NUTRITION

ACROSS LIFE
SPAN
● About 21 percent of school-going
adolescents consume vegetables
less than once a day;
● 34 percent eat fruit less than once a
day;
● 42 percent drink soft drinks daily;
and 46 per cent consume fast food
at least weekly.
● Older teens maybe adjusting to the
new demands of the college
environment, including adapting to
dining meals.
● Fortunately, most teens can afford the
extra kcal that typically higher-fat
foods such as hamburgers, fries,
and pizza may contain.
● Some nutrients, such as vitamins A and
C, may be lacking, and
overconsumption of dietary fats and
kcal may occur.
● Because of the natural physiological
differences between adolescent
boys and girls, nutrient requirements
from age 9 years and older are
divided by gender.

BOYS GIRLS

kcal 2500 to 2900 2000

Protein 45 to 59g 45g

Calcium 1300 mg/day

● Eating healthy is an important part
of a healthy lifestyle and is something
that should be taught at a young
age.

● The following are some general

guidelines for helping to eat healthy.
● Eat 3 meals a day, with healthy snacks.
● Increase fiber in the diet and decrease
the use of salt.
● Drink water. Try to avoid drinks that are
high in sugar. Fruit juice can have a lot of
calories, so limit your adolescent's intake.
Whole fruit is always a better choice.
● Eat balanced meals.
● When cooking for your adolescent, try to
bake or broil instead of fry.
● Make sure your adolescent watches (and
decreases, if necessary) his or her sugar
intake.
 The Early Years (20s and 30s)

● Growth tends to be completed by the

late teeins for women and early 20s
for men.
● For women, the RDA for energy is
2200 kcal daily; for men, it is 2900
kcal.
● The RDA for protein increases for
women from 46 to 50 g and women
and for men from 58 to 63 g daily.
● Vitamin and mineral needs do not
significantly change.
● Calcium and phosphorus needs for
men and women decline after age
18 because skeletal growth is almost
complete.

Calcium Phosphorus

up to 18 years 1300 mg/day 1250 mg/day

19 years on 1000 mg/day 700 mg/day

 middle Years (40s and 50s)

● During middle years, cell loss rather

than replication occurs. Kcal needs
decline as lean body mass is lost and
replaced by body fat, which is less
metabolically active.
● It is a challenge to meet the same
nutrient needs with reduced kcal
intake.
● Protein needs remain constant for both
genders. Iron requirements for
women drop from 18 to 8mg, which
reflects reduced iron loss because of
menopause.
To stay healthy during adulthood, you should:
● Eat foods that give you lots of nutrients
without a lot of extra calories, such as
fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and
lean protein.
● Avoid empty calories.
● Pick foods that are low in cholesterol and
fat.
● Drink enough liquids, so you don't get
dehydrated.
● Be physically active.
Vegetables: 2 ½ cups
Fruit: 2 cups
Grains: 6 ounces (half whole grains)
Dairy: 3 cups
Protein: 5 ½ ounces (including meat, eggs,
seafood, nuts, and seeds)
Oils: 27 grams
Here are the recommendations per the DGA:

Added Sugars: Limit 10% of total calories daily

Saturated Fat: Limit 10% of total Saturated fats

daily

Sodium: Limit 2,300 mg daily

● Nutritional status of older adults may
be affected by restrictions in access
to food and ability to prepare meals.
● Dietary managements for older adults
may be more complicated than for other
stages of adulthood.

● For younger adults, reducing BMI

decrease health risks.

● For older adults, decreased BMI may

be associated with increased risk of
strokes.
Whole grains, like oatmeal,
whole-wheat bread, and
brown rice
 Memory starts to fail, especially the
short-term form of memory ability
that is so crucial for learning new
things.