Nutritional requirement ppt

Nutritional requirements in children - calories , water , fats , protein , carbohydrates , vitamnins and minerals

1. NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENT IN CHILDREN PRESENTED BY Miss Shrutika . Navilyale MSc Nursing 1 st year Child Health Nursing KAHER INS Belagavi

2. INTRODUCTION: Balanced and sufficient nutritional intake is most essential for children to promote optimal growth and development, to protect and maintain health , to prevent nutritional deficiency and various illness and reserve for starvation and dietary stress. The world nutrition is derived from the word ‘ nutricus ’ which means to suckle at breast. Nutrition is defined as combination of dynamic process by which consumed food is utilized for nourishment and structural and functional efficiency of every cell of body. It is science of food and its relationship to health.

3. The term food refers to anything which nourishes the body. Nutritional requirements may vary from one individual to other and depends upon metabolic and genetic difference No single food meets all the needed requirements for the children except mother’s milk , which provides all nutritional substances to infants till 6 months of age. Afterwards healthy dietary habits depends upon cultural and social influences. Child’s diet should contain sufficient amount of fluids, calories, proteins , fats , carbohydrates , vitamins and mineral salts etc to meet their daily requirement.

4. Foods must be attractive, digestible , choiceable , and easily available. Nutritional requirement should be maintained with margin of safety and with right balance. The recommended daily intake of nutrients with sufficient amounts to be provided to maintain the needs of the body and good health.

5. WATER: Water is most important for maintenance of life . It constitutes about 70% of body weight in children. The total water content is more in children than in adults. It is required for digestion , metabolism, renal excretion , temperature regulation, transportation of cellular substances maintenance of fluid volume and growth of children. The balance of water in body depends on protein and electrolyte intake , metabolic and respiratory rate , body temperature. Evaporation from lungs and skin leads to 40-50% of water loss and 3-10 % by fecal loss.

6. Kidneys maintain the water and electrolytes imbalance. Excess water intake may lead to water intoxication and excess loss may lead to dehydration which is the main cause of death in children than starvation.

7. CALORIES: The energy value of foods is measured in terms of ‘large’ calorie and kilocalorie. Children require more calories per kg of body weight than adults. Calorie requirements gradually decreases from infancy to adulthood. The average energy expenditure is 50 % in basal metabolism, 12% in growth , 25 % for physical activity, 8 % in fecal loss and 5% for specific dynamic action. The calorie requirements in children depend upon body size and surface , rate of growth, level of physical activity, food habits and climate .

8. PROPTEIN: Proteins are the essential for synthesis of body tissues in growth and, and during maintenance and repair. Help in formation of digestive juices, hormones , plasma, proteins, enzymes , hemoglobin and immunoglobulins . Proteins act as source of energy , when calorie intake is inadequate. Protein requirements depend upon the age , sex , physical and psychological factors which is maximum in neonates in neonates and early infancy but gradually decreases as age increase. Deficiency of protein intake may leads to growth failure and PEM.

9. CARBOHYDRATES: Carbohydrates are the main source of energy and supply bulk in diet. The source of carbohydrate of infant’s diet is in the form of lactose found in both human and cow’s milk that should be provided up to 6 months . After wards cereals, legumes, fruits , pulses , and vegetables are the main sources. Lack of intake may result into symptoms of undernutrition ,starvation , constipation, fatigue, ketosis, depression etc. Excess intake results into obesity, IHD, cataract, and dental caries in case of concentrated sugar intake.

10. FATS: Fats supplies 40 to 50 % energy needed for infant. The ICMR has recommended a daily fat intake of 25g/day in young children and 22g/ day in older children. Total fat intake should provide not more than 20 -30 % of daily energy intake and at least 50 % of fat intake should of vegetable oils rich in essential fatty acids . Excess intake may lead to obesity, accumulation of adipose tissue , cancer, artherosclerosis hypertension. Deficiency may results into growth retardation , skin disorders , visual problems etc.

11. VITAMINS: Vitamins are organic substances and essential micronurtients for maintenance . Vitamins are classified into 2 groups – fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. Vitamin requirements is more in preterm babies . Infants get adequate vitamins from mother during lactation . Dietary intake of vitamins may be low or marginal during infancy and childhood .

12. MINERALS: Minerals are inorganic elements , required by human body for growth , repair, and regulations of vital body functions. Macronutrients are calcium, phosphorus , sodium, potassium, and magnesium and micronutrients are iron, iodine, fluorine , zinc , copper etc .