Chapter 14

Nutrients That Promote Growth & Regulate Body Functions

(Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, and Water)

©2015 Cengage Learning.

Growth

• Growth is the result of:– An increase in the number of cells– An increase in the size of cells

Proteins

• Yield amino acids

• Are either complete or incomplete– Complete proteins yield all the essential amino

acids.

– Incomplete proteins are lacking

one or more essential amino acids.

Proteins

• Incomplete proteins can be combined to provide all of the essential amino acids:– Supplementary proteins = incomplete

protein plus a small amount of complete protein

– Complementary proteins = two or more incomplete proteins, when combined, form a complete protein

Proteins as Regulators

• Proteins are involved in a variety of regulatory processes:– Energy metabolism– Fluid distribution– Hormone production

How Much Protein Is Needed?

Infants: Protein Needed

0 to 6 mo. 9.1 g/day

7 to 12 mo. 11.0 g/day

Children:

1 to 3 yr. 13.0 g/day

4 to 8 yr. 19.0 g/day

Males: over 18 yr. 56.0 g/day

Females: over 18 yr. 46.0 g/day

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Protein Requirements Are Easy to Meet

Food Protein2 cups of milk 16.0 grams 1 slice whole wheat bread 2.7 grams 1 ounce meat 7.0 grams 1 slice provolone cheese 7.0 grams1 egg 5.5 grams3 wheat crackers .5 grams2 oz. cooked pasta 7.0 grams

TOTAL = 45.7 grams

Children on Vegetarian Diets• Vegan—nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and

vegetables• Lacto-vegetarian—in addition, dairy products• Ovo-vegetarian—in addition, egg products• Lacto-ovo vegetarian—in addition, both dairy

and egg products

Can all of a child’s protein, iron and calcium needs be met if he or she follows a vegetarian diet?

Vitamins

• Vitamins are needed in small amounts

(Table 14-3).• Large doses of some vitamins can be toxic.• Vitamins are classified as:

– Water soluble – Fat soluble

Vitamins

• Water soluble vitamins:– are not stored in the body and must be consumed

daily– include Vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin

B6 and B12, pantothenic acid, folacin, and biotin.

• Fat soluble vitamins:– are stored in the body and can be toxic if consumed in

large supplement doses– include vitamins A, D, E, and K

Vitamins

• Vitamins support growth– DNA and RNA production– Cell division– Bone and blood formation

• Vitamins are involved in regulating body functions– Bone development– Energy metabolism– Neuromuscular function

Should Children Take Vitamin Supplements?

• Families should always check first with the child’s physician.

• Vitamin supplements provide small amounts of many vitamins, but not always in the amounts required. For example, only 10 percent of a child’s calcium requirement may be met with a vitamin supplement. This may give parents false assurance that children’s intake is adequate.

Should Children Take Vitamin Supplements?

• Vitamin supplements may be helpful for some children who are picky eaters.

• Essential nutrients, such as protein and fiber, accompany the vitamins found in food sources but are absent in supplements.

Minerals

• Provide no energy

• Are inorganic substances that are

only needed in small amounts

• Are essential for: – building of body tissues (e.g., bone, teeth, blood) – regulating body functions (e.g., energy metabolism,

neuromuscular function)

Bone and Tooth Formation

• What minerals are required for healthy bone and tooth formation?– Calcium– Phosphorus– Fluoride

• What food sources supply each of these minerals?

Calcium

• Most children today do not get enough calcium in their diet.– What factors may be contributing

to this change?– What sources other than milk

supply calcium?

Calcium

• Factors that increase the absorption of dietary calcium:

adequate vitamin C and D

increased need

• Factors that decrease the absorption of dietary calcium:

▼ large dose

▼ high dietary fiber

▼ high intake of protein

Iron

• Iron plays a critical role in the formation of blood cells.

• Inadequate iron can contribute to iron-deficiency anemia.

• Dietary iron is not well-absorbed by the body. Iron absorption is improved when vitamin C is present in a meal.

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Building Blood

• Every red blood cell in the body contains iron in its hemoglobin -- the pigment that carries oxygen to the tissues from the lungs.

• Red blood cells bring oxygen to body tissues.

Iron-deficiency Anemia

• Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells.

• There are many types of anemia.

• Iron deficiency anemia is a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood due to a lack of iron.

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Iron-deficiency Anemia

• Most prevalent nutritional problem in children

in U.S.

• Twice as likely to occur in poor families

• Children may have trouble concentrating,

which may affect brain development

• Diets need sufficient amounts of iron to

prevent it

• Infants need vitamin supplements

Causes of IDA

• insufficient iron in the diet

• poor absorption of iron by the body

• ongoing blood loss, most commonly from menstruation or from gradual blood loss in the intestinal tract

• periods of rapid growth

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Iron-deficiency Anemia

• Inadequate iron can contribute to iron-deficiency anemia.

• Dietary iron is not well-absorbed by the body.

• Including vitamin C in a meal improves the absorption of iron.

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Symptoms

• fatigue and weakness• pale skin and mucous membranes• rapid heartbeat or a new heart murmur (detected

in an exam by your child's doctor)• irritability• decreased appetite• dizziness or a feeling of being lightheaded• Rarely, a person with IDA may experience pica,

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Diagnosis and Treatment

• Blood tests

• Diet changes alone usually aren't enough to replenish depleted iron stores.

• Multivitamins with iron aren't adequate for kids with IDA who have such low iron stores, so a separate daily iron supplement may be required.

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

IDA is Preventable

• Infants younger than 1 year old should drink only breast milk or an infant formula supplemented with iron.

• Breastfed infants should receive iron-fortified solid foods starting at about 6 months of age.

• Kids under 2 years old should have no more than 24 ounces of cow's milk a day.

• Use Iron-fortified products such as cereal.• A variety of foods can provide great sources of

iron.©2012 Cengage Learning.

All Rights Reserved.

Water

• Water plays important roles in the body:– Fluid replacement– Temperature regulation– Building body tissues

• A child’s need for water is

influenced by:– Environmental temperature– Body surface– Activity

Case Study

• Mealtimes were frustrating for Akecheta's mother. Her four-year-old son often refused to drink his milk and begged for juice instead. He complained “that his stomach hurt” and would cry until his mother gave in to his requests. She was becoming extremely frustrated and finally decided to take him to the local health clinic for advice.

• After several visits and tests, the physician assistant determined that Akecheta was lactose intolerant and allergic to citrus fruits. Even small amounts of milk or cheese seemed to upset his stomach and orange juice caused him to break out in hives.

Questions for Case Study

1. What nutrients will Akecheta lack if these food groups are eliminated from his diet?

2. Would you expect symptoms of a deficiency to appear immediately or long term? Explain.

3. Suggest several foods that have the same nutrient-strength and could be served in place of citrus fruits and dairy products?

4. Should Akecheta be given nutrient supplements to offset potential deficiencies? Why or why not?