Nutrition in

ADOLESCENCE
Adolescence
• is the transition period between childhood
and adulthood.

• it is the period where there is augmented

biological development, second only to
that immediately prior to and following
birth.
Nutrient Allowances
• Philippine RDA categorizes adolescence into the
13-15 age group and the 16-19 years old.

• It is important to emphasize that all adolescents

do not grow and develop at the same rate or at
the same age, nutrient needs tend to coincide
with the velocity of growth.
1) ENERGY
• 13-15 years old = 310 kcal
• 16-19 years old = 640 kcal

2) PROTEIN
• 13-15 years old = 59g
• 16-19 years old = 65g

3) VITAMINS
- Vitamin A, C, Thiamin and Riboflavin are found
deficient in the diet of Filipino adolescent.
- Vitamin C has an important role in cell
metabolism.
4) MINERALS
• CALCIUM: 13-15 years old = 700mg
16-19 years old = 600mg
• IRON: Increase intake to about 300mg influences
the hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.
• IODINE: Increase to compensate the increase in
thyroid activity associated with growth.
Feeding Habits of
Adolescents
depends on:
• emotional and social pressure

• self-consciousness especially
with regards to figure

• independence in food choice

Nutrition in the
ELDERLY
• ELDERLY or AGED – generally refers to
“older” people age 60 years and over.

• SENESCENCE – period of old age.

• GERONTOLOGY – study of the phenomena

of old age.

• GERIATRICS – treatment of its

accompanying diseases.
 FACTORS
AFFECTING
ADEQUATE
FEEDING IN
ELDERLY
A) Psychological Factors:
-- Emotional stress can impair the elderly’s ability to properly
utilize ingested nutrients.
Ex. - Loss of love ones
- threat of death
- Feeling of loneliness
- intensified by loss of vision &/or hearing
- Loss of job & sexual attractiveness
1) ANXIETY
• He is constantly worried about his environment, his health, and
everything about himself. His worry may produce changes in GIT
motility.

2) DEPRESSION
• He does not eat sufficiently, often out of conscious or unconscious
desire to die.

3) SUSPICION
• He does not eat because he is insecure about the food and people
around him.

4) CONFUSION
• He does not know what is going on around him. Confusion may lead to
emotional stress. He should be helped to see, hear, and understand
what is going on and what is being served to him.
B) Physical
Factors:
-poor dentures
-difficulty in swallowing
-lack of motor coordination
-physical discomforts such as heart burn and gas pain
-diminished sense of taste and smell takes away the
pleasure of eating
-heavy handling of eating utensils may be a source of
frustrations and loss of interest in food
C) Socio-Economic Factors:
• Retirement from work brings with it reduction in
financial resources. Lack of money most often is
the cause of selection inexpensive “empty calorie”
foods and reduced intake of meat, milk and eggs.
• Elderly person is easy prey to food fallacies and
superstitious belief.
DIETARY PRINCIPLES
IN FEEDING THE
ELDERLY
• No teeth or poor dentures restrict their food
to those that are mashed, chopped or
pureed.

• For those with sensitive digestive

systems, take something hot at each
meal.

• Fiber of tender vegetables, fruits

and whole grain cereals will
promote normal peristalsis in
addition to their being good
sources of vitamins and minerals.
 • Milk is an important food in
the diet of the aged. It is a
good source of protein,
calcium, riboflavin and when
fortified an excellent source
of Vitamin D.

• A good breakfast, pleasant eating

surroundings, and familiar foods
should be stressed when feeding the
elderly.
 • Fats may retard digestion.
• It is recommended that the heavier
meal be eaten at noon rather than at
night.

• Coffee and tea late in

the day may prevent a
good sound sleep.
 Nutrient Allowances
An important fact to consider in viewing geriatric nutrition is that while
nutritional requirements remain similar, no matter what one’s age,
caloric requirements decrease with age.

1) CARBOHYDRATES
-50 to 60% of the total kcal, primarily in the form of
starches rather than sugars

2) FATS
-25 to 30% from fats, 2% of which in the form of
polyunsaturated fatty acids
3) PROTEIN
-1.12g/kg body weight based on a net protein
utilization of 63%.

4) VITAMINS & MINERALS

-Calcium, Iron, and Vitamins A and C.

5) WATER
-approximately 6-8 glasses/day are needed.
The End