Nutritional needs

Throughout the Lifecycle

DR. WAKASIAKA
HNS 104: NUTRITION AND HEALTH
Nutrition through Life Cycle
Infancy
Period of a child's life between birth and 1 year
Nutritional needs are higher due to rapid growth that occurs during this
period
Birth weight is best predictor of the child’s health in 1st year of life
Important to correlate weight with gestational age
Infant Growth and
Development
Normal gestation period is 37 -41 weeks
Normal birth weight is 3kgs to 4 kgs
On average, new-born babies weigh around 3.3kg
Boys are approximately 300g heavier than girls
Newborn looses between 5-7% of birth weight
Regains birth weight between 10 – 14 days
Prematurity is different from that of a full term baby with low birth
weight(2.5kg)
Infants Growth
This is Period of rapid rate of physical growth and development
by 6 months weight birth doubles
By end of 1st year birth weight triples
Birth length increases by about 50% by 1st year
Infants small body size influences infant nutrition in 2 ways:
limits amount of food that can be consumed at any one time
one of reasons why newborns need to be fed frequently
Energy Requirements
Energy requirements change through life and depend on many factors,
such as:
Age
Sex
body size
level of activity
The amount of nutrients needed to keep the body healthy is also
different for each person
Energy Requirements For
Infants
Energy is needed for basal functions, growth and activity
An infants basal energy needs is relative to their size
Energy needs for activity varies throughout the 1st year of life as the
child becomes more mobile
Cont…
Newborn requires about 100 kilocalories per kg body weight per day
Appropriate balance for energy from proteins, fats and carbohydrate
different from adults
Best diet for infant is modeled by human breast milk
high in fat(kilocalories) and moderate in carbohydrate
Fats
Infants can consume 30 – 60 ml/feed
Fat is a concentrated source of calories, a high fat diet supplies
adequate calories in small volume(energy density)
Composition of Infants Diet
Carbohydrates and fats are the major energy source for infants diet
Allows protein to be used primarily for growth not as an energy source
Fats
High fat diets are necessary for normal brain growth which continues to
about 18 -24 months
Enhances sense of fullness between feedings
50-55% fat or 30 grams fat per day
Breast milk rich in omega 6 fatty acid (arachidonic Acid (ARA)
Omega 3 fatty acids Eiscosapentaenoic acid and docosahexanoic
acid(DHA)
These fats have roles in neurological developments
Protein Requirements
Protein needs during infancy higher than any other time in lifecycle
Twice as high as an adult during the 1st 6 months of life
0–6 months 9.1 g/day of protein
7–12 months 11 g/day of protein10% energy from protein
Proteins
0–6 months 9.1 g/day of protein
RDA for older infants
7–12 months 11 g/day of protein
Body Surface Area
Infant has larger body surface area and higher resting metabolic rate
relative to weight than an adult, and higher maintenance requirements
for water, energy and nutrients.
Rapid growth rate of infancy means that infant’s requirements for
energy and nutrients influenced by nutrient requirements for tissue
growth
Carbohydrates
Necessary in the infant’s diet because they:
Supply food energy for growth, body
 functions, and activity
Allow protein in the diet to be used efficiently for
building new tissue
Allow for the normal use of fats in the body
Provide the building blocks for some essential body
compounds
Carbohydrates Needs
Infants need energy from food for activity, growth, and normal
development
Lactose or milk sugar enhances absorption of calcium and phosphorous
40% of energy from carbohydrates
0–6 months 60 g/day of carbohydrate
7–12 months 95 g/day of carbohydrate
Other nutrients
Water as a percentage of body weight higher in babies than adults
Infants have higher fluid needs
Human milk fulfils both the nutrient and fluid needs of an infant during
1st six months
Adequate even in hot humid weather
Vitamins and Minerals
Human milk provides the amounts of vitamins and minerals that human
babies need
Micronutrient composition of human milk is the reference point for
designing infant formula
As long as infant is receiving adequate calories from human milk, nearly
all vitamins and mineral needs are met
Iron
Iron is essential for growth and development
Fetus build up large enough stores during gestation if mother iron levels
are adequate
Infants meet needs for the 1st 6 months from storage and human breast
milk
Stores begin to diminish during the 4th month of life
Conti..
By 6th month a breastfed infant needs an additional iron source
Human milk is not a rich source of iron
Approximately 50% of iron in human milk is absorbed
Compare to Infant formula with 4% absorption
Physiological Readiness for
Solid Foods
Based on infants physiological needs i.e. (depletion of iron stores)
Physical development i.e. (ability to sit up)
Solid foods are also known as complementary foods
They complete the human breast milk diet of an infant
Physiological Indicators
Introduction of supplemental foods can be detrimental to infants health
before six months
Increased levels of digestive enzymes
Iron store depletion goes with infants readiness for other foods
Baby is physiologically ready at 6 months to expand dietary intake
Developmental Readiness
Baby is able to control the head
Able to control the spoon otherwise earlier than that the tongue will
thrush spoon and food out
The extrusion reflex is a sign that the infant is not ready for solids
At six months baby is able to transfer food from the front of the mouth
to the back an ability necessary to swallow food
Appropriate Feeding
Guidelines
WHO/UNICEF: Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding(IYCF)
Recommends:
Initiation of breastfeeding within an hour of birth
Exclusive breastfeeding for six months, even for HIV exposed infants
Duration of breastfeeding for 24 months
Duration of breastfeeding for 12 months for HIV exposed infants
Breastfeeding
The process of producing breast milk is called lactation
Breast milk provides all the energy and nutrients a baby needs for
growth and maintenance during the first 6 months of life.

