NUTRITION FOR ALL

By Pushpamma Mathew

Nutrition plays a vital role in the health and well-being of individuals throughout every stage of life, from conception to old age. It serves as the cornerstone of a person’s physical, mental, and emotional health. In a world increasingly challenged by issues such as climate change, socioeconomic inequalities, and global pandemics, the importance of ensuring adequate nutrition for everyone is more pressing than ever.

 Prenatal Nutrition: The Cornerstone of Life:

Nutrition begins even before birth, with the mother’s diet playing a pivotal role in the foetus’s development. Adequate consumption of essential nutrients such as folic acid, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids is crucial for preventing birth defects, fostering brain development, and ensuring a healthy birth weight. Malnutrition or poor dietary choices during pregnancy can lead to complications like low birth weight, premature birth, and long-term health problems for the child. Thus, enhancing maternal nutrition through education, supplementation, and access to nutritious foods is essential. The diet should be well balanced, should include small frequent meals, contain foods-leafy and green veg, dairy products, nonveg items, almonds, walnuts, groundnuts, flaxseed, sesame seed, prefer small fishes and lean meat. For boosting immunity include-amla, lemon, guava, oranges & Mausami. Avoid street foods and prefer grandma recipes.

 Infancy and Childhood: Foundations for a Healthy Future:

The first 1,000 days of life, from conception to a child’s second birthday, are crucial for cognitive and physical development. Breastfeeding is widely acknowledged in the first six months as the optimal source of nutrition for infants, providing essential antibodies and nutrients that protect against infections and support growth. Simultaneously mother’s nutrition during lactation is very important. During lactation period it is necessary to include following in the menu -Daliya, lauki porridge, green papaya, dates, fennel seeds, nuts and seeds.

A well-balanced nutrition during childhood is vital for supporting growth, learning, and development. Child’s diet should include food with varied texture, shape, colour, taste and flavour. Including menu-stuffed parathas, colourful fruits, flavoured milk. Currently, increasing prevalence of processed foods are contributing to childhood obesity, undernutrition, stunted growth and cognitive impairments. To tackle these challenges strategies should be taken to promote healthy eating habits.

Adolescence & Adulthood: Nutrition for Growth and Sustainable health.

Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and development, requiring increased energy, protein  and nutrient intake. Unfortunately, adolescents are often swayed by peer pressure, media influence, and the availability of ready to eat foods, leading to poor eating habits. The consumption of high-calorie, nutrient-deficient foods can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases that may persist into adulthood. To support productive life formulate recipes  and include foods rich in micronutrients like-iron, calcium, Vit A, Vit B12,folic acid and Vit C .Fermented foods like –Curd, Idli, Dosa, Dhokla and Germinated foods like -Chana, moong as it is rich in Fibre , Vitamin C, and Vitamin B12 should be incorporated in menus.

Old Age: Nutrition for Healthy Aging:

As people age, their nutritional needs evolve. Older adults require fewer calories but need higher amounts of specific nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, and fibre, to maintain bone health, prevent muscle loss, and support digestive health. If consistently feeling fatigue can take dietary supplements under the guidance of doctor. Prefer bland, steamed, and stewed food.

Nutrition is a lifelong essential that shapes health outcomes at every stage of life. The current global environment presents both challenges and opportunities for improving nutrition across all age groups. Through targeted interventions, public health initiatives, and policies that ensure access to nutritious food for everyone, we can foster a healthier world, beginning in the womb and continuing into old age.

Healthy tips:

• SelectVIBGOYR colour fruits and vegetables in diet.
• Consume freshly cooked foods &freshly cut salads to avoid food poisoning.
• Avoid washing of vegetables after cutting to minimise nutrient loss.
• Prefer cooking methods like Pressure Cooking, steaming, stewing, and boiling.
• Be alert while using aluminium and Teflon coating cookware to prevent metal toxicity.
• Include functional foods like garlic, ginger, Amla, Fenugreek , turmeric, and curry leaves.
• Stay Hydrated.
• Avoid caffeine at night.
• Manage Stress.
• Get enough sleep.
• People with diabetes should select food wisely during fasting and feasting.
• Always read food labels before purchasing.

(Author is Manager Dietary Service (Dietician), Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur.)