Unit 3: Nutrition in

Adulthood
Objectives
• Identify the physiological changes in
adults.
• Understand how these physiological
changes affect nutritional status.
Outline
1. Definition of terms
2. Physiological changes in adulthood
relevant to digestion, absorption and
utilization of nutrients
3. Importance of good nutrition
Important Terms:
• Chronic diseases – slow developing, long
lasting diseases that are not contagious.

• Climacteric change – refers to the loss of

reproductive activity marked by menopause
in women and reduction in testosterone in
men.

• Gut dysbiosis – breakdown in the balance f

protective and harmful bacteria in the
intestines.
Adulthood
• Long period between adolescence and
older adulthood.
• A period where one attained full growth
and maturity.
Stages of Adulthood
EARLY ADULTHOOD

- Commences at early twenties until thirties;

- Characterize by becoming independent,
starting a career, regular employment,
developing relationship or choosing a partner,
starting a family, having children, providing for
family.
Stages of Adulthood
MIDLIFE

-commences at forties to fifties

-also called the “sandwich generation”, dealing
with multiple complex roles
-during fifties there are onset of some health
concerns, dealing with chronic diseases
Stages of Adulthood
LATE ADULTHOOD

-commences at early sixties, transitioning to

becoming elderly
-there are onset of some health concerns,
dealing with chronic diseases
Physiological Changes in Adults
GENERAL

• Growth stops by twenties

• There is a decline in physical activity and
lean muscle mass resulting to the decrease
in metabolic rate and energy expenditure at
a rate of 2.9% for men and 2.0% in women
per decade.
Physiological Changes in Adults
GENERAL

• Working capacity declines by 5-10% per

decade.
• Onset of musculoskeletal disease, obesity,
and other conditions contribute to the
decline of energy expenditure and physical
capacity.
Physiological Changes in Adults
HORMONAL & CLIMACTERIC CHANGES

Women
• characterize by decline in estrogen production and
the end of reproductive capacity in women
• Increase in abdominal fat
• Increase in risk of cardiovascular disease and
accelerated loss of bone mass
• estrogen is important in supply of calcium to bones,
health of blood vessels, blood cholesterol and
triglycerides level
Physiological Changes in Adults
HORMONAL & CLIMACTERIC CHANGES

• The concentration of estrogen shows negative

correlation with VLDL and triglycerides
concentration in women in menopause, while
the correlation with HDL concentration is
positive (Mesalic et al. 2008)
Physiological Changes in Adults
HORMONAL & CLIMACTERIC CHANGES

Men
• Gradual decline in testosterone level and
muscle mass
Physiological Changes in Adults
CHANGES in BODY COMPOSITION

Bones
• Most people reach their peak of bone mass and
muscular strength at 25-30 years old.
• Around the age of 40, men and women begin
to gradually lose bone mass
• The rate of bone resorption far exceeds the rate
of bone formation resulting to weakening of the
bones and leading to conditions such as
osteporosis
Physiological Changes in Adults
CHANGES in BODY COMPOSITION

Adiposity
-fat redistribution to central and intra-abdominal
spaces, decrease in subcutaneous fat
-obesity and visceral fat are highly associated to
diabetes, gallbladder disease, hypertension,
stroke, and coronary artery disease.
Physiological Changes in Adults
CHANGES in BODY COMPOSITION

Gut Microbiome
-healthy gut microbiota support the immune
system, protect against opportunistic pathogens,
and aid in digestion and release of nutrients from
food
-gut dysbiosis is produced by an inflammation
which is a result of excessive weight gain, insulin
sensitivity, glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia
Importance of Good Nutrition
• Diet, physical activity, and lifestyle at this stage
highly influence the future course of health and
years of life.
• Onset of chronic diseases such as heart
diseases, diabetes, cancers, and some liver
diseases can be prevented if risk factors will be
diminished through modification in nutrition and
physical activity.
Modifiable nutritional risk factors for
chronic diseases

• Carcinogenic Diet - a pattern of eating and

food choices that increased the risk of some
cancers
• Atherogenic Diet – a pattern of eating and food
choices that promotes deposition of plaques in
arteries and contribute to development of CVD
• Obesogenic Diet – a pattern of eating and food
choices that lead to accumulation of body fat
Modifiable nutritional risk factors for
chronic diseases

Carcinogenic diet
• Low fruit and vegetable intake
• Low level of antioxidants (especially vitamins
A, C)
Cancer • Low intake of whole grains and fiber
• High dietary fat intake
• Nitrosamines, burnt and charred food
• High intakes of pickled and fermented food
• Alcohol consumption
• High animal-food, low plant-food intake
Modifiable nutritional risk factors for
chronic diseases
Atherogenic diet
• High saturated fat (>10% calories)
• Trans-fatty acid intake
• Dietary cholesterol intake >300 mg
• Low fruit and vegetable intake
• Low antioxidants
Heart Disease • Low intake of whole grains
• No or excess alcohol intake**
• High sodium intake
• Low potassium intake
• Low intake of milk and dairy foods
• High waist circumference (men >40 inches,
women >35 inches)
Modifiable nutritional risk factors for
chronic diseases
Obesogenic diet
• Caloric intake exceeding needs
• Unstructured eating
• Frequent fast-food consumption
• High fat intake
• Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption
Obesity • Energy-dense, low-nutrient food choices

Diabetes • Atherogenic diet

• Obesogenic diet
Continuum of Nutritional Health
• This is a model that illustrates the stages of
nutritional status that range from optimal to
illness or death.
• Poor nutrition can influence the development of
chronic diseases, and it starts at a cellular level.
• Early changes in the metabolic process might
go unnoticed but may eventually progress to
irreversible/permanent damage, and even
death.
• Adapted from nutritional-injury models by
Arroyave and Leyse-Wallace.
Continuum of Nutritional Health by Arroyave and Leyse-Wallace, 2008
States of Nutritional Health
• Resilient and Healthy → metabolic systems are in
homeostasis; organs are functioning at optimal
level
• Altered Substrate Availability→ early subclinical
state of nutritional harm occurs when intake
does not meet needs
• Nonspecific Signs and Symptoms→ insufficient or
excessive intake of nutrients or energy leads to
observable changes (e.g., insulin resistance)
States of Nutritional Health
• Clinical Condition→ if changes aren’t made
and the nutritional injury persists, clear signs and
symptoms of illness are now present and a
medical diagnosis is made(e.g., type 2 diabetes
• Chronic Condition→ altered metabolism and
structural changes in tissues become permanent
and irreversible(e.g., loss of kidney function)
• Terminal Illness and Death→ complications are
advance
• Counseling and nutrition education
messages should take into account that
altered nutrient intakes produce early
changes in metabolic process that may
not manifest itself until permanent damage
has occurred.
• Food choices and lifestyle at this stage is
crucial in maintaining health, attaining
quality life and future wellness.
References:
• Mesalić, L., Tupković, E., Kendić, S., & Balić, D. (2008).
Correlation between hormonal and lipid status in women
in menopause. Bosnian journal of basic medical
sciences, 8(2), 188–192.
https://doi.org/10.17305/bjbms.2008.2980
• Brown, J. E. (2017). Nutrition through the Life Cycle. (Sixth
ed). Australia: Thomson/Wadsworth.
• Claudio, V.S. ( 2010). Basic Nutrition for Filipinos, 6th ed.
Manila: Meriam and Webster Bookstore Inc.