Nutrition and People

School children

Maintaining a balanced diet and regular exercise is important for everyone, especially school-aged children. They need to eat a variety of foods from each food group. At the same time, they may face new challenges regarding food choices and eating habits.

For more information, see Nutrition in School Children.

Adolescent girls

Adolescence is the transition period between childhood and adulthood, typically between the ages of 10 and 13 years in girls. Adolescence is characterised by the growth spurt, a period of rapid growth. During this time, physical changes affect the body's nutritional needs, while changes in one's lifestyle may affect eating habits and food choices.

For more information, see Nutrition in Adolescent Girls.

Pregnant women

The healthy development of children is highly dependent on their growth in the womb. Generally, nutrition before and during pregnancy is essential for good pregnancy outcomes, including a normal birth weight. Adequate nutrition before and during pregnancy is therefore vital for both the mother and her baby.

For more information, see Nutrition During Pregnancy.

Breastfeeding women

During the first six months after delivery, the baby is fed only on breast milk, and is dependant on the mother for all nutrient requirements. Eating a healthy diet while you are breastfeeding is important because what you eat determines the energy, protein, nutrient and vitamin content of your breast milk.

For more information, see Nutrition in Breastfeeding.

Mature women

Nutritional status in old age is as important as in any other stage of the life cycle. Some physiological changes and that occur as part of the ageing process tend to have significant impact on the health and nutritional wellbeing of elderly people.

For more information, see Nutrition in Mature Women.

Men

There is strong evidence that Western-style diets are associated with a substantially increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and men are most at risk of developing diet-related diseases.

For more information, see Nutrition in Men.

More information

For more information on nutrition, including information on types and composition of food, nutrition and people, conditions related to nutrition, and diets and recipes, as well as some useful videos and tools, see Nutrition.