Factors that Affect the Nutritional Requirements of an Individual
The factors that affect the nutritional requirements of anindividual are the quality and quantity of the food they eat,the efficiency of their digestive system in absorbing andutilizing eaten food and biochemical availability.The quality of...
... food that we eat can vary depending on the soiland growing conditions of that food. Soil that has beenoverworked and chemicals added and also drugs and antibioticsthat have been given to livestock and crops to aid growth areall factors that affect nutrition in our food and can affect ourown body's biochemistry. Nutritional quality of our food can beaffected by the manufacturing process, storage and preparationof our food.The quantity of food that we eat also influences our nutritionalstatus. In developing countries malnutrition is a huge problembut in developed countries under nutrition can occur due todependency on heavy refined processed foods.The efficiency of our digestive system affects our nutritionalstatus. Bad condition of our intestines will reduce theabsorption of digested foods into our blood stream. Metabolicfaults, sensitivity to certain food and the presence ofsubstances like tea and coffee can affect the absorption rate ofcertain nutrients.Biochemical availability is the optimum range of intake of aperson essential nutritional requirement. This nutritionalrequirement is influenced by age, growth, sex, pregnancy andbreastfeeding, illness, psychological and emotional stress,activity level and other factors like smoking and drinking.Nutritional requirements change as a person gets older, becausethe elderly use a lot of medication their absorption, excretionand utilization of nutrients can be affected. Growing childrenhave different nutritional needs to that of adults. For example,a growing infant requires a higher intake of essential fattyacids than that of an adult. In the same way there are differentnutrition requirements for young and old there are also verydifferent requirements between the sexes. For example, a woman'snutritional requirements can vary throughout her menstrualcycle, also a woman who is pregnant or breastfeeding hasdifferent nutritional requirement to that of one who is not.Nutritional requirement vary depending on whether someone ishealthy or ill. As diseases are unique so are the nutritionalrequirements needed whilst that person is ill. The same appliesto psychological and emotional stress. When people are affectedby stress their appetite is affected, this results in lessintake of food which in turn results in less nutrients beingabsorbed.A person activity level will affect their nutritionalrequirement. An athlete will need a different nutritionalrequirement to that of an office worker. Exercise improvesmetabolic efficiency in some people and increases nutrientrequirement.People may find that certain nutritional requirements areincrease within their family. Genetics can play a part in anextra need for certain nutrients. Other factors such as usingrecreational drugs, smoking and drinking can affect nutrientrequirements. Even beverages like Tea and Coffee can affectnutrient requirements; they both inhibit the absorption of Ironand Zinc.
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