Healthy Eating At Various Lifestages
Women 19-30 years old
This information is based on the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes, the Australian Dietary Guidelines for Adults, and The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. These recommendations are for healthy people with standardised weight, height and estimated energy requirements and may not meet the specific nutritional requirements of individuals. Specific advice for individual needs should be sought from a qualified dietitian.
Healthy Eating Guidelines for Women aged 19 - 30 years
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends the following servings per day:- 4 - 9 servings from the bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles group.
There is an allowance of about 20g a day for poly or monunsaturated fats and oils that can be used to spread on breads or rolls or used elsewhere in the diet.
- 5 servings from the vegetables, legumes group.
- 2 servings of fruit.
- 2 servings from the milk, yoghurt, cheese group.
- 1 servings from the meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and legumes group.
Note: You get plenty of fats and oils from the amount used with cereal foods and from meat, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, margarine, etc so fats and oils are not included separately.
For more information check out the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating at:
www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-food-resources.htm#consumers
Energy requirements (kilojoules / day)
Energy requirements vary depending on age, body size, activity levels, and whether or not you are pregnant or breastfeeding. For more information on energy requirements, see your local dietician or follow this link to the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes and go to page 20-22: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/_files/n35.pdfHeights and weights are indicative. To convert mega-joules (MJ) to kilojoules, multiply by 1000.
Physical Activity
Regular physical activity can:- Help maintain a healthy body weight or prevent weight gain
- Help prevent heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure;
- Reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes and some cancers;
- Help build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints, reducing the risk of injury; and
- Promote psychological well-being.
- Think of movement as an opportunity, not as an inconvenience.
- Be active every day in as many ways as you can.
- Put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days.
- If you can, also enjoy some regular, vigorous activity for extra health and fitness.
Being more active can be simply a matter of spending more time on the things you already do – like gardening or taking the dog for a walk. You could also try different things. Since the emphasis is on moderate activity, there are so many options to choose from.
Many people find it easier to be active when they exercise with friends. This may be organising to join a neighbour for a regular walk, or joining a local sporting or activity club. Remember, find an activity you enjoy – that way you are more likely to keep it up.
Don’t forget to consult your doctor before commencing physical activity or if you have a medical condition.
Healthy Weight
In a culture where most young women are weight conscious, it is important to emphasise healthy eating that promotes healthy body weight. Dieting, and especially fad diets, can be dangerous to your health. They can lead to poor eating patterns or even develop into an eating disorder. A low body weight in the teenage years and as a young adult increases the risk of developing osteoporosis later in life. Being underweight may also lower your body's ability to fight infections and stay healthy.A dieting regime where you cut out major food groups, such as breads and grains, or dairy or meat (without alternatives), will increase the risk of malnutrition. Some signs of malnutrition include brittle nails, dry skin, thinning hair, lack of concentration, fatigue, anaemia, or ceasing of menstrual periods. In some cases, individuals may have low mineral levels in the blood, such as low potassium, which can cause fatigue and disturbances to heart rhythm.
Sometimes dieting can also lead to the starve-binge cycle. This cycle often starts with a significant reduction in food intake. Because this cannot be sustained for long, it can be followed by bingeing i.e. eating more than usual, because of extreme hunger or feelings of deprivation. Many people then feel guilty for 'breaking' their diet, so they go back and restrict their food intake again. This leads to a cycle of periods of restricting intake and overeating. People who find themselves in this pattern often experience low self-esteem and depression.
Yo-yo dieting is another concern for those individuals who lose weight quickly. When dieting and restricting the intake of kilojoules, the body responds by lowering its metabolic rate in order to survive on the reduced amount of food. When a person goes back to eating their usual intake of kilojoules, a lower metabolic rate persists causing weight to be regained and often more weight than was originally lost. Yo-yo dieting occurs when people lose weight only to regain it (and more) and then have to go on another diet.
For people who are overweight and want to lose some weight, a healthy rate of weight loss is 1/2 to 1 kg per week. If you like to get on the scales to check your weight, ideally you should weigh yourself once a month, at the same time of each menstrual cycle. Weighing yourself more often than this may not give a true picture about your true body weight as small weight changes from one day to the next can be related to fluid shifts in the body.
