Assignment - Question 1

a.     The 5 stages of the human life cycle are: infancy, childhood, adolescence (12-20), adulthood and old age. For each stage identify circumstances that may lead an individual to have special nutritional needs.

Infancy:

Some infants and young children may have particular dietary requirements. These special needs may exist because of a particular physical or physiological condition and/or specific diseases or disorders. Therapeutic foods are foods designed for specific, usually nutritional-related, therapeutic purposes as a form of dietary supplement. 

The primary examples of therapeutic foods are used for emergency feeding of malnourished children or to provide adequate nutrition to infants and children with allergies and metabolic conditions that are home-based or in a hospital setting.

Childhood:

- Allergies born with it or it can later occur.

- Calcium deficiency, not taking enough calcium,

- Obesity and over eating,

- Vegetarian choice

- Religion.

Adolescence:

Adolescence is a time of increased growth and development, in which a greater need for nutrients coincides with a change in food habits that also influences nutritional needs. Due to differences in body type, physical activity, and rate of growth, every adolescent has different nutritional needs.

Adulthood:

As adults, nutrition still promotes health and reduces risk of disease. Examples of people with medical conditions throughout adulthood and diseases show the effect that certain nutrients, or a lack of certain nutrients, can have on the human body. Some specific diseases linked to poor diet and physical inactivity are cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer. Being overweight, and especially obese, also is linked to many health problems. Eating a poorly balanced diet that is low in nutrients but high in total calories can lead to weight gain.

Old Age:

The normal nutritional needs for maintaining a constant state of good health remain throughout life in an individual although the nutritional needs of growth disappear. Good nutrition results in speedy recovery from illness, surgery or broken bones and can generally improve overall quality of life along with increased life span. It is expected that the nutritional requirements of 51 year olds to be different from those of 60, 70, 80, and 90 years olds.