How do our nutritional needs change at different stages of life?
Nutritional needs through the life stages: babies and young children, teenagers, adults, older adults and pregnant women, the key nutrients each needs and why, and how to plan suitable meals.
A focused answer on nutritional needs through the life stages for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering babies and children, teenagers, adults, older adults and pregnant women, the key nutrients each needs and why, and planning suitable meals.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to know how nutritional needs change across the life stages (babies, children, teenagers, adults, older adults and pregnant women), the key nutrients each group needs and why, and how to plan meals that meet those needs.
Babies and young children
Babies are fed breast milk (ideal, with antibodies) or infant formula, then weaned onto solid foods from around six months. Young children are growing fast, so they need energy and protein for their size, calcium and vitamin D for bones and teeth, and iron. Their meals should be balanced but not too high in fibre (which is filling and bulky), and not too much salt or sugar.
Teenagers
Teenage diets can be poor (skipping meals, high-fat and high-sugar snacks, takeaways), so they can be short of calcium, iron and fibre while having too much saturated fat, sugar and salt. Eating regular meals, wholegrain starch, calcium-rich and iron-rich foods (with vitamin C to aid iron absorption) improves the diet.
Adults and older adults
Adults need a balanced diet matched to their activity level to maintain health, energy and a healthy weight, and to reduce the risk of diet-related disease. Older adults are usually less active, so they need fewer calories, but still need protein, calcium and vitamin D (bones are at risk of osteoporosis), fibre (constipation is common) and plenty of fluids. Appetite and absorption can fall with age, so nutrient-dense, easy-to-eat foods help.
Pregnant women
Planning for the life stages
The Eatwell Guide adapts to each stage by changing portion sizes and emphasis: more energy and calcium for teenagers, fewer calories but enough protein and calcium for older adults, and the extra nutrients above for pregnancy. A meal is judged on whether it meets the group's key needs, not just whether it is "healthy" in general.
Try this
Q1. Name two nutrients a teenager especially needs and why. [2 marks]
- Cue. Calcium/vitamin D for bones; iron (especially girls) for blood; energy and protein for growth (any two with reasons).
Q2. Explain why folic acid is recommended in early pregnancy. [2 marks]
- Cue. It helps the baby's spine develop and prevents neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20196 marksExplain the nutritional needs of teenagers, and discuss why their diet is sometimes poor and how it could be improved.Show worked answer →
A 6-mark extended-response question. Mark it for the needs plus an applied discussion.
Teenagers are growing fast and are often very active, so they need plenty of energy and protein for growth and repair. They need calcium and vitamin D to build peak bone mass, and iron (especially girls, who lose iron in menstruation) to prevent anaemia. A good intake of fruit, vegetables and fibre is also important.
Teenage diets are sometimes poor because of busy lifestyles, skipping meals (especially breakfast), eating high-fat, high-sugar snacks and takeaways, and the influence of peers and advertising. This can lead to too much saturated fat, sugar and salt and too little calcium, iron and fibre. It could be improved by eating regular meals, choosing wholegrain starchy foods, having calcium-rich foods and iron-rich foods (with vitamin C to help absorption), and swapping sugary snacks for fruit.
Top-band answers (5 to 6 marks) name the key nutrients (energy, protein, calcium, iron) and give realistic improvements.
Eduqas 20214 marksExplain why a pregnant woman needs extra folic acid, calcium and iron in her diet.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark structured question.
Folic acid is needed before and in early pregnancy to help the baby's spine develop and prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Calcium (with vitamin D) is needed to build the baby's bones and teeth and protect the mother's bones. Iron is needed to make extra haemoglobin for the increased blood volume and to build the baby's iron stores, preventing anaemia.
Markers reward each nutrient linked to its correct reason in pregnancy (folic acid for the neural tube, calcium for bones, iron for blood).
Related dot points
- Current healthy-eating guidance: the Eatwell Guide proportions, the eight tips for healthy eating, government dietary advice (reducing saturated fat, sugar and salt, increasing fibre, fruit and vegetables) and how to plan a balanced diet.
A focused answer on healthy-eating guidance for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering the Eatwell Guide proportions, the eight tips for healthy eating, government advice on fat, sugar, salt and fibre, and how to plan a balanced diet.
- Diet-related health: obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, tooth decay, bone health (osteoporosis), iron-deficiency anaemia and bowel health, their links to diet, and the dietary changes that reduce the risk.
A focused answer on diet-related health for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, tooth decay, osteoporosis, anaemia and bowel health, how each is linked to diet, and the changes that lower the risk.
- Special diets and dietary needs: vegetarian and vegan diets, religious and cultural diets, and medical needs including coeliac disease, lactose intolerance, nut and other allergies and diabetes, and how to adapt recipes to meet them.
A focused answer on special diets for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering vegetarian and vegan diets, religious and cultural choices, and medical needs (coeliac disease, lactose intolerance, food allergies, diabetes), and how to adapt dishes to meet each need safely and nutritionally.
- Micronutrients: the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and water-soluble vitamins (B group and C), and the key minerals (calcium, iron, sodium, fluoride, phosphorus, iodine): their functions, sources and the effects of deficiency.
A focused answer on micronutrients for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, the water-soluble B group and vitamin C, and the key minerals, with their functions, sources and the effects of deficiency.
- Energy needs: sources of energy from food, basal metabolic rate (BMR) and physical activity level (PAL), how requirements vary with age, sex and activity, energy balance, and the proportion of energy from each macronutrient.
A focused answer on energy needs for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering energy from macronutrients, basal metabolic rate (BMR), physical activity level (PAL), how needs vary with age, sex and activity, energy balance, and calculating total energy requirements.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition specification (C560) — WJEC Eduqas (2016)