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Victoria Goldman considers dietary issues particular to each age group, and the supplements available

A healthy diet is important at every life stage, from early childhood to the latter years. Everyone needs essential proteins, carbohydrates, fibre, fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals to remain healthy, but certain nutritional needs and requirements change throughout life.

Children

Children need plenty of energy and nutrients, particularly protein, calcium and vitamin D. From January 2015, the government plans to introduce new guidelines for school meals to improve the range of healthy foods available, as children are still consuming high levels of sugar, saturated fats and salt. “Most of today’s generation of kids lack good nutrition, and this is the root cause of many different health-related issues,” says Sambucol training manager Andrew Petrou. “Surveys show that a high number of UK children consume only half the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables, and many don’t consume enough oily fish and fibre each week. In contrast, the dietary intake of junk foods in children is on the rise. Because of this nutritional imbalance, there is major concern for issues such as poor immune systems, childhood obesity and childhood diabetes.”

There is generally poor understanding of what cholesterol is, and most people aren’t aware that there is both a good and bad type of cholesterol

The Department of Health recommends that all children under five years take a daily vitamin D supplement. But older children may be vitamin D deficient, too. “If children come into the pharmacy complaining of aching joints or bones, they need to be sent to their GP for blood tests to check for vitamin D deficiency,” says Gemma Renshaw, specialist paediatric dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association (BDA).

“Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so it’s risky to take too much unnecessarily. There are no specific guidelines about the exact amounts required in childhood, although adults need around 10 mcg per day, so children should aim for seven to 10 mcg per day. There is a whole debate over the risk of skin cancer versus vitamin D exposure, but most children should get enough vitamin D if they spend just 15 minutes in the sun eacc day without sun protection lotion."

According to Andrew Thomas, founder and managing director of BetterYou, sublingual sprays (such as DLuxInfant and DLux Junior) are one of the best-absorbed methods of supplementing a number of key vitamins, including vitamin D. “This works particularly well for children, who often have trouble taking tablets or capsules,” he says.

Other key nutritional issues for children include immune system support (eg, with probiotics) and omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish