Diet in different life stages.

• newEditor
• Food Technology
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

Diet in different life stages

Lesson Objective

Pupils will learn the importance of consuming the right diet at different life stages and will know how to plan a meal using these guidelines

A young child = 2000 kcal/day

A teenager = 2500 kcal/day

An adult male = 2500 kcal/day

An adult female = 2000 kcal/day

The Energy We Need - Age

EAR – Estimated Average Requirements

But these are only guidelines - have you ever met an average person?

What do we need to consider?

The diet should contain all the necessary nutrients that we need to keep our bodies healthy and functioning correctly.

Todays Team Leaders are

You will be responsible for leading your team to victory!

Eduqas textbook p53/55

Team Leaders

Tell your team what dietary group you have been given

Step 2

Discuss as a group what physical dietary needs this group of people need and write this down.

(eg soft, quick and easy, hand held) and write this down

Step 3

Group to discuss what nutritional needs this group need

and write this down

Step 4

Group to discuss how these nutritional needs benefit the body and write this down

Step 5

Write down the foods that this particular group should avoid and why

Step 1

Team leader to nominate someone in their group or themselves to present information to rest of the class.

Step 6

Nominated person to present to rest of class their findings on their dietary needs group

Steps to success

Babies 0-1 year

From birth until 4-6 month old babies are fed milk, either breast milk or bottle formulas.

Breast milk gives the baby all the nutrients they need apart from iron.

New born babies are born with a store of iron, provided that mum ate sufficient iron while she was pregnant

From about 6 months baby is gradually introduced to soft pureed food. This is called weaning.

Babies do not need sweet foods or added sugar.

Babies need to get used to different tastes and textures and they need to be able to digest food properly

Pre School children aged 1-4

Key Points

These children are growing quickly and are very active.

They need small regular meals and drinks to give them energy throughout the day.

The eat well guide does not apply to young children, but they should follow it by the age of 5.

• They need protein for growth

• Fat for energy and fat soluble vitamins. Whole milk should be consumed.

• Carbohydrates for energy. Use complex rather than sugar.

• Calcium and vitamin D for strong bones and teeth.

• Iron and vitamin C for red blood cell development.

• B vitamins for digestion, nervous system development and muscle growth.

1. Get children involved in food preparation.

2. Use fun shapes to encourage them to eat different foods

3. Serve in small portions

School children 5-12

Key Points

These children are growing rapidly and need to eat a variety of food to provide all the nutrients for a healthy body.

At this age children are recommended to eat 28g of protein each day.

Boys should be consuming 1900 k/cal a day and girls should be consuming 1700 k/cal a day on average.

Exercise helps bones become stronger and absorb the calcium they need. This is laying down bone density, creating peak bone mass. This helps prevent problems such as weaker bones in later life.

Teenagers

A reasonable price?

Environmentally Friendly?

Low on washing up?

Trendy and popular?

Tasty?

Quick to eat?

Portable?

Vegetarian?

A teenager may want food that is

This Vitamin is important to help increase resistance to infection.

Helps teenagers stay active and healthy and concentrate in school. Not eating nough of nutrient can cause anaemia.

These foods should be avoided as they contribute to obesity and skin problems.

Fatty Foods

Iron

Vitamin C

This is important for growth and repair.

Protein

Teenage years are important for growth. Teenagers need this to help build strong bones and teeth.

Plent y of these should be eaten - at least five portions every day. These foods provide the body with important vitamins and minerals. 

Fruit and vegetables

Teenagers are active. They need plenty of this type of food to provide them with energy. 

 This is needed to maintain a healthy digestive system.

Fibre

Carbohydrates

Calcium

Teenagers

Adults

Protein is vital or growth and repair of cells.

Fibre can help reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Adults should aim to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Fibre is vital to stimulate the bowels to help get rid of waste products.

Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure leading to strokes and heart disease.

Obesity is linked with heart disease.

Reducing calories consumed and exercising is a good way to lose weight

We need on average 8 glasses of water every day.

Water helps us flush out waste from the body and keep the skin, hair and organs healthy.

