Nutritional Requirements Adulthood

Fluids/Water - Adulthood

• Fluid intake should be at least 1500 ml/d
• The Food and Nutrition Board recommended 1 ml water per calorie of food ingested
• Estimates using body weight vary by activity and age, with the average adult needing 30-40 ml/kg
• Concerns in older adults: age-related metabolic changes affect vitamin D status, independent of dietary intake

Beverage Selection Plan

• Choose water as the preferred beverage, 3–5 12-ounce containers
• Limit unsweetened coffee or tea to 3–4 cups
• Drink two 8-ounce glasses of low-fat milk
• Drink a small (4-ounce) glass of 100 percent fruit juice, or choose fresh fruit
• Avoid sugar-sweetened soda; if using diet soda, limit to one 12-ounce can

Micronutrients - Vitamins

• Folic Acid
  • Evidence for folic acid in prevention of neural tube defects is strong
  • May lower homocysteine levels; possible risk marker for atherothrombosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease
  • DRI: 400 mcg for adults aged ≥ 19 years
• Vitamin E
  • Also known as tocopherol
  • Plays a special role in the health of adults, especially older adults due to its antioxidant functions
  • DRI: 15 mg for adults aged ≥ 19 years
  • Food sources: sunflower seeds and oil, walnuts, olive oil, and avocado

Bone Health - Adulthood

• Calcium, Vitamin D, and Magnesium
  • Calcium plus vitamin D and magnesium help develop and maintain bone density, delaying osteoporosis and reducing risk of bone fractures
  • Adequate calcium is a potential contributor to lowered risk of colon cancer
  • Calcium DRI:
    • 19-50 y: 1000 mg/d
    • >50 y women & >70 y men: 1200 mg/d
• Vitamin D
  • Stimulates active transport of calcium in the small intestine and calcium reabsorption in kidney
  • Concerns for older adults:
    • Age-related metabolic changes affect vitamin D status, independent of dietary intake
    • Medications interfering with vitamin D metabolism (barbiturates, cholestyramine, phenytoin, and laxatives)
  • DRI:
    • 19-70 y: 15 mcg/d
    • >70 y: 20 mcg/d
• Magnesium
  • Needed for bone and tooth formation, nerve activity, glucose utilization, and synthesis of fat and proteins
  • Needed for more than 300 enzyme systems
  • DRI:
    • Adult males: 400-420 mg/d
    • Adult females: 310-320 mg/d

Minerals - Adulthood

• Sodium
  • Limit consumption of sodium to less than 2300 milligrams a day
• Potassium
  • Older adults: Hypokalemia from low K intakes, especially if using some diuretics
  • Supplements might be needed for those on potassium-wasting diuretics; blood levels must be carefully monitored

Iron - Adulthood

• Women:
  • DRI:
    • 19-50 y: 18 mg/d
    • >50 y: 8 mg/d; Why the drop?
  • For women, iron needs drop from 18 to 8 mg per day at menopause
• Men:
  • DRI: 8 mg/d for ≥ 19 y

Healthy Eating Styles

• Prioritize nutrient-dense foods
• Follow MyPlate recommendations for portion sizes
• Examples of healthy eating styles:
  • DASH diet (rich in fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, and low sodium)
  • Mediterranean diet (emphasizes vegetables, fish, olive oil)
  • Vegetarian diets (featuring fruits, veggies, and meat alternatives)
  • USDA food plans offer both a typical American pattern with meat and a vegetarian option

Caffeine and Coffee Intake

• Some argue that beverages like coffee, tea, or those containing caffeine shouldn't count towards fluid intake due to their perceived diuretic effects
• Caffeine, at high doses, can temporarily increase urine production, but there's no solid evidence linking these beverages to dehydration
• The Food and Nutrition Board stated that caffeine-containing beverages contribute to daily total water intake
• Biological Effects of Caffeine:
  • Stimulating Effects: Stimulates the central nervous system
  • Anticarcinogenic: Some compounds in coffee have been linked to anticarcinogenic effects
  • Antimicrobial: Coffee may possess antimicrobial properties
  • Neuroprotective: Certain compounds in coffee might offer neuroprotective effects, potentially guarding against Parkinson's disease
  • Hypoglycemic: Coffee components may have hypoglycemic effects, beneficial for managing diabetes and preventing weight gain
• Safe Consumption Levels:
  • Routine Consumption: Healthy adults typically consume naturally occurring caffeine in the range of 400–800 mg/day without harm
  • Positive Effects: This level of caffeine intake is associated with positive effects like those mentioned above
  • Concerns with Supplemented Products: The proliferation of caffeine-supplemented products raises concerns about safety at higher intake levels

Dietary Supplements and Functional Foods

• Types of Dietary Supplements:
  • Vitamins
  • Minerals
  • Amino acids
  • Herbal and botanical supplements
  • Enzymes
  • Prebiotics
  • Probiotics
• Indications for Vitamin and Mineral Supplements:
  • Pregnancy
  • Certain illnesses
  • Low-calorie or nutrient-restricted diets
• Prevalence of Supplement Use:
  • National survey data suggest that a significant portion of the population takes vitamin and/or mineral supplements
• Age-Related Trends:
  • The use of supplemental vitamins and minerals tends to increase gradually with age
• Botanical and Herbal Supplements:
  • Many adults use botanical and herbal supplements to address specific health concerns, either for treatment or prevention
  • Research supporting the purported benefits of these supplements is often lacking

