Food serves as our basic necessity, nourishing our bodies and maintaining our health. It provides the energy required for every action, including participation in games and sports. The various food items we consume constitute our diet. A healthy diet should consist of simple, natural, and/or well-cooked foods that promote health and protect us from diseases, keeping our organ systems functioning well. The diet we consume is influenced by our socio-cultural norms, lifestyle patterns, and the type of activities we engage in.
The Human Life Cycle and Nutrition
The human body undergoes constant development and changes throughout the human life cycle. Food provides the fuel for these changes. The major stages of the human life cycle include pregnancy, infancy, the toddler years, childhood, puberty, older adolescence, adulthood, middle age, and the senior years. Proper nutrition and exercise are essential for ensuring health and wellness at each stage of life.
Pregnancy and Nutrition
During pregnancy, it is imperative that a woman meets the nutritional needs of both herself and her unborn child. This includes an increase in certain micronutrients, such as iron and folate. A woman's starting BMI determines how much weight she needs to gain throughout her pregnancy. In an average pregnancy, a woman gains an extra 30 pounds. During the second and third trimesters, a woman’s energy requirements increase by 340 calories and 450 calories per day, respectively.
Infancy and Nutrition
Parents and caregivers should use growth charts to track an infant’s development and determine how to best meet their child’s nutritional needs. For the first four to six months of life, infants should exclusively consume breast milk. For the next six months, solid foods should be gradually introduced into an infant’s diet as parents and caregivers continue to provide breast milk. Breast milk is ideal for infants and provides all of the nutrients they need to grow and develop. Nutritional choices made by parents, such as the decision to breastfeed or bottle-feed, not only affect early childhood development but also a child’s health and wellness later in life.
Nutrition in the Toddler Years
By the toddler years, young children are able to self-feed and begin to develop eating habits and preferences. The energy requirements for ages two to three are about 1,000 to 1,400 calories per day. In general, a toddler needs to consume about 40 calories for every inch of height. Growth slows during the toddler years, but children are more active at this stage and undergo a great deal of intellectual, emotional, and social development.
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Childhood and Nutrition
The recommended intakes of macronutrients and micronutrients for children are higher relative to body size compared with nutrient needs during adulthood. Children’s daily energy needs vary depending on their level of physical activity and their gender. Girls ages four to eight require 1,200 to 1,800 calories, while boys ages four to eight need 1,200 to 2,000 calories. Some food- and nutrition-related problems that can affect school-aged children include malnutrition and food allergies.
Adolescence and Nutrition
The daily energy requirements for preteens differ according to gender, growth, and activity level. Girls ages nine to thirteen should consume 1,400 to 2,200 calories per day, and boys should consume 1,600 to 2,600 calories per day. Nutritional concerns for older children include malnutrition and obesity. Preteens should be encouraged to develop good habits, including consuming a healthy diet and regularly exercising.
Older adolescents experience numerous physical changes and must increase their energy intake to support these changes and meet nutrient needs. Nutrient needs are greater during adolescence than at any other time in the life cycle, except during pregnancy. The daily energy requirements for ages fourteen to eighteen are 1,800 to 2,400 calories for girls and 2,000 to 3,200 calories for boys, depending on activity level. Nutritional concerns for older adolescents include eating disorders.
During adolescence, changes take place in the body composition of boys and girls, and as a result, their nutritional requirements increase. Girls need more minerals like calcium and iron. Adolescent girls and boys need to take calcium-rich food to keep their bones, teeth, and muscles healthy, and iron-rich food to keep them strong. Therefore, it is essential for them to consume more dairy products, beans, and green leafy vegetables in their diet. Young girls taking inadequate diets may suffer from nutritional problems like iron-deficiency anemia and obesity, potentially due to refusing to eat food to maintain weight or binge eating habits.
Young Adulthood and Nutrition
Young adults typically have reached their physical peak and can support health and wellness with adequate nutrition and exercise. For ages nineteen to thirty, the daily energy requirements are 1,800 to 2,400 calories for women and 2,400 to 3,000 calories for men, depending on activity level. Nutritional concerns for young adults include adequate energy and fluid intake, sodium intake, and the consumption of fiber. Young adults should avoid consuming solid fats, added sugars, and excess alcohol.
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Middle Age and Nutrition
Middle-aged adults begin to experience signs of aging and must continue to support their health and wellness with nutrition and exercise. The daily energy requirements for ages thirty-one to fifty are 1,800 to 2,200 calories for women and 2,200 to 3,000 calories for men, depending on activity level.
Essential Nutrients and Balanced Diet
Our diet contains many food items obtained from different sources, including animal and vegetable sources. Food comprises constituents like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and supplementary substances such as minerals, vitamins, and water, all of which are vital for life. These constituents are known as nutrients. For proper functioning of our body, we need to consume body-building foods (e.g., milk, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, pulses, groundnuts), energy-giving foods (e.g., cereals, sugar, roots, fats, and oils), and protective foods.
