Summary

In this Study Session, you have learnt that:

• To produce enough breast milk for the growing child, lactating mothers have to get an additional meal to supply the increased nutritional requirement of the body. A lactating woman needs at least two extra meals (550 Kcal.) of whatever is available at home.
• Pregnant mothers need a different diet to nourish her unborn child. Energy, protein, vitamins and minerals are the nutrients demanded in extra amount. Even though these are the nutrients needed in an additional amount, women's nutrition during pregnancy and lactation should majorly focus on the three micronutrients (vitamin A, iron and iodine), extra energy intake and reduction of energy expenditure.
• To have a healthy growth, children in the first six months of age should be kept only on maternal breast milk (exclusive breastfeeding), then at six months of age, initiate additional food on breastfeeding at least for two years (complementary feeding). Exclusive breastfeeding and optimum supplementary feeding during the first two years of age are critical to breaking the cyclic effect of malnutrition from generation to generation.
• The increased requirements of nutrients for late infancy and childhood should focus on energy, protein, vitamins and minerals (Iodine, zinc, calcium and phosphorus).
• Adolescent is a period of rapid growth, and high physiologic changes take place, which is entirely different from an adult that is why the body's demand for nutrients is very high.
• Elder people needs fewer calories than adults because energy requirement declines with the increasing age, particularly, if physical activity is restricted. However; the amount of proteins and other nutrients requirement remains similar to that of adults and younger people.