Chapter 13 Nutrition through the Life Cycle: From Childhood to the Elderly Years

The emergence of the obesity epidemic not only relates to what we eat and drink, but also how much we consume on a daily basis.

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One hundred years ago, when many families sat down to dinner, they might have eaten boiled potatoes or corn, leafy vegetables such as cabbage or collards, fresh-baked bread, and, if they were fortunate, a small amount of beef or chicken. Young and old alike benefitted from a sound diet that packed a real nutritional punch. Times have changed. Many families today fill their dinner plates with fatty foods, such as french fries cooked in vegetable oil, a hamburger that contains several ounces of ground beef, and a white-bread bun, with a single piece of lettuce and a slice or two of tomato as the only vegetables served with the meal.

Our diet has changed drastically as processed foods, which did not exist a century ago, and animal-based foods now account for a large percentage of our calories. Not only has what we eat changed, but the amount of it that we consume has greatly increased as well, as plates and portion size have grown much larger. All of these choices impact our health, with short- and long-term consequences as we age. Possible effects in the short-term include excess weight gain and constipation. The possible long-term effects, primarily related to obesity, include the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, osteoarthritis, sleep apenea, respiratory problems, liver and gallbladder disease, and certain cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon) among middle-aged and elderly adults.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences.” Last updated March 3, 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/causes/health.html.

It is best to start making healthy choices from a young age and maintain them as you mature. However, a recent report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that adopting good nutritional choices later in life, during the forties, fifties, and even the sixties, may still help to reduce the risk of chronic disease as you grow older.Rivlin, R. S. “Keeping the Young-Elderly Healthy: Is It Too Late to Improve Our Health through Nutrition?” Am J Clin Nutr 86, supplement (2007): 1572S–6S. Even if past nutritional and lifestyle choices were not aligned with dietary guidelines, older adults can still do a great deal to reduce their risk of disability and chronic disease. As we age, we tend to lose lean body mass. This loss of muscle and bone can have critical health implications. For example, a decrease in body strength can result in an increased risk for fractures because older adults with weakened muscles are more likely to fall, and to sustain serious injuries when they do. However, improving your diet while increasing physical activity helps to control weight, reduce fat mass, and maintain muscle and bone mass.

There are a number of changes middle-aged adults can implement, even after years of unhealthy choices. Choices include eating more dark, green, leafy vegetables, substituting high-fat proteins with lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, and nuts, and engaging in moderate physical activity for thirty minutes per day, several days per week. The resulting improvements in body composition will go a long way toward providing greater protection against falls and fractures, and helping to ward off cardiovascular disease and hypertension, among other chronic conditions.Rivlin, R. S. “Keeping the Young-Elderly Healthy: Is It Too Late to Improve Our Health through Nutrition?” Am J Clin Nutr 86, supplement (2007): 1572S–6S.

In Chapter 12 "Nutrition through the Life Cycle: From Pregnancy to the Toddler Years", we focused on the effects of dietary choices during pregnancy, infancy, and the toddler years. Our examination of nutrition through the human life cycle continues as we study the remainder of childhood into adulthood and the elderly years. Nutritional choices remain critical throughout a person’s life and influence overall health and wellness. The nutritional choices we make today affect not only our present health, but also our future well-being.