Special Nutritional Needs

YOUNG CHILDREN: (Infants 0 – 1 year and toddlers 1-2 years)

Guidelines for providing children’s meal

1. The food must be rich in protein for body building, energy foods for their activities, minerals and vitamins for vitality.
2. Their food should be rich in milk, meat, fish, eggs, legumes
3. Meal times should be regular.
4. Their food must be cooked by the most easily digested methods
5. An excessive consumption of sweets and candies that may lead to tooth decay should be avoided.

ADOLESCENTS: Adolescence is the period of rapid growth. The adolescents therefore need proper feeding. They also have increased appetite. Their food should be rich in protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.

ADOLESCENT GIRLS: they require increased intake of iron. This is to make up for that which they lose monthly during menstruation. Insufficient supply of iron in the girl’s diet can result in anaemia

ADULTS: members of the group have reached maturity and stopped growing. They therefore require food for energy and maintenance rather than for growth. An adult’s diet should be balanced, it should also be suitable for his work, age and health. The following are special groups of adults

1. The Manual worker: they do strenuous jobs such as farming, grass or wood cutting, mining e.t.c. this jobs require expenditure of excess energy. Therefore, they require increased intake of energy foods.
2. Sedentary worker: Sedentary work is not strenuous. It involves sitting down. E.g. writing, working in office, selling goods in a shop e.tc. They do not require much energy foods in their diet.

ELDERLY PEOPLE OR AGED: members of this group are often characterised by reduced physical activity. They therefore need less energy.  This means that the quantity of energy food required by the aged needs to be slightly decreased. Their needs for proteins, vitamins remain unchanged. Their food must be easy to chew and digested.

Evaluation:

1. State the guidelines for providing meal for the children
2. Differentiate between a sedentary worker and a manual worker
3. Meals for children should be cooked by easily __________ method?

Assignment:

Explain the nutritional needs of a pregnant woman and a lactating mother.