SENIORS VS CHILDREN
Who would win in a nutritional fight to the death?
HOW DO THE DIETARY NEEDS FOR SENIORS COMPARE TO THOSE OF CHILDRENS?
Nutritional Needs of Seniors
Nutritional Needs of Children
Where are they going wrong?
Vitamin A:
Children, however, eat a lot of fortified cereals, potatoes, and granola bars, which are often enriched with amounts of vitamin A. This is because children are less likely to eat vegetables, so parents need to find substitutions for them. Children also take vitamin supplements, which contain high levels of vitamin and niacin, which they would already get enough of in their diets.
Calcium:
Seniors and children often don't consume enough calcium, which is something necessary for their health. For seniors, a lack of calcium increases the risk of osteoporosis, also known as brittle bone disease. For children, calcium is needed for strong growth and bone growth, something important since they are still growing.
Potassium:
Seniors often have poor appetite, so they don't consume enough potassium. Also, seniors may have a poor bladder, and need to pee more often, releasing potassium from their bodies.
Children release a lot of potassium through excessive sweating, since many children are very active. Also, due to their developing immune systems, they have a tendency to get sick more, and potassium is released through vomiting and diarrhea.For both groups, a lack of water consumption would also result in not enough potassium.
Vitamin E:
Since many children have nut allergies, and parents are scared of potentially aggravating an unknown allergy, they don't consume nuts, and are therefore lacking in vitamin E. Also, they don't often consume enough dark leafy green vegetables.
On the other hand, seniors will often snack on nuts and seeds since they are crunchy, but small enough for them to still be able to chew. Avocados are soft and fatty enough for them to eat, and vegetables will often be a major part of their diets. They are more likely to consume too much vitamin E.
Iron:
However, children need iron because iron is the nutrient needed to make hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying component of the blood cells. The blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, and due to the high activity levels and growth of children, it is something essential to their diet.