Being obese can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Eating too much saturated fat can lead to obesity, high cholesterol and risk of heart disease.

Some adults like to eat gourmet cuisine but these can often be highly calorific with premium ingredients used such as butter and cream. Social media is huge on food channels etc.

Traditional i.e. foods which are based upon meat, potatoes and 2 vegetables?

An elderly person may want food and need food that is easy to chew and digest and warming

Is economical?

Is easy to open?

Provides a suitable portion?

Is a one pot meal/ quick to cook?

Is clearly labelled?

Has easy to follow instructions?

Is warming?

Is soft and easy to chew

Elderly – probably now defined as people aged 70/75 plus but remember this really depends on activity, health etc. so try not to generalise!

The Elderly

Once someone reaches adulthood they stop growing but still need all the nutrients to keep it working properly.

The elderly may need to consume fewer calories to maintain their weight as their BMR (basal metabolic rate.) slows down as less active.

They need to eat sufficient calcium and vitamin D to keep their bones and skeleton healthy and to prevent osteoporosis.

The elderly need iron because s the body gets older, the digestive and blood systems begin to slow down. Iron helps make red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body. Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron.

.

In wintertime they may need a little more fat in their diet to provide body warmth.

The elderly need fruit and vegetables to provide vitamins as they are more prone to diseases as they have a weaker immune system

Vitamins

Calcium

Fat

Protein to repair worn out body cells.

Protein

Iron

Test your knowledge

1. Why must babies have iron in their diet when they are weaned? ( 2 marks)

2. Suggest 3 ways that parents can help their young child to develop good eating habits for the future. (3 marks)

3. Identify 2 sources of calcium for a teenager who does not drink milk

( 3 marks)

4. Discuss how adults can maintain a healthy weight. Suggest changes to their diet and recommend other ways that they can keep healthy. (6 marks)

Plan a balanced meal for the following people/situations thinking about the portion sizes required. Each meal must be based upon the Eatwell Guide

Practice Questions

1. A picnic lunch for 4 toddlers (1-2 years old)

2. A packed lunch for a 10 year old girl

3. A birthday party for 6 children aged 5 years

4. An evening meal for a teenager who has played a hockey match

5. A breakfast for a teenage boy

6. A main meal for an adult who has a physically active job

7. A main meal for an adult who has limited cooking facilities (a hob and a grill)

Year 10 – Activity

Look at the following list of foods that could be suitable for breakfast.

• Bread, muffins, oats.

• Eggs, cheese, milk, yoghurt.

• Bacon, ham, sausages.

• Fresh fruit, dried fruit, fruit juice.

• Tomatoes, mushrooms, herbs, onions.

• Fish (for example, salmon, kippers or kedgeree)

Suggest three different breakfast menus for a teenager, using these foods, that would not take very long to prepare, but would provide a filling, healthy breakfast.

Why is breakfast important?

• A balanced diet will provide each age group with all their nutritional needs.

• All age groups, apart from children under 5 years old, should follow the Eat well guide

• Young children need to be encouraged to eat a varied diet to expand their enjoyment of food.

• Young children are growing fast and need plenty of protein for development of cells and muscles, plenty of calcium and vitamin D to achieve peak bone mass and they also need to avoid unhealthy eating habits.

• Teenagers need balanced regular meals. They should avoid junk food and maintain a healthy weight. Do plenty of weight-bearing exercise.

• Adults and the elderly need less energy as they age, assuming their activity levels are lower. They should keep active and eat plenty of calcium rich foods, fresh fruit and vegetables and drink lots of water.

Diet through different stages of life

Review

Key words

Peak bone mass – the amount of bone tissue present when your skeleton has stopped growing and your bones are at their maximum strength and density.

Osteoporosis – a condition that develops when the creation of new bone does not keep up with the removal of old bone. The bone becomes weak and are at risk of fracturing and breaking easily.

Anaemia – the condition that occurs when your body is not making enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. You will become tired.

Pernicious anaemia – caused by low red blood cell production, which happens when the body is unable to absorb vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is needed along with iron to produce red blood cells. B12 sources are mainly animal foods (unless fortified).