Nutrrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nutrrition - Essay Example Teenagers require protein during their years of high activity and rapid growth to assure healthy muscle growth and tissue formation. The elderly are susceptible to osteoporosis and loss of bone mass due to a lack of calcium in the diet. Getting the correct amount of fat, protein, and calcium has a significant impact on children, teenagers, and the elderly and is essential for good health. From the moment a baby is born until the age of five the brain goes through substantial growth that is aided by the amounts and types of fat consumed. People have become more aware of the fat consumed by children and its correlation to childhood obesity. The latest trend in diets for children includes a low fat component, but there have been concerns about its effect on long-term brain development. Seventy five percent of the brain’s development takes place in the first three years of a child’s life (Rask-Nissila et al., 2000, p.999). During this period it is essential that children get adequate fat to aid in the proper development of the brain. Current USDA guidelines call for a fat intake of between 30 and 40 percent of the total calories during the first year and gradually decreasing to 30 to 35 percent by age 4 (Gidding et al., 2006, p.546). Increasing the fat level beyond this point may lead to childhood obesity, and Rask-Nissila et al. (2000) suggests that, †Å"children with high serum cholesterol values are predisposed to atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD) later in life† (p.993). Lowering the level below 30 percent has been a cause of concern for brain development or other neurological health issues. It is known that children who are malnourished during their first year of life develop acute intelligence deficiencies as a teenager (Rask-Nissila et al., 2000, p.999). While lowering the serum cholesterol level in children by a moderate amount may not result in any neurological problems, children with