NUTRITION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

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NUTRITION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
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PREGNANCY

• The nutritional choices that women make when they
  are pregnant can have a direct impact on their
  developing babies
• If planning on becoming pregnant, it is
  recommended by physicians that women begin making
  lifestyle changes in advance because critical
  development of the fetus begins even before a
  woman may realize she is pregnant

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PREGNANCY NUTRIENT NEEDSFOLIC ACID

• Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) is critical
• A lack of this vitamin raises the risk of the
  baby developing a neural tube defect, in which
  the neural tube (spinal column) fails to close
  properly during development
• Complications of this defect include
  abnormalities of the spine, brain, and skull
• These complications can result in stillbirth or
  lifelong disabilities such as spina bifida
• Neural tube development occurs very early in
  pregnancy within the first 4 weeks after
  conception
• Therefore it is recommended that all women of
  child bearing age take a folic acid supplement
  beginning 3 months before they plan on conceiving
  until at least 3 months into their pregnancy

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PREGNANCY NUTRIENT NEEDSIRON

• Iron is important to support the increased
  numbers of red blood cells during pregnancy
• These blood cells help deliver oxygen to the
  placenta and the fetus
• In the final trimester of pregnancy, the fetus
  builds its own blood-cell stores from the
  mothers blood-cell stores, in order to support
  itself during the first few months of life
• Low iron levels can result in babies with low
  birth weights and premature delivery
• It is recommended by health professionals that
  pregnant women take a multivitamin containing
  iron and consume foods rich in iron

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PREGNANCY NUTRIENT NEEDSCALORIES

• Energy needs are higher during pregnancy to
  support growth and development of baby, but the
  increase of calories required is not as great as
  many people believe
• If too much weight is gained, the mother will
  have increased difficulty losing the weight
  post-partum, and there is an increased risk of
  complications for her and baby during birth
• Gaining too little weight can cause low birth
  weight in baby which can increase possibility of
  various disabilities and health problems as child
  ages
• Physicians recommend pregnant women continue to
  be physically active (according to their health
  professionals recommendations) and follow
  guidelines in CFG

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PREGNANCY NUTRIENT NEEDSFood Safety
sanitation concerns

• Pregnant women and their babies have higher risk
  of foodborne illness
• A pregnant womans immune system is weakened,
  making her more vulnerable to infections
• Babys immune system is not yet developed so
  infections can cross through placenta and infect
  the baby
• Foodborne illnesses can cause miscarriage,
  stillbirth, increased risk of other complications
  for the baby

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PREGNANCY NUTRIENT NEEDSFOOD safety
Sanitation concerns ctd.

• Health professionals caution that pregnant women
  should refrain from consuming
• Hot dogs and/or deli-meats
• Raw or lightly cooked eggs or egg products (salad
  dressings, cookie dough, cake batter, etc.)
• Raw or undercooked meat or poultry
• Raw seafood
• Raw or unpasteurized dairy products
• Raw sprouts
• Unpasteurized fruit juice and cider

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INFANCYBreastfeeding

• In their first year of life, infants are growing
  and developing rapidly, so their Calorie intake
  is high relative to their size and the food they
  consume can have a noticeable effect
• Health professionals agree that breast milk
  should be the primary source of food for infants
• Breastfeeding promotes good health and
  mother-child bonding
• Colostrum (the thick, yellow breastmilk produced
  immediately after birth continuing through early
  days of breastfeeding) is full of antibodies and
  white blood cells, so breastfed children are less
  likely to develop infections and allergies
• Colostrum is easy for babies to digest and acts
  as a laxative making it easier for infants to
  pass their first stool

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INFANCYBreastfeeding CTD

• Because of this, the WHO (World Health
  Organization) recommends that babies
• be fed colostrum within the first hour of birth
• are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months
  of their life
• Are breastfed and supplemented with solid foods
  up to age 2
• Colostrum changes to mature milk within a few
  days after birth
• Foremilk quenches infants thirst and changes to
  hindmilk as feeding progresses
• Hindmilk relaxes the baby, allows them to feel
  full, and encourages weight gain