The food we consume breaks down into simpler products before it is absorbed and utilized by the body. These simpler substances are called nutrients. Our body utilizes nutrients for building and repairing, obtaining energy, and for protection from diseases. Nutrition is related to our food intake and dietary patterns and the utilization of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, and minerals to maintain our health.
Proteins
Proteins are called building blocks of our body. About 20 percent of our body weight comes from proteins. Proteins are essential for growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues. Proteins are made of amino acids that contain the elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. We obtain proteins from animal as well as vegetable sources. Proteins of animal origin are found in milk, eggs, cheese, fish, and meat. Proteins from these sources contain all the essential amino acids (EAA) in adequate amounts. Vegetable proteins are found in pulses (legumes), cereals, beans, nuts, oilseeds, etc.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body. There are three major categories of carbohydrates: starch, sugar, and cellulose. Our body breaks down sugar and starch into glucose to provide energy. Cellulose does not have any nutritive value per se but is a major contributor of dietary fibers. Carbohydrates are of two types: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are quick energy foods, e.g., sugar. Sources of simple carbohydrates are natural fruits, milk and milk products, and vegetables including potatoes and carrots. Complex carbohydrates are better sources of energy than sugar since these are released slowly. Sources of complex carbohydrates are breads, cereals (rice, wheat, bajra, corn, barley, ragi, etc.). We should consume starch and natural sugar and eat whole grains, rice, bread, cereals, and fruits to obtain an adequate amount of carbohydrates. Fast food items such as pizza, pasta, noodles, etc.
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Fats and Oils
Fats and oils are concentrated sources of energy. Fats are substances that our body stores for future use. These are classified as simple lipids (e.g., triglycerides), compound lipids (e.g., phospholipids), and derived lipids (e.g., cholesterol). Fats may be obtained from animal or vegetable sources. The major sources of animal fats are ghee, butter, milk, cheese, eggs, fish, and meat. The sources of vegetable oils are groundnut, mustard, sesame, coconut, etc. Excess carbohydrates are converted into fats. Fast food items like pizza, samosas, burgers are rich sources of fat.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins are organic substances that we require in adequate quantities for good health. Our body, however, cannot synthesize them. Therefore, we need to consume their natural sources such as fruits and vegetables. Vitamins are divided into two groups: fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E, and K) and water-soluble vitamins (Vitamins of the B group and Vitamin C).
Minerals are the nutrients that are very essential for proper growth and functioning of our body and are required in small amounts. Calcium, Chlorine, Copper, Fluoride, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, and Zinc are essential mineral nutrients.
Water
Water is a nutrient and it makes up almost 70 percent of our body weight. We need water to break down complex food molecules, and transport food, chemicals, and gases throughout the body. It acts as the medium for biochemical reactions and is also required to eliminate the wastes as urine and sweat. We should take 8-10 glasses of potable water per day. Inadequate water intake leads to dehydration. Therefore, intake of water in proper proportion is important.
A diet that contains all the essential nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins in the proportion required for the normal growth and development of the body is called a balanced diet. The quantity of nutrients in a balanced diet will always vary with age, sex, and physical activities undertaken by an individual. Food items are divided into six major groups to help understand which kind of food will give us the right balance of nutrients.
Special Dietary Needs
The amount of food or nutrients required by a person in a day depends upon the need for energy and specific demands of a person. These needs are directly related to age and physical activity. During the rapid growing years, i.e., 12-22 years for boys and 12-18 years for girls, there is a gradual increase in daily food requirements. But as we grow old, our daily need for energy decreases. A sportsperson always needs to consume more calories than a non-sportsperson. Similarly, the dietary needs of a woman during pregnancy and lactation are higher.
Women always require more iron than men. Pregnant and lactating mothers have special dietary needs. In our country, it is seen that pregnant and lactating women do not take healthy diets because of a lack of availability and important nutritional information. A pregnant and a lactating mother requires additional energy over and above her normal requirements. There is also an increased need for protein, calcium, and iron. Inadequate intake of nutrients causes harm to the fetus and the child. Mothers should follow the guidelines for intake of nutrients available from the nearby health center and gather knowledge regarding weight gain and supplementation. Good nutrition during pregnancy promotes a healthy weight of the newborn. Low birth-weight children are prone to various diseases during adulthood.
It is important to include all food groups in the daily diet and consume more foods like milk and its products. Diet restriction should be avoided.
Nutrition for Sportspersons
All kinds of physical activities burn a lot of energy. Sportspersons undergo physical training which involves regular strenuous exercises for a long period for developing physical fitness and improving performance. They, therefore, need more calories for energy. Even persons who do not participate in competitive sports but undertake exercise programs for physical fitness need extra energy. These additional requirements of nutrients for training load can be achieved with a balanced diet.
