Nutrition Through The Life Cycle

Nutrition Through the Life Cycle

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of the Institution]

Nutrition Through the Life Cycle

Nutrients for Each Age Group

The significance of proper nutrition can never be understated. A healthy diet is that which incorporates all essential nutrients that the human body requires to function properly (Chandra, 2002). Human beings, be it a child or an elderly, need some vital nutrients to ensure their bodily functions work properly. For every person, be it a child, adolescent, an adult or an elderly individual, at every stage of their life, they require certain nutrients for their bodily needs and developments. Children, ranging from age 2 to 8, need various nutrients not because they are always hungry, but because their body needs those nutrients for proper development and nourishment (Chandra, 2002). Children deprived of certain nutrients can be faced with different physical and mental complications. The nutrient deemed irreplaceable for children growing up is Calcium. Most of the bones of a child grow in the ages 2 to 8 (Chandra, 2002). Therefore, they require Calcium which would help them with growing healthy bones. The food which would be an essential source of Calcium for the children is milk. Since 1 cup of low-fat milk contains 300 mg of Calcium, it would be helpful for the children in physical development. Adolescents aging from 9 to 18 would need protein for their best physical development. This is because, during this age, there are visible bodily changes that occur in the adolescent’s body (Chandra, 2002). Therefore, to ensure their weight stays put, they must incorporate protein into their diet. Eggs are considered to be a good source of protein. 1 normal sized egg will provide 6 grams of protein to adolescents helpful in ensuring their weight stays put. Adults aging from 19 to 64 should incorporate fiber in their diet (Geissler & Powers, 2017). It is because; this is an age in which most individuals contract several diseases. Fiber would help to keep the sugar and cholesterol levels of the adults in check. Broccoli is a good source of fiber. 100 grams of Broccoli has 2.6 grams of fiber in it. Older adults suffer from various diseases. They need to take vitamin B12. It ensures the production of red blood cells and the efficient functioning of the nervous system. Salmon fish is a good source of Vitamin B12 having 3.2 micro-grams in every 100 grams of serving (Geissler & Powers, 2017).

Summary of the Article

The article that has been selected to analyze and evaluate the nutrition needs of one of the populations (children) is "Nutrition in Toddlers". The authors of the article are Richard Allen and Anya Myers. The year in which the article "Nutrition in Toddlers” was published is 2006. The source of the article is Purdue Global University. The article states that toddlers experience a change in diet when the stop being fed milk of their mothers to start eating on their own. The authors have suggested that this is an important stage in the life of a toddler when it comes to the physical and mental development of a child. The authors have stated the importance of fats for children. The authors argue that children should incorporate 30% of fatty foods in their daily eating patterns (Allen & Myers, 2006). This must be noted that the fats must be polyunsaturated. Additionally, the authors have recommended that children must avoid drinking soft drinks for the sake of the development of their bones. Instead, the children must drink milk which is a great source of calcium (Allen & Myers, 2006). Calcium is an important nutrient that makes the bones of the children stronger. Additionally, the authors have recommended that that child must avoid multivitamins. Another important aspect that the authors have highlighted is the fact that parents play an imperative role in cultivating healthy dietary habits among children. The research has some limitations to it (Allen & Myers, 2006). The authors have underscored the fact that there is little evidence that links early childhood obesity to adult obesity (Allen & Myers, 2006).

Diet Plan for Children

Certainly, the authors have laid down an effective blueprint that can help the children with better nourishment. The foods and strategies that the authors have highlighted can help children with physical and mental development. The authors have highlighted that the children must take polyunsaturated fats along with calcium intake. Children should eat small portions of salmon. If the Salmon could be fried in soybean oil, it would be a great meal for them because both of these foods contain good amounts of polyunsaturated fats. Moreover, children must drink milk to ensure their body stays calcium-rich. Lastly, parents must take responsibility and ensure that their children eat healthy foods.

References

Allen, R. E., & Myers, A. L. (2006). Nutrition in toddlers. Am Fam Physician, 74(9), 1527-1532.

Chandra, R. K. (2002). Nutrition and the immune system from birth to old age. European journal of clinical nutrition, 56(S3), S73.

Geissler, C., & Powers, H. (Eds.). (2017). Human nutrition. Oxford University Press.