Healthy Eating for Women aged 19 - 30 years
Many changes can happen during these years such as moving away from home, starting work or beginning a family. During these years it is vital that healthy eating habits are established that will be carried on into later life.Consuming a variety of nutritious foods will not only help ensure appropriate intakes of major dietary components such as carbohydrates, protein and fats but also ensure adequate and appropriate intakes of vitamins and minerals.
The Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults (2003) are:
- Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods
- Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits
- Eat plenty of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain
- Include lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives
- Include milks, yoghurts, cheeses and/or alternatives
Reduced-fat varieties should be chosen, where possible - Drink plenty of water
- Limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake
- Choose foods low in salt
- Limit your alcohol intake if you choose to drink
- Consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added sugars
- Prevent weight gain: be physically active and eat according to your energy needs
- Care for your food: prepare and store it safely
- Encourage and support breastfeeding
Folate
Folate is a B vitamin that is needed for healthy growth and development. It is especially important for the normal growth of an unborn baby in its first few weeks of life. Because many women are unlikely to know they are pregnant in the early weeks, adequate folate intake for all women of child-bearing age helps to prevent birth defects in the baby, such as spina bifida.An average 19-30 year old woman needs about 320 ug/day of folate but because of individual variation some women in this age group will need 400 ug/day or more. For women planning to become pregnant, to reduce the likelihood of neural tube defects in the baby, it is recommended that they consume an additional 400µg/day folic acid through a supplement or in the form of fortified foods for at least one month before and three months after conception in addition to consuming food folate from a varied diet. (It should be noted that the folic acid used in supplements or used to supplement foods is almost twice as potent as dietary folate from natural sources).
Women who have a family history of neural tube defects may benefit from higher levels of supplementation and should consult their doctor during the planning of the pregnancy or as soon as possible. The nutrition information panel on food packages indicates how much folate is in a food, especially if extra folate has been added to the food product.
Discuss folate supplementation with your doctor, as it is best to use a folate supplement especially designed for pregnancy. Trying to meet folate needs from a regular multivitamin and mineral supplement may mean you take higher than recommended levels of other vitamins and minerals in order to get enough folate.
Good sources of folate include leafy vegetables, wholegrains, peas, nuts, avocados and yeast extracts (Vegemite and Marmite).
Iron
Iron forms part of haemoglobin, a compound that carries oxygen in the blood. Women need extra iron compared to men because of blood losses in menstruation. Insufficient iron in the body can lead to tiredness and breathlessness and eventually to anaemia. An average 19-30 year old woman needs about 8 mg/day of iron but because of variability in needs due to variations in menstrual loss, some women may need as much as 18mg/day or more.A mixed diet of animal and plant foods can help you achieve your iron intake. Absorption of iron is better from animal foods compared to plant sources and the recommended dietary intakes are based on a mixed western diet.
Red meat is the best source of iron as well as also being a good source of protein and zinc. Other meats like chicken and fish also contain iron but not as much as red meat. Iron can also be found in leafy green vegetables, legumes and iron-enriched breakfast cereals.
Adding a glass of fruit juice or other foods rich in vitamin C (such as tomato, broccoli or capsicum) to a meal will increase the amount of iron the body absorbs from grains and legumes (eg chickpeas, green beans and lentils).
Some things that are likely to reduce your body's absorption of iron include very high fibre diets, alcohol, and tannic acid in tea.
Adding a glass of fruit juice or other foods rich in vitamin C (such as tomato, broccoli or capsicum) to a meal will increase the amount of iron the body absorbs. Some things that are likely to reduce your body's absorption of iron include very high fibre diets, alcohol, and tannic acid in tea.
Some women may benefit from taking an iron supplement if they are iron deficient, but it is best to take them according to your doctor' advice as supplementation can cause symptoms like constipation and be harmful in excessive amounts.
