Nutrition needs differ with gender and age. A healthy diet for a man is different from a healthy diet for a woman. In addition, what a middle-aged male needs from his food for good health and growth differs from what a male baby, child, teenager, or older person needs. It is important to know your specific nutrition needs for your age and to design an eating pattern that suits you. If you combine your food plan with some regular physical activity, you are on your way to good health.
The nutritional needs in adults of 19–50 years of age differ slightly according to gender. Males require more vitamins C, K, B1, B2 and B3, and zinc. Females require more iron, compared with males of similar age.
Men
Regardless of age, all men need good nutrition from a healthy diet. Nutrition is simply the process of getting from our food what we need for health and growth. Moreover, a healthy diet is the best selection of foods and drinks for that process to work well.
Without a healthy diet, you could be increasing your risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and even mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Men’s healthy diet will need to meet your unique physical needs, fit with your lifestyle, and reduce your risk of disease.
Men need at least two mixed meals every day and some snacks. They can get enough energy from a few large meals and bulky food.
Men’s nutrition – eating for your age
19 to 50 years
Younger men in this age bracket generally need more energy than older men, but still need to eat in moderation, with a good variety and balance among the five food groups.
If you want to change your appearance or performance by building muscle, remember you do not need to overdo it: most men only need about 0.84 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, which is about 60 grams a day for an 80-kilogram man.
50 to 71 years
By this age, Men’s nutritional needs have changed from when they were younger. As men get older, the key is choosing foods that give you bang for your buck – that is, foods that are nutrient-rich, without excessive kilojoules. They need slightly less of some food groups, such as lean meats and eggs, tofu, nuts, and seeds.
70 Plus years
At this age, Men need slightly fewer grain foods, slightly more dairy foods, and their alternatives, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and calcium-enriched rice-milk.
Keep an eye on your calcium and phosphorous intakes too by eating dairy, eggs, sardines or salmon, almonds, cashews, rice, wheat, and oat bran, and peanut butter, for example.
Elderly Men
Need at least two and if possible more meals each day as they may not eat much at each meal. They need fewer calories than younger people do, but about the same amount of protein and other nutrients. Old people may need soft food.
Nutritional requirements during later years
Elderly people are especially vulnerable to nutritional problems due to age-related changes in their body (impaired physiological and anatomical capacity).
Possible nutritional issues in old age
• Problems of procuring and preparing foods
• Psychosocial problems
• Digestion problems
• Nutrient absorption problems
• Renal changes
• Memory loss (senile dementia), which may include forgetting to eat
• Sensory changes
• Physical problems like weakness, gouty arthritis, and painful joints.
Specific nutrient requirements in old age
An elderly person requires less energy than a younger individual due to a reduction in muscle mass and physical activity. Some daily requirements for elderly people differ from those of younger adults. For example, in order to reduce the risk for age-related bone loss and fracture, the requirement for vitamin D is increased from 200 IU/day to 400 in individuals of 51–70 years of age and to 600 IU/day for those over 70 years of age. Suggested iron intakes reduce however from 18 mg per day in women aged 19–50 to 8 mg/day after age 50, due to better iron conservation and decreased losses in postmenopausal women compared with younger women.
Some elderly people have difficulty getting adequate nutrition because of age or disease-related impairments in chewing, swallowing, digesting, and absorbing nutrients. Their nutrient status may also be affected by decreased production of chemicals to digest food (digestive enzymes), changes in the cells of the bowel surface, and drug-nutrient interactions. Some elderly people demonstrate selenium deficiency, a mineral important for immune function. Impaired immune function affects susceptibility to infections and tumors (malignancies). Vitamin B6 helps to boost selenium levels, so a higher intake for people aged 51–70 is recommended.
Nutritional interventions should first emphasize healthy foods, with supplements playing a secondary role. Although modest supplementary doses of micronutrients can both prevent deficiency and support immune functions, very high dose supplementation (for example, high dose zinc) may have the opposite effect and result in immune-suppression. Therefore, elderly people also need special attention with regard to nutritional care.
Nutritional requirements throughout the life cycle: conclusion
Requirements for energy and micronutrients change throughout the life cycle. Although inadequate intake of certain micronutrients is a concern, problems also come from the dietary excesses of energy, saturated fat, cholesterol, and eating refined carbohydrates, all of which are contributing to obesity and chronic disease in developed countries.
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Source: Harley’s Digital Marketing &
Idah Muthama, Vitabiotics Sales Manager.
