Nutrition in women across the life span.
Recent recommendations on nutrition, such as the Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health, have emphasized the relationship between diet and disease. In the Surgeon General's report, Americans have been advised to limit their consumption of fat, cholesterol, sodium, and alcoholic beverages, and to increase their consumption of complex carbohydrates and fiber. Two of the recommendations in this report related to the consumption of iron and calcium are particularly important to women's health. Women are advised to increase their consumption of food high in calcium and to include foods containing iron, such as lean meats, fish, certain beans, iron-enriched cereals, and whole grain products. Iron is essential as a constituent of hemoglobin, myoglobin, and certain enzymes. Iron losses during menstruation and the increased need for iron during pregnancy place women at risk for iron deficiency. Bone mass continues to increase until the late twenties, and one method to prevent osteoporosis may be adequate calcium intake during these years of early adulthood. Food guides that list amounts and types of foods to be eaten are helpful for the individual or as an educational tool for the nurse or educator. A Daily Food Guide was recently designed to meet the nutritional needs of women throughout the life cycle, and the government has very recently released a Food Guide Pyramid. Although it is important for women to learn how to control certain dietary components, they should also be aware of the protective nature of certain nutrients, such as iron and calcium.
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Department of Health Sciences, C. W. Post Campus, Long Island University, Brookville, NY 11548.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D008612:Menu Planning; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D011247:Pregnancy; D016387:Women's Health
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D005296:Ferrous Compounds