In the past, athletes were advised to take large amounts of protein from eggs, meat, and milk, but it is now generally accepted that carbohydrate, and not protein, is the best source of energy. A diet containing complex carbohydrates is always preferred over that containing simple sugar. In the case of sportspersons, a dietary carbohydrate intake of 500-600 gm/day is necessary to ensure adequate glycogen synthesis. Carbohydrates break into sugars that give energy. Extra sugar is converted into glycogen and stored as adipose tissue by the liver. It is broken down to simple sugar whenever energy is required.
In planning one’s diet, care must be taken to follow good eating habits that we discussed earlier. Physical activities may be performed after at least three hours of taking a principal meal and after half an hour of taking light food.
The pre-competition meal needs to be high in carbohydrates, low in fat, low in protein, low in fiber, enjoyable, and familiar to the participant. On the day of competition, the most important thing to remember is never to try anything new. An athlete must follow a simple and sound nutritional routine. If the competition is held in the morning, just eat a light carbohydrate-rich breakfast with plenty of fluids, cereal with milk, bread, or roti. Large quantities of sugar, confectionery, or honey should be avoided. Have your last drink 15-20 minutes before the actual competition. It is essential to drink water at regular intervals to avoid dehydration.
Ayurveda advises a sattvic diet, which is a vegetarian diet consisting of natural food items. According to yogic dietetics, natural food items are easy to digest and assimilate. A yogic diet is a combination of raw food and a proper fasting routine. Good raw food, such as cucumber, radish, carrots, tomatoes, sprouts, together with spices like ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, and basil, provide energy to the mind and the body. Taking a regular yogic diet and performing asanas, pranayama, and meditation contribute to the well-being of our body and mind.
Malnutrition: Under-nutrition and Over-nutrition
A balanced diet is very important for a healthy life. An imbalance between the body’s nutritional needs and the intake of nutrients leads to malnutrition. It does not occur in a single day’s food intake. Deficiency caused by under-nutrition affects us after a long term of negligence. An under-nourished child cannot grow fully, physically and mentally. In most of the developing countries, under-nutrition is a threat to public health as it leads to illness and even death. In addition to inadequate intake of nutrients, under-nutrition is also the result of malabsorption of food, addiction to drugs, or loss of nutrients from the body due to various medical reasons.
Ignorance, lack of education and poverty led by relatively high food prices, natural disasters causing insufficient agricultural productivity, and unhealthy dietary practices are some important common causes of under-nutrition. Under-nutrition continues to be a significant health problem for children and adults.
Many myths and taboos about diet are also responsible for under-nutrition. Due to ignorance and illiteracy, locally available nutritious food is not eaten. In the case of newborn babies, inadequate breastfeeding is a major cause of under-nutrition.
Over-nutrition is also a form of malnutrition that results from overeating and excessive intake of specific nutrients like carbohydrate and fat. Inadequate exercise and overeating are the major causes of overweight. Due to the intake of excessive food, adipose tissue increases abnormally in the body that enlarges or the number of fat cells increases, leading to obesity. Obese persons appear bulky and overweight because of the accumulation of fat in the body.
In modern societies, obesity has become an epidemic. It occurs in both developed and developing countries and affects children as well as adults. In addition to overeating and inactivity, the major reasons for overweight and obesity are a sedentary lifestyle, emotional problems, and physiological disturbances including genetic factors. Overweight and obese children and adolescents frequently grow to become obese adults. Obesity tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic link too, as families share common dietary and physical activity patterns, attitudes, lifestyles, and habits which contribute to obesity.
Obesity is a health condition in which excess body fat accumulates to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health and reduce life expectancy. When body fat content exceeds 25 percent for men or 30 percent for women of the total body weight, a person is called obese. Body Mass Index (BMI) is an index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify adults as underweight, overweight, and obese. It is obtained by dividing the weight in kilograms by the square of the height in meters (kg/m²).
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are severe disturbances in eating behavior commonly seen among adolescents between ages 14 to 18 years. Disordered eating patterns are either characterized by refusal of food to maintain body weight or recurring binge eating followed by vomiting. The former restrictive type disorder is known as Anorexia Nervosa, and the latter, Bulimia Nervosa.
Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological disorder caused by under-nutrition. People with such a disorder become thin and lose a lot of weight. An obsessive fear of gaining weight occurs in such cases. Anorexia nervosa is an attempt to use food and weight to deal with emotional problems, physical changes, peer pressure, and stress. Extreme fasting, indulging in over-exercise, and dieting may result in anorexia nervosa. Teenage girls and young women are more likely to develop this disorder.
Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent binge eating, followed by compensatory behavior. The onset of bulimia nervosa is generally observed during mid to late adolescence. It is 20 times more common in females. Bulimia nervosa is rarely seen in those under 14 years. The common causes of the disorder are family problems, inability to adjust in society, lack of self-identity, …