Physical Activity

• Benefits of Regular Physical Activity:
  • Muscle Strength, Balance, and Endurance
  • Cardiorespiratory Fitness
  • Physical and Mental Health
  • Cognitive Function
  • Weight Management
  • Reduced Disease Risk Factors
  • Enhancing Quality of Life
• Amount of Physical Activity Needed:
  • Research synthesis suggests that 2.5 hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week is sufficient to achieve positive health effects
• Basic Recommendation:
  • Achieving the recommended level of physical activity can be as simple as engaging in a brisk 30-minute walk five days a week

Fluids/Water - Adulthood

• Fluid intake should be at least 1500 ml/d
• The Food and Nutrition Board recommends 1 ml water per calorie of food ingested
• Estimates using body weight vary by activity and age, with the average adult needing 30-40 ml/kg
• Concerns in older adults include decreased ability to regulate fluid balance and increased risk of dehydration

Beverage Selection

• Choose water as the preferred beverage, aiming for 3-5 12-ounce containers daily
• Limit unsweetened coffee or tea to 3-4 cups daily
• Drink two 8-ounce glasses of low-fat milk daily
• Drink a small (4-ounce) glass of 100 percent fruit juice, or choose fresh fruit
• Avoid sugar-sweetened soda; if using diet soda, limit to one 12-ounce can

Micronutrients

Vitamins - Adulthood

Folic Acid

• Folic acid is crucial for preventing neural tube defects
• May lower homocysteine levels, a possible risk marker for atherothrombosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease
• DRI: 400 mcg for adults aged ≥ 19 years

Vitamin E

• Also known as tocopherol
• Vitamin E plays a special role in the health of adults, especially older adults, due to its antioxidant functions
• DRI: 15 mg for adults aged ≥ 19 years
• Food sources include sunflower seeds and oil, walnuts, olive oil, and avocado

Bone Health - Adulthood

Calcium, Vitamin D, and Magnesium

• Calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium help develop and maintain bone density, delaying osteoporosis and reducing risk of bone fractures
• Adequate calcium is a potential contributor to lowered risk of colon cancer
• Milk as part of the Dietary Approaches to Stop hypertension diet (DASH) has been successfully used as part of blood pressure reduction interventions
• Older adults: decreased absorption of calcium and vitamin D
• Calcium DRI:
  • 19-50 y: 1000 mg/d
  • >50 y women & >70 y men: 1200 mg/d

Vitamin D

• Adequate intake of vitamin D stimulates active transport of calcium in the small intestine and calcium reabsorption in the kidney
• Concerns for older adults:
  • Age-related metabolic changes affect vitamin D status, independent of dietary intake
  • Commonly used medications interfere with vitamin D metabolism
• DRI for vitamin D:
  • 19-70 y: 15 mcg/d
  • >70 y: 20 mcg/d

Magnesium

• Magnesium is needed for bone and tooth formation, nerve activity, glucose utilization, and synthesis of fat and proteins
• Magnesium is needed for more than 300 enzyme systems
• DRI: 400-420 mg/d for adult males, 310-320 mg/d for adult females

Minerals - Adulthood

Sodium

• Limit consumption of sodium to less than 2300 milligrams a day

Potassium

• Older adults: Hypokalemia from low K intakes, especially if using certain diuretics
• Supplements might be needed for those on potassium-wasting diuretics; blood levels must be carefully monitored

Iron - Adulthood

• Women DRI:
  • 19-50 y: 18 mg/d
  • >50 y: 8 mg/d
• Men DRI: 8 mg/d for ≥ 19 y

Caffeine and Coffee Intake

• Beverages like coffee, tea, or those containing caffeine contribute to daily total water intake
• Caffeine, at high doses, can temporarily increase urine production, but there's no solid evidence linking these beverages to dehydration
• Biological effects of caffeine:
  • Stimulating effects on the central nervous system
  • Anticarcinogenic effects
  • Antimicrobial properties
  • Neuroprotective effects
  • Hypoglycemic effects
• Safe consumption levels:
  • Routine consumption: 400-800 mg/day
  • Positive effects: stimulating effects, anticarcinogenic effects, etc.
  • Concerns with supplemented products: safety at higher intake levels, adverse effects (e.g., increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, headaches)

Dietary Supplements and Functional Foods

• Types of dietary supplements:
  • Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbal and botanical supplements, enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics
• Indications for vitamin and mineral supplements:
  • Pregnancy, certain illnesses, or low-calorie or nutrient-restricted diets
• Prevalence of supplement use:
  • 44% of males and 53% of females take vitamin and/or mineral supplements daily
  • Age-related trends: increased use of supplements with age

Physical Activity

• Benefits of regular physical activity:
  • Muscle strength, balance, and endurance
  • Cardiorespiratory fitness
  • Physical and mental health
  • Cognitive function
  • Weight management
  • Reduced disease risk factors
  • Enhanced quality of life
• Amount of physical activity needed:
  • 2.5 hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week
• Basic recommendation:
  • Achieving the recommended level of physical activity can be as simple as engaging in a brisk 30-minute walk five days a week