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How Age Affects Nutritional Needs

The United States has one of the highest obesity rates in the world and it is the first country to have obese poor people. Obesity in young boys and girls, especially, is a serious issue with health and social consequences that can continue into adulthood.

Kids can become overweight for many reasons. Common causes are genetics, a lack of exercise, poor nutrition and eating habits, or a combination of all of these factors. In rare cases, a child might have a serious health problem, such as an endocrine disorder. A physician can perform a physical exam and blood tests to rule out this kind of problem.

For weight loss in adults, cutting back on calories isn't always the answer to losing weight. A caloric intake of under the recommended 1500 calories makes it difficult to meet the daily nutrition requirements for a healthy diet.

Calories are only half the equation for weight loss. Weight control should also include an increase in exercise levels. Physical activity burns calories, increases the proportion of lean to fat body mass, and raises the metabolism. A combination of both healthy calorie control and increased physical activity is important for attaining healthy weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight.

Nutrition and eating habits are important to men's and women's health. The chance of developing health problems is greater for men who are obese or underweight. Obesity has been associated with several diseases including heart disease, cancers, high blood pressure, stroke, hypertension, osteoarthritis, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, and gall bladder disease. Dieting too much is linked with anorexia nervosa, heart arrhythmia, and an increased risk of early death.

Adequate nutrition is critical to elderly women and men. Some people believe that the older you get, the less food you need. This may be true in reference to just calories, because older people usually do use less energy than they did when they were younger women and men. However, when it comes to nutrition, the elderly need just as many nutrients as they ever did. A number of factors can contribute to poor diet amongst the elderly, ranging from a loss of taste and/or smell to side effects from medications to depression.