Nutrition Requirements for People of Different Age Groups

A. Nutrition Requirements for Pregnant women and Women who are Nursing their Infants

A nutritious diet brings with it many positive effects on both the health of a pregnant woman and her fetus. Poor nutrition can affect the mother, and extreme cases malnutrition can affect the fetus. Malnutrition can result in a fetus being born below the average weight or even deformed. This is why the mother needs to be well fed throughout her pregnancy provided that her weight doesn’t increase by more than 10 to 12 KG.

Women naturally breast-feeding their infants should follow notorious diets similar to those followed by pregnant women. The only difference is that nursing women should drink more liquids and especially more milk and more water.

 
Dietary Requirements for Pregnant and Nursing Women

1. Pregnant women and women naturally breastfeeding their young should consume 3 to 4 glasses of milk a day or their equivalent in dairy products (Cheese yogurt, labneh etc)
2. They also need 2 or more servings of leafy green vegetables a day including lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, and green peppers preferably eaten fresh, along with 2 or more servings of fruit including oranges, melons, pears, apples and bananas.
3. Pregnant women and women naturally breastfeeding their infants need around 100 grams of meat a day. This portion should be eaten in two daily servings. She also needs to eat 3 eggs a week, and to have one serving of liver meat once a week. It is important to note that beans and grains such as chickpeas, green beans, lintels, and other similar foods could be a partial substitute for meat.
4. Bread and other grains should be eaten at least four times a day.  Each serving should contain at least one cup of rice, or one cup of pasta, or half a loaf of traditional Arabic bread. In this case it is important to note that brown bread is more preferable than white bread.
5. Pregnant women and women naturally breastfeeding their infants need ample fat intakes and they can obtain their daily requirement of fat from the oil, butter, and lard used in their daily cooking.
6. It is important to note that pregnant women and women naturally breastfeeding their infants need to consume large amounts of fluids. They need to drink plenty of milk, water, and juice. It is advised that they drink plenty of water before going to bed, after waking up, and between meals, and more importantly women breastfeeding their infants should drink plenty of fluids half an hour before each nursing session.

Preganat women and women naturally breastfeeding their infants should also cut their intakes of fizzy drinks, caffeinated drinks, sweets, pastries, and canned foods. They should also quit smoking, and the intake of spicy foods. More importantly, they should also not take any form of medication without checking with their doctors first, for some forms of medication may have side effects that are harmful for the mothers’ health, or the health of her fetus.

B. Nutrition Requirements for Infants Still Being Naturally Breastfed

It is advised that a new born child is breastfed within the first six hours of his or life on earth, for the mother’s milk contains all the nutrients that the baby needs to grow and stay healthy. It is also said that the milk formed in the mother’s breast and especially that formed within the first three days after childbirth is rich in antibodies, proteins, minerals, and vitamins. The antibodies help give the newborn child natural immunity against diseases.

Newborn children should only be fed their mother’s milk during the first four months of their lives, for it is not advised to give the child water, sugar, juice, herbs, or any other form of nutrients during that time period.

After the 4 to 6 months passing on the child’s birth, parents can start introducing new foods to his or her diet. This practice would be a good one  provided that these new foods are given in monitored and moderate quantities. During this time period the child can start eating grinded cooked rice, grinded grains with milk, boiled vegetables, meshed or blended fruits, and various fruit juices. These food items should be given to the child alongside his or her regular intake of breast milk.

 After the passing 7 months on the child’s birth he or she may be introduced to small portions of boiled egg yolk. These small portions could be given to the child as quarter spoons of boiled egg yolk and the amount could be increased gradually. At this stage the child could also be introduced to soft minced meat, grinded chicken, chopped bread, and other similar foods. After one month, the mother can introduce the child to cooked vegetables, rice, sliced soft fruits, boiled and meshed potatoes to be given alongside his or her regular intake of breast milk.

After the passing of 9 months on the child’s birth, he or she is ready to try vegetable, chicken, and lentil soup alongside his or her regular intake of breast milk. One month later the child can have a full boiled egg, pealed legumes cooked without fat, alongside his or her regular intake of breast milk. This diet also applies during the child’s 11th month of living as well.

From the ages of 12 to 18 months the child should start eating the same foods eaten by the rest of the family. It is however advised that the mother introduces each new food type separately, and that she starts off by introducing new foods in small quantities. If the child is adamant against eating a certain food then he or she shouldn’t be forced to do so. Children at these stages however should not be given fizzy drinks, coffee, tea, or any arterial forms of sweets.

C. Nutrition Requirements for Toddlers Between the Ages of 1 and 5

A balanced diet is very important for a child this age, for good nutrition helps ensure the sound growth and development of children, and It also helps build their ammine system. 
1. A child this age needs high quantities of proteins in his or her diet. It is said that 2 to 3 grams of proteins are needed for each Kilogram of the child’s weight. Proteins are found in meat, fish, chicken, liver, milk, eggs, and legumes such as lintels, chickpeas, and beans.
2. A child this age needs sources of nutrition that are high in energy, these sources of nutrition are often found in the regular food items consumed by the rest of the family
3. At this age, children also need high quantities of vitamin A, D, and C . These vitamins are found in fruits, vegetables, and milk.
4. A child at this age also needs minerals and especially calcium. This requirement is fulfilled if he or she consumes 2 to 3 glasses of milk a day or its equivalent in dairy products.

D. Nutrition Requirements for Children Between the Ages of 6 and 12

A child this age needs a good and balanced diet rich in proteins calcium vitamins, and minerals so as to fulfill the body’s energy and growth requirements. 

E. Nutrition Requirements for Teenagers Between the Ages of 13 to 17

Puberty is a stage in one’s life categorized by rapid growth and the person’s possession of excess energy. It is therefore advised that the teenager eats three meals a day all of which are nutritiously balanced. Teenagers need a lot of protein, vitamin, and especially vitamins A and B, calcium, alongside all other food elements.

F. Nutrition Requirements for Adults

Nutrition Requirements for the First Stage of Adulthood  (Age 18 to 30)

At this stage the body has stopped physically developing , therefore nutrition is only needed to maintain one’s sound physical health.

 
Nutrition Requirements for the Second Stage of Adulthood  (Age 31 to 65)

At this stage the body needs less calories to sustain itself, for the actual body development has stopped. The need for specific types of food diminishes in both men and women. Women however may need more iron than men due to the fact that they loose fluids during their monthly period. This need however no longer is applicable to women once they reach menopause. To avoid being victims of osteoporosis adults need to drink at least two glasses of milk a day or to consume their equivalent in dairy products.  

G. Nutrition Requirements for Adults Above the Age of 65

At this age, adults could experience a severe loss of appetite. This is why, they need

1. A smaller calorie intake
2. To eat meals that are high in fibers. Fibers are often found in vegetables, grains, wheat, and bread.
3. To drink 8 glasses of fluids a day
4. To eat foods that are rich in calcium, iron and vitamin B12 such as meat and liver.
5. To eat vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C such as Lemon’s oranges and tomatoes
6. To eat foods that are rich in portions such as meats, and legumes. An excess in protein consumption however may have a negative effect on the kidney functions.