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INFANCYBarriers to Breastfeeding

• A small percentage of mothers experience
  difficulties breastfeeding
• Lactation consultants are available in many
  countries
• Some concerns new mothers have regarding
  breastfeeding include
• Their breast milk isnt as nutritious as formula
• Being uncomfortable breastfeeding around others
• Stopping breastfeeding to return to work
• Society has not always made it easy for women to
  breastfeed some public places banned
  breastfeeding
• Women find it difficult to express and store milk
  while at work

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INDIVIDUAL TASK

• Using the Nutrition Healthy Eating textbook
  (green and white)
• 1. Go to page 97
• 2. Read Spotlight OnCan Food Preferences
  Begin in Utero?
• 3. Answer questions 1-4
• 4. Hand in your work

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INFANCYSolid foods

• At 6 months of age, solid foods are gradually
  introduced starting with infant cereal
• Foods need to be introduced one at a time to see
  if an infant is sensitive to a food
• If you introduce more than 1 food at a time, you
  will be unable to assess which food causes the
  sensitivity
• Wait 2-3 days before introducing new foods to a
  babys diet
• Babies who have a parent or sibling with a food
  allergy are at a greater risk of developing an
  allergy themselves

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Infancysolid foods ctd

• Feeding solid foods introduces infants to
  differences in textures and encourages them to
  develop the ability to chew and swallow
• To reduce risk of choking, foods should be cut
  into very small pieces and served in small
  portions
• Infants under 2 years old should drink full-fat
  dairy products (3 or 2)
• Fat is necessary for brain growth and development

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INFANCYfamilial influences on food choices

• Families help determine the foods we eat as well
  as how we eat
• Adults play an extremely important role in
  ensuring that good food choices are made during
  meals and snacks
• Feeding infants nutritious foods improves their
  growth and development and sets the stage for
  good food choices they make as they age and can
  choose on their own what to eat

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Childhood

• Good nutrition throughout childhood promote
  proper growth and development, and improved
  concentration and learning
• Making nutritious choices during youth sets a
  pattern for making nutritious choices as they age
• 17 of children in Canada are overweight and 9
  are obese
• In Canada, obesity levels in children have
  increased over the past 20 years, while physical
  activity levels have decreased
• This is due, in large part, to high caloric
  intakes and low energy expenditure

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Childhoodnutritional needs in children

• Childrens calorie and protein needs are higher
  than adults due to greater growth patterns
• Care needs to be taken to ensure they get
  adequate amounts of nutrients such as protein to
  sustain their growth
• Variety of foods provided exposes children to a
  variety of flavours and nutrients
• Poor nutrition in children relates to health
  concerns such as
• Constipation
• Iron-deficiency anemia
• Vitamin D deficiency

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Childrennutritional needs in children VITAMIN d

• Vitamin D is produced through exposure to the sun
  but the amount of sun kids are exposed to has
  decreased due to increased indoor play, increased
  use of sunscreen due to skin cancer concerns, and
  wearing clothing that covers much of the skin
• Vitamin D is available in some food products
  (milk has been fortified with it as well as soy,
  almond, and rice beverages)
• Eggs and fatty fish are other sources of Vitamin
  D

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Childrenchildrens food choices

• Most children go through a time when they are
  considered picky eaters refusing to eat all
  but certain foods
• This behaviour is learned from those around them
• Modelling appropriate food choices results in
  children consuming a wider variety of foods
• Pressuring children to finish their food results
  in children having a negative reaction to that
  food, and consuming less food
• Some children may not like the taste or texture
  of certain foods as they have more taste buds
  than adults do, so they find many flavours
  stronger than adults will

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Childrenchildrens food choices

• Children may experience food neophobia a fear
  and unwillingness to try new foods
• They need to be introduced to new foods multiple
  times before they develop a likeness, or taste,
  for it. (15 times is possible!)
• Present foods in a fun way (different shapes and
  sizes) Hiding vegetables inside other foods (ex
  pasta sauce, soups) at least helps ensure
  children are getting these important nutrients
• It may, however, dissuade children from becoming
  familiar with, and eating those vegetables,
  separately.

