Nutrition for the entire family

Obesity rates in America are increasing in all age groups.  Children want fatty and sugary foods seen on TV commercials, teenagers are pressured into eating poorly and eat out a lot due to the freedom of having a driver's license, and adults are so busy with work that they do not have time to prepare healthy meals and instead they grab something "quick" from fast food restaurants.  All of these factors and many more are making our society more and more unhealthy.  Obesity increases the risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases (Schiff 495).  This blog will provide some nutritional facts and tips to help make all age groups of America more healthy.     

Nutrition for pre-school children (ages 2-5 years old)
Pre-schoolers do not have the stomach capacity to eat adult sized portions of food so parents should give their children small portion sizes.  Even though they may get hungry throughout the day and want snacks, children should not be over-fed to reduce snacking.  Appropriate sized, healthy snacks can be provided instead of over-feeding children at meals.  Some examples of nutrient-dense foods for young children are: lean means, low-fat milk products, whole-grain cereals, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (ex: salmon, herring, tuna, sardines).  For those kids who like to snack, some examples of healthy snacks are: peanut butter spread on graham crackers, fruit smoothies, fruit salad or cut-up fruit, mini-pizzas made on an English muffin, plain low-fat yogurt with granola or fresh fruit, pasta salad, peanuts, cashews, or sunflower seeds, fruit pops, leftovers, quick breads, cheese melted on whole-wheat crackers, dried fruit, trail mix, ready-to-eat cereal, and vegetable sticks dipped in hummus (Schiff 177 and 487).

 
Nutrition for school-age children (ages 6-11 years old)
School-age children usually do not have nutritionally adequate diets because they often skip breakfast, consume more foods away from home than at home, eat larger portions of food, eat more fried foods, consume more sweetened or sugary beverages, and reduce intake of milk products, fruits, and vegetables.  Their sodium intake is very high while their intake of necessary minerals (especially calcium and potassium) are low.  Parents should feed school-age children foods similar to the foods for pre-school children but in larger portions.  They should also encourage their child to drink water instead of sweetened beverages, to eat a nutrient-dense breakfast daily, keep healthy snacks around for their children to eat, and eat together as a family as often as possible (Schiff 490 and 493).  

Nutrition for adolescents through young adults (puberty through adulthood)
Adolescents go through growth spurts which causes a dramatic increase in their appetites.  During this age, adolescents eat at fast food restaurants a lot, allow for peer pressure to determine their eating habits (resulting in eating unhealthy or eating disorders), have a low intake of fruits, vegetables, milk products, and iron (Schiff 494-495).  Adolescents and young adults need to plan healthy (and quick) meals, eat less at fast food restaurants or try to buy the healthier food options at the restaurants, eat regularly (do not skip meals), and try to follow the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommendations.  

Nutrition for older adults (ages 65 and older)
Older adults have a high risk of nutrient deficiencies because of physiological changes during the normal aging process.  Illness, medications, low income, and lack of social support can also influence their nutritional status (Schiff 499).  Being malnourished causes older adults to have increased hospital admissions, length of stay at hospitals, incidence of pressure ulcers, falls, hip fractures, and a poorer quality of life (Isenring et al 376).  Some of the reasons why many older adults do not get the nutrients they need is because of slower metabolic rates, reduced ability to taste and smell food, difficulty swallowing, loss of teeth, loss of normal cognitive function, depression, and reduced mobility and flexibility.  Ways to help older adults increase their food intake despite some of these problems are: for people who have problems chewing serve soft foods (ground meats, cooked vegetables, pureed fruits, and pudding), for those who have reduced taste add more spices to improve food’s taste, and for older adults with depression make meals social events by having potlucks, parties, or eating with others. Caregivers of older adults should emphasize nutrient-dense foods during meal planning; try new foods, seasonings, and ways to prepare foods; have easy to prepare nutrient-dense foods on hand when the older adult is too tired to cook a large meal; serve meals in well-lit or sunny areas; plan meals using foods with different flavors, colors, shapes, textures, and smells; encourage older adults to be physically active; and prepare extra amounts of soup, stew, or casserole so leftovers can be frozen for future meals (Schiff 499-501).    

Isenring, E. A., Banks, M., Ferguson, M., & Bauer, J. D. (2012). Beyond Malnutrition Screening: Appropriate Methods to Guide Nutrition Care for Aged Care Residents. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 112(3), 376.

Schiff, W. J. (2011). Nutrition for a Lifetime. Nutrition in Healthy Living (Second ed., pp. 177, 487, 490, 493-495, 499-501). New York: McGraw-Hill.