A note to vegetarians: Because absorption of iron is better from animal foods compared to plant sources, it is recommended that women who are strict vegetarians need to consume 80% more iron than non-vegetarians.
Zinc
Zinc is an important nutrient in the body for skin health, wound healing and immune function. Low zinc levels may occur in some young women, especially if they limit their protein intake. Foods high in zinc include red meat, liver, fish and eggs. However, zinc is also found in cereal and dairy foods.Women aged 19 to 30 years have an average requirement of 6.5mg/day for zinc but because of individual variation some may need 8mg/day or more. Sources of zinc include lean meat, liver, kidney, chicken, seafood (especially oysters), milk, wholegrains and legumes.
The body's absorption of zinc is greater from animal food sources than from plant foods. So vegetarians need zinc intakes that are 50% higher than those recommended for people who include animal foods in their diet.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium and vitamin D work together in the development and maintenance of the skeleton. A woman's bone mass usually peaks in her early to mid twenties. During her teenage and young adult years, it is important to build the bones as much as possible because as she gets older she will slowly lose bone mass.Calcium can be found in foods like milk, cheese, yoghurt, fish with edible bones (salmon, sardines), legumes, calcium fortified soy products (milk, tofu) and fortified breakfast cereals.
Women aged 19 to 30 years on average require 840mg/day of calcium but because of individual variability some need 1,000mg/day or more.
Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption.
Vitamin D can be found through exposure to sunlight and through dietary sources such as margarine, dairy products, oily fish and eggs.
Women aged 19-30 years require about 5µg (micrograms)/day of Vitamin D (1 g = 1000 µg).
Water
Water is essential for good health. All biochemical reactions in the body occur in water and it is required for digestion, absorption, transportation, dissolving nutrients, elimination of waste and temperature regulation. Chronic mild dehydration increases the risk of kidney stones, urinary tract cancers, colon cancer, mitral valve (in the heart) collapse, constipation, as well as diminished physical and mental performance.Pure water should be everyone’s main drink. Other drinks will also contribute to fluid requirements, but caffeine (found in some beverages and soft drinks) and alcohol act as diuretics. This means that the body is actually losing some of the water to get rid of caffeine and alcohol in these drinks through urination.
Fluid requirements differ depending on climate, physical activity and metabolism, but an adequate intake for women aged 19-30 years is about 2.1 litres a day (about 8 cups). This does not include water obtained from food.
Alcohol
Alcohol is high in energy (kilojoules) and can lead to weight gain, obesity, and high blood pressure. Women should limit their alcohol to a maximum of 2 standard drinks per day, with two alcohol-free days per week.1 standard drink
= 10g alcohol
= 1 small glass of wine (120mL)
= 375mL can lite beer
= 250mL regular beer
= 60mL fortified wine
= 30mL spirits
Binge drinking should be avoided. Drinking too much alcohol can cause damage to the liver, pancreas, and the brain. It also increases the risk of developing some cancers such as cancer of the throat or tongue.
The Contraceptive Pill
Many young women take the Oral Contraceptive Pill (OCP) for contraception or to help manage their menstrual cycles. It may depend on the pill you are taking, but some common side effects are related to the hormones in the pill.Progesterone in the pill may cause an increase in appetite and can lead to weight gain and oestrogen may cause some fluid retention. Oestrogen also binds with vitamin B6 and may cause a vitamin B6 deficiency in some women.
To maintain a healthy attitude to your body, participate in regular physical activity and be mindful of what you choose to eat. Eat a balanced variety of nutritious foods and limit foods that are high in 'empty' kilojoules.
