Nutrition for all for better health |06 April 2023
Source: PAHO and WHO (2023)
On April 7 the world comes together to celebrate World Health Day. This also coincides with the anniversary of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which was created in 1948 and will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
The theme for this year’s World Health Day is ‘Health for all’. Although there has been significant progress in the health sector worldwide we also have to consider all the challenges that we face today.
In Seychelles we also celebrate Health Workers’ Day on April 7 to coincide with the World Health Day. Every year a series of activities are organised in honour of our devoted health professionals working tirelessly to save lives and helping to make a difference in people’s health journey.
WHO defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
Being able to have access to good quality health care is a basic human right regardless of your background which we are fortunate to have in Seychelles.
Nutrition is an important component of health for everyone throughout different stages of their life. To embrace this year’s World Health Day theme, we will look at the role of optimal nutrition in helping to attain better health for all.
Nutrition throughout the life course
The nutritional needs of a person changes as they grow older and at different stages of their life. In order to optimise our physical and mental health then we should ensure that we have good eating and lifestyle habits which forms in the early years and usually continues throughout life.
Infancy
From birth to about six months of age an infant only needs breastmilk as it contains all the food and water that he/ she needs for growth and development. The introduction of food, known as complementary feeding begins at around the age of six months. Mothers are encouraged however to continue breastfeeding their child up until the age of two years.
In the early stages of feeding introduce one food at a time so that any allergies or intolerances can easily be identified. In the beginning the food is pureed or well mashed. Gradually as the baby gets older the texture of the food changes to mashed and coarse texture. By nine months the child can have finger foods that can be held in his/her hand and by one year, family meals. It is important to introduce a variety of foods to expose the child to as many flavours as possible. Avoid adding salt, sugar, honey, sauces, butter and a lot of oil in the child’s food preparation.
Toddler (pre-school age)
From the age of one to around five years it is normal for children to become more selective with their food. Some children may become picky eaters but the important thing is continued exposure to the food. Parents should keep the mealtime environment calm and relaxed. Provide children with fresh and minimally processed foods that all family members also enjoy.
Always remember that a child does not know a food until we introduce the food to them. For this reason it is better to avoid giving highly processed foods filled with additives, flavouring and colouring such as sweets, fizzy drinks, juices and chips at a young age as children can develop a habit of wanting these foods all the time. This can have a negative impact on their body weight at an early age and can cause other problems like dental caries.
Childhood (school-aged)
Above the age of five years, children’s nutritional needs continue to change to support their growth and development. This is a critical time when eating habits are fostered so providing the child with nutritious foods as often as possible is crucial.
At this stage of life, children are curious and eager to learn so it’s the right time to teach them about the importance of healthy eating to help them make healthier food choices. Aside from ensuring that children eat a variety of food, they should also be given the correct portion sizes to avoid overeating and be encouraged to be physically active for at least one hour per day.
Adolescence (teenagers)
The adolescence stage is marked by puberty. This is the time where there is a transition from childhood to adulthood. Alongside the physical changes happening to their body, the teenager has hormonal changes happening which affects their mood and mental health.
The desire to become more independent becomes more apparent and an adolescent usually starts making their own food choices. Their food choices however are rarely health-related and mainly due to peer influences, their social interactions or social media influencers.
Parents should continue to encourage the intake of healthy foods at home by stocking up the fridge and cabinets with healthy foods to ensure that their teenagers are giving their body what it needs. Teenagers have a higher need for calcium and vitamin D for healthy skeletal development. Girls in particular need to ensure that they are also having enough iron-rich foods (fish, poultry, beans, lentils, green vegetables) especially when they start their menses.
Young and middle-aged adults
Once we reach the stage of adulthood most of our growth and development is done, especially in the later stages. The importance of eating a healthy and balanced diet cannot be overemphasized along with adequate physical activity (at least 150 minutes per week), plenty of rest (at least 7 hours of sleep every day), limited to no alcohol and no smoking other drugs.
It is the stage of life where many non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease start to appear depending on our lifestyle choices.
Older adults
Good nutrition in older adults is important as our body goes through many physical changes such as loose dentures and reduced muscle mass (which affects mobility). Our focus should be on including healthy foods that provide enough energy, protein, minerals like calcium, zinc and magnesium, and vitamins like vitamin D and B12 for bone, heart and brain health.
Diverse diet throughout the life course
The best way to improve our health outcomes is to ensure that we are eating a diverse diet every day which provides us with energy and all the nutrients our body needs.
Above the age of one year onwards, everyone in the household should be including a variety of foods from all the food groups, as illustrated by the Seychelles Food Guide. This includes fresh and minimally processed foods that we should try as often as possible to prepare at home.
In order to attain ‘health for all’ we all need to take our individual responsibility. Take control of your health and start making meaningful lifestyle changes today starting with what you’re eating!
Thank you for joining us this week on our Eat for Our Health page. Look us up on social media - eat for our health Seychelles on Facebook.
Please get in touch by emailing eat4ourhealth@gmail.com and let us know how you’re doing with these ideas, or better still, let us know how we can help you.
Yours in health
The E4OH team