast-feeding is not chosen, there are many infant formulas on the
market that are patterned after human milk and provide adequate
nutrition to the baby.
 Introducing solid foods between 4 and 6 months of age adds iron and
other nutrients to the diet and aids in muscle development.
 A varied diet can meet children’s nutrient needs without dietary
supplements, but skipped meals, food jags, and erratic eating habits
can make meeting needs a challenge.
 The proportion of fat needed in the diets of young children is much
lower than in infancy but still somewhat higher than in adults.
 Carbohydrates should come primarily from whole grains, vegetables,
fruits, and milk.

5. During adolescence, accelerated growth and sexual
maturation have an impact on nutrient requirements
(A humans total energy and nutrient needs are greatest
during the adolescence stage of life.)
MALE FEMALE
 Boys gain more lean body  Girls gain proportionately
tissue more body fat
 Young men require more  Iron deficiency anemia is
protein and energy common, especially in girls
as they begin losing iron
through menstruation.
Adolescent athletes are susceptible to
nutrition misinformation, and they may try dangerous
practices such as using anabolic steroids to increase
muscle mass or fad diets and fluid restriction to lose
weight.

6. ADULTS,
and OLDER
ADULTS
Aging is the accumulation of changes over time
that results in an ever-increasing susceptibility
to disease and death.  During pregnancy the requirements for
The physiological changes that occur with age energy, protein, water, vitamins, and minerals
affect the ability to acquire, consume, digest,
absorb, and metabolize nutrients.
increase; the B vitamins are needed to
Energy needs are reduced so a nutrient-dense support increased energy and protein
diet is needed to meet needs. Fluid needs are metabolism; calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin
not different but the risk of dehydration is
increased. Vitamin B12 requirements are the C are needed for bone and connective tissue
same but the vitamin should come from fortified growth; protein, folate, vitamin B12, and zinc
foods or supplements in order to ensure
adequate absorption. The requirements for
are needed for cell replication; and iron is
calcium and vitamin D are increased and it may needed for red blood cell synthesis.
be hard for older adults to get enough of either
from diet alone.  Nutritional status, income, and age affect
pregnancy outcome: Risks of pregnancy are
increased by poor nutritional status before
pregnancy; poverty, which limits access to
food and health care; age that is under 20
years because the mother is still growing, or
over 35 years because the mother is more
likely to have preexisting health conditions.