Example of a Healthy Meal Plan for a 21 year old woman
This example is based on a 21 year-old woman. Her height is about 1.7m and her weight is about 64kg. She is a student, manages to fit in an occasional session at the gym two times a week and has a part-time waiting job at a café/ restaurant. Her energy requirements are about 10,200 kJ per day.Food | Quantity | Energy (kJ) | Protein (g) | Carbo-hydrate (g) | Fat (g) | Salt (Sodium, mg) |
Breakfast | ||||||
| Wheat biscuits, fortified | 4 biscuits |
|
|
|
| 162 |
| Milk, reduced fat, hi calcium | 1/2 cup |
|
|
|
| 62 |
| Wholemeal toast, reduced salt | 2 slices | 585 |
| 23.8 |
| 142 |
| Peanut butter, unsalted, no added sugar | 4 teaspoons | 649 |
| 2 |
| 0 |
| Coffee, black, instant | 1 cup | 11 |
| 0.2 |
| 8 |
| Milk, low fat, hi calcium | 50ml | 99 |
| 3.4 |
| 30 |
Nutritious Snack | ||||||
| Wholegrain crackers | 4 crackers | 405 |
| 11.9 |
| 130 |
| Margarine, polyunsaturated, reduced salt | 2 teaspoons | 287 |
| 0.1 |
| 40 |
| Tomato | 8 thin slices | 79 |
| 2.3 |
| 7 |
| Apple, raw, unpeeled | 1 medium | 370 |
| 20.4 |
| 2 |
| Water | 1 cup | 0 |
| 0 |
| 0 |
Lunch - Vegetable pasta | ||||||
| Pasta and tomato sauce, cooked | 1 cup | 1551 |
| 51.2 |
| 484 |
| Bok choy, cooked | 1/2 cup | 111 |
| 0.7 |
| 18 |
| Carrots, cooked | 1/2 cup | 108 |
| 4.4 |
| 33 |
| Peas and corn mix, cooked | 1/2 cup | 272 |
| 8.3 |
| 3 |
| Water | 1 cup | 0 |
| 0 |
| 0 |
Nutritious Snack | ||||||
| Fruit yoghurt, reduced fat | 1 tub (200g) | 609 |
| 15.7 |
| 130 |
| Coffee, black, instant | 1 cup | 11 |
| 0.2 |
| 8 |
| Milk, low fat, hi calcium | 50mL | 99 |
| 3.4 |
| 30 |
| Orange | 1 medium | 225 |
| 10.4 |
| 3 |
Dinner - Chicken salad |  | | | | | |
| Grilled chicken, skin removed | 3/4 cup | 830 |
| 0 |
| 93 |
| Lettuce | 1 cup | 10 |
| 0.2 |
| 3 |
| Capsicum | 1/4 cup | 22 |
| 0.7 |
| 1 |
| Shallots | 1/4 cup | 26 |
| 0.9 |
| 26 |
| Carrot | 1/4 cup | 44 |
| 1.8 |
| 15 |
| Cream dressing reduced fat (not mayo) | 1 1/2 tablespoons | 169 |
| 4.2 |
| 298 |
| Wholemeal bread roll | 1 | 574 |
| 23.4 |
| 280 |
| Margarine, polyunsaturated, reduced salt | 2 teaspoons | 287 |
| 0.1 |
| 40 |
| Water | 1 cup | 0 |
| 0 |
| 0 |
Supper | ||||||
| Mixed grain fruit bread toasted | 2 slices | 1334 |
| 57.1 |
| 258 |
| Jam, regular | 2 teaspoons | 146 |
| 8.9 |
| 2 |
| Margarine, polyunsaturated, reduced salt | 2 teaspoons | 287 |
| 0.1 |
| 40 |
| Water | 1 cup | 0 |
| 0 |
| 0 |
Variation to Energy Expenditure depending on Physical Activity Level for a 21 year old, about 1.7m in height and weighing about 64kg.
Lifestyle / Exercise Level | Energy Requirement (kJ/day) |
| At rest, exclusively sedentary or lying (chair-bound or bed-bound) | 7,200kJ/day |
| Exclusively sedentary activity/seated work with little or no strenuous leisure activity eg office employees | 8,400 - 9,000kJ/day |
| Sedentary activity/seated work with some requirement for walking and standing but little or no strenous leisure activity eg drivers, students | 9,600 - 10,200kJ/day |
| Predominantly standing or walking work eg housewives, salespersons | 10,800 - 11,400kJ/day |
| Heavy occupational work or highly active leisure, e.g. construction workers, high performance athletes | 12,000 - 13,200+kJ/day |