Joan Pleuss, RD, MS, CDE, CD, Director, Bionutrion & Body Composition Units, Clinical & Translational Research Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
The requirement for some nutrients changes as adults age. The Dietary Reference Intakes, the 2007 Canada Food Guide, and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (MyPyramid.gov) provide guidance for the consumer and the professional for nutritional needs throughout the life span. The Guidelines provide recommendations in user-friendly messages. MyPyramid.gov and the Food Guide allow the public to access information on the internet that is individualized for age, gender, and physical activity. The Dietary Reference Intakes provide the health professional with nutrition requirements for gender and specific age groupings through the entire lifespan. This article will address those nutrients whose requirements significantly change with adult aging.
Key words: Dietary Reference Intakes, Canada Food Guide, Dietary Guidelines of America, MyPyramid, aging, nutrition.
