Special Considerations Related to Nutrition Concerns

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS RELATEDTO NUTRITION CONCERNS

It is especially important to maintain good eating habits during young and middle adulthood. Women, who may be concerned about weight, cost of food, or time, can easily develop nutrient deficiencies. For example, a woman who settles for a piece of pie at lunchtime while her husband eats a hamburger and salad is being very foolish. If she continues to eat like this, she will jeopardize her health.

A hamburger can have 250 to 400 calories. The salad will contain less than 50 calories without dressing, and the dressing could be limited to 1 tablespoon, or approximately 100 calories, for a total intake of about 400 to550 calories. Pies average 100 calories per 1-inch slice. Most slices are about 3¹⁄2 inches. A scoop of ice cream on the pie would bring the total to at least another 100 calories.

Although the calorie intakes of the husband and wife would be compa-rable, the nutrient intakes would differ. The wife’s would be inadequate. If the woman is of childbearing age and plans to have children, she or her children could suffer from such habits.

In general, people today are concerned about nutrition and want to limit fats, cholesterol, sugar, salt, and calories and increase fiber. Many know the sources of these items; others do not. Unfortunately, both groups tend to select their food because of convenience and flavor rather than nutritional content. It is easier to drive through a fast-food restaurant or heat a prepared frozen dinner in the microwave and complete the meal with ice cream than it is to shop for individual food items, cook them, and wash up after the meal. Consequently, many people ingest more fats, sugar, salt, and high-calorie foods and less fiber and other nutrients than they should.