Exclusive Breast Feeding

Definition: “An infant receiving only breast milk and no other liquids or
solids except for drops or syrups consisting of vitamins, minerals, or
medications” (Centers for Disease Control)

Exclusive breastfeeding has the strongest effect on infant and maternal

health outcomes.
How the Breast Makes Milk
Mammary gland – “mamma”
Mammary gland has many different
parts, each with specific functions that
help the mother produce milk for her
baby.
Inside the Breast – Milk-
Making Tissue
Milk-making cells (alveoli) develop
during pregnancy

Alveoli bunch into 7-10 clusters or

lobes

Muscles (myoepithelial cells) tighten

to release milk
Inside the Breast – Milk-
Making Tissue
Breastfeeding
In the first three days after birth, the mother produces a
special form of breast milk called colostrum

Colostrum start forming at 16th weeks of pregnancy.

Contains less fat, more protein and more protective

factors than the breast milk produced later
Nutrient in Human Breast
Milk
On average, 100g of breast milk provides:
● 289 kJ energy
● 1.3g protein
● 4.1g fat
● 7.2g carbohydrate
● 34mg calcium
Human Breast Milk Vs.
Formula
Nutrients
Babies need Vitamins and minerals for proper
nutrition
Growth factors that help with infant growth and
development
Antibodies that help babies resist illness and
disease
The ability to change constantly
 Risks of not Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding reduces baby’s risk of:
• Obesity
• Ear infections
• Respiratory infections
• Gastrointestinal infections
• Skin conditions
• Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
• Leukemia
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
BENEFITS OF HUMAN BREAST CHILDHOOD NUTRITION
MILK TAKE AWAY MESSAGES!

Breast milk provides special Children should be encouraged to

proteins, antibodies and white maintain a healthy weight with
blood cells, which help to protect respect to their height
the baby against infection.

A healthy family lifestyle can help

Provides growth factors and in the weight management of
hormones, important for the children
healthy growth and development
of the baby
Feeding
Infant’s immaturity in terms of feeding behavior, kidney and GIT
function limits kind of food that can be given
A rapid growth rate combined with small body size and physiologic
immaturity mean that infants require:
frequent feeding,
a liquid diet, and
a diet high in energy and nutrients
Amount of Energy Needed
Amount of energy required per kg of body weight throughout infancy
is 3-4 times greater than that of adults
About half of total energy requirement is needed for basal metabolism
and maintenance of body temperature; remainder required for growth
and physical activity.
Baby gains on average between 20-25g/day during first 4 months
Energy
Age(months) Body Wt range Energy(kJ/kg)
___________________________________
Birth 2.6-3.8 520
1-<2 3.2-4.8 485
3-<4 4.5-7.1 430
5-<6 6.1-8.5 405
9-<10 7.3-10.5 415
11-<12 8.2-11.5 435
Childhood Nutrition
A good supply of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A and D, as part of a
healthy, balanced diet, is essential

Calcium is needed for healthy tooth development, together with

vitamin D, help develop strong bones
Adolescence Nutrition
Adolescence is a period of rapid growth and
development and is when puberty occurs
The demand for energy and most nutrients are
relatively high
 Boys need more protein and energy than girls
due to their later growth spurt
Adolescence Nutrition
A growth spurt begins around 10 years of age in
girls and 12 years in boys
 In both sexes, an average of 23 cm is added to
height and 20 to 26kg in weight
Before adolescence, both girls and boys have an
average of 18% body fat,
during adolescence, this increases to around 28%
in girls and decreases to around 15% in boys
Adolescence Nutrition
Should have plenty of energy in their diet to cater for rapid
growth
 However, some adolescents tend to eat more than they
need and become overweight
Encourage active lifestyle with a healthy, balanced diet
during
good dietary habits practised now are likely to benefit
their health for the rest of their lives
Adolescence Nutrition
After menstruation begins, girls need more iron than boys to replace
losses
Recommended that teenage girls and women meet 14.8 mg of iron
each day, while adolescent boys need 11.3mg per day
reduces to 8.7 mg of iron daily for men aged 19 or above
Some women have very high iron requirements because they have
large menstrual losses
Cont..
The energy requirements of children increase rapidly
because they grow quickly and become more active
This means they have a high energy requirement for
their size
Young children do not have large stomachs to cope
with big meals
Therefore, to achieve the relatively high energy
intake for their age, foods should be eaten as part of
small and frequent meals.
Elderly Nutrition
Understand the physiological changes of aging.
Gain awareness of chronic diseases and their impact on
older adults
Understand the importance of health promotion activities

Aging Process
Generally involves slowing down of systems
Varies greatly among individuals
Influenced by genetics, environment, lifestyle factors
Conti..
Aging vs. disease process vs. external factors
“Normal changes” of aging may actually be
part of a disease process.

Don’t assume symptoms are due to normal

aging.
Barriers to Good Nutrition
For Elderly
Changes in appetite
Nausea
Medication side effects
Dental problems
Difficulty shopping
Difficulty cooking
Barriers to Good Nutrition
Swallowing problems
Poor vision
Financial problems
Depression or anxiety
Social isolation
Transportation Challenges
Other medical conditions
References
Insel, P et al(2007) Nutrition 4th Edition, Jones and Bartlett Publishers
Thank you