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Childrensocial influences on food choices

• Seeing what their family, friends, and classmates
  consume can have a strong influence on childrens
  food choices
• When we eat with others we may consume more food
  as we arent conscious of how much food we are
  putting into our mouths
• In an attempt to get along with others and mirror
  what they are doing, children (and adults!) often
  match what and how much others are eating

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Group task

• In pairs or groups of 3 max, (or you can choose
  to work individually), complete the following
  task
• Using the Nutrition Healthy Eating textbook
  (green and white), go to page 107.
• Read the Trends Change box titled Fruits and
  Vegetable Programs.
• Choose a vegetable that children might not enjoy
  eating. (Ex broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower,
  celery, beans, carrots, mushrooms, etc.)
• On a blank piece of white paper, create a poster
  targeted at children ages 4-8, that promotes that
  vegetable and makes it appear fun to eat.
• Creativity is key! What makes a child interested
  in anything? Cartoons! Colour! Fun!

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Preadolescence early adolescence

• Puberty brings heightened growth, including
  growth spurts, so nutrient intake, including
  energy intake, increases
• The age at which children, especially girls,
  experience puberty has lowered over the decades
• Children with poor diets are more likely to go
  through puberty earlier
• Children with diets higher in vegetable protein
  tend to go through puberty approx. 7 months later
  than the average whereas children with diets
  higher in animal protein go through puberty
  approx. 7 months earlier than the avg.

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Preadolescence and early adolescencerole of
media in food choices

• Children and youth have increased access to media
  and programming exposes them to as many as 40,000
  advertisements/year
• Children with high levels of media usage are more
  likely to consume foods that are less nutrient
  dense and more energy dense
• Children who are exposed to more food advertising
  tend to have higher BMIs than those who are not
• TV, video games, and computers/electronic devices
  reduce the time that youth spend participating in
  physical activity

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Adolescence nutritional needs

• Not all teens are making good food choices, but
  this is often due to their level of nutrition
  knowledge
• Iron-deficiency anemia can affect males and
  females but is more of a concern among adolescent
  girls menstruation
• Girls recommended intake of iron is higher than
  boys
• Iron from animal sources is easily absorbed by GI
  tract and can be used by the body
• Calcium can reduce the absorption of iron from
  vegetable sources making it more difficult for
  the body to use iron
• Vitamin C helps increase the absorption of iron,
  so consuming foods rich in Vit C (citrus fruits,
  kiwi, tomatoes, broccoli) will help

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Adolescencenutritional needs ctd.

• Approx 20 of teenage girls in Canada report not
  consuming meat products
• 35 of teenage girls in Canada consume fewer than
  the recommended daily servings of Meat Meat
  Alternatives
• Protein continues to be as important for
  adolescents as it is for children, due to the
  rapid growth that happens
• Adolescents need to be mindful of their protein
  choices while meats provide complete proteins,
  they may also be high in fat, especially
  saturated fat

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Adolescencephysiological emotional influences
on food choices

• Food is associated with both positive negative
  experiences
• Example comfort foods we associate with home
  and comfort, or foods that remind of us of our
  childhood
• Our physiological state can also determine how
  much and what types of foods we choose
• Example people who are well rested make better
  food choices than people who are sleep deprived
• Certain emotions make us more likely to eat
  anger, confusion, loneliness

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Adolescencephysiological emotional influences
on food choices ctd

• emotional eating can be linked to overconsumption
  of food which can lead to weight gain can be a
  contributing factor in rising obesity levels in
  society

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adulthood

• Recent studies on Canadian adults food intake
  show that 25 of males and females daily energy
  needs are coming from foods that are high in
  sugar, salt, and fat
• Metabolism slows down gradually as you get older,
  making it easier to gain weight and harder to
  lose weight
• Adults who had no trouble maintaining a healthy
  weight as adolescents may suddenly find that they
  gain weight every year

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Adulthood ctd

• As adults are no longer growing, their nutrient
  needs are different than when they were younger
• Calories may need to be reduced
• Nutrient needs of a younger adult (18-25) may be
  different than those of older adults
• Ex iron folic acid are important for women
  in childbearing years, while calcium vitamin D
  are important for older men and women
• A relationship between poor diet and fertility
  problems has been found by researchers (2008)

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Adulthoodeconomic influences on food choice

• How Canadians spend their food money has changed
  over the years we are now spending more at
  restaurants and less at grocery stores
• Factors influencing this
• Increased availability of restaurants
• Eating at restaurants has become a common leisure
  activity
• For some, the cost of spending money on
  restaurant food is worth more than spending the
  time to make the food themselves

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Economic influences on food choice ctd

• As young adults move away from home, they need to
  learn how to
• prepare nutritious, flavourful meals
• Budget for groceries
• Grocery shop
• Safely store food
• When you prepare your own meals, more control can
  be placed over the ingredients, nutritional
  value, portion size, and to suit personal tastes

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Older adults

• Energy needs diminish but nutrient needs remain
  the same as they are for younger adults
• Seniors need to ensure they consume foods high in
  nutrients, but low in calories (ex veg, fruit,
  whole grains)
• This means that portion sizes might need to be
  adjusted
• Some seniors find their appetites are smaller
• Physical activity can reduce risk of chronic
  illness obesity, and increase cognition
• Retaining muscle strength is important as it has
  a bearing on daily functions ability to pick up
  items, walking speed, endurance, and maintaining
  bone mass

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Older adults ctd

• Factors impairing older adults ability to
  acquire and prepare food
• Lack of transportation
• Poverty
• Physical disabilities
• The end result may be a very limited diet
• Solutions
• Community programs (Meals on Wheels or other
  programs that deliver prepared meals once a day)
• Some grocery stores have ordering and delivery
  programs

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Think (on your own), pair (discuss with partner),
share (with class)Activity

• In addition to food, what other benefits could
  seniors gain from food delivery programs such as
  Meals on Wheels?

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Older adults nutritional needs

• Food moves through older adults digestive system
  more slowly
• Constipation may be more of a concern than it is
  in younger adults
• Eating a diet high in fibre (whole grains,
  fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds) and
  consuming an adequate amount of water are
  important
• Dehydration is a big concern for older adults
  since they are less likely to experience thirst
• Vitamin D deficiency can result in osteomalacia
  (the softening of bones) when it occurs in
  adulthood
• Adequate Vitamin D and calcium levels among older
  adults helps to reduce the number of falls they
  experience

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Older adults nutritional needs ctd

• Health Canada recommends that adults over the age
  of 50 take a Vitamin D supplement
• Prescription and over-the-counter medication can
  affect the absorption of some nutrients into the
  bloodstream so all medications and supplements
  should be discussed with health professionals
  before consuming

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Important to understandour society is obese!!

• Our society is increasingly obesogenic, which
  makes it increasingly difficult for people to
  maintain a healthy weight
• Influences on obesity in our society
• Widespread availability of inexpensive,
  energy-dense foods
• Vending machines
• Food delivery options
• Ready-to-eat foods
• Increased portion sizes
• Low cost of these foods

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Important to understandhow we can change

• Healthy Canada by Design a coalition of
  regional health authorities and urban planners
• This coalition examines how communities can be
  designed to improve aspects of health
• Example creating bike lanes and walking and
  running paths
• THINK What has your community done to help
  improve aspects of health in its community
  members?

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Final individual task

• With this note, you have
• Compared nutrient needs of various life stages
• Identified influences on nutrient needs
  throughout the lifespan
• Described various influences on food choices
• On a long sheet of paper, create a time line to
  represent a persons lifespan from infant to
  older adult. On one side of the time line,
  indicate important nutrient requirements of each
  stage of life. On the other side of the time
  line, describe some of the factors that may
  influence food preferences at each stage.
• Infancy childhood
  preadolescence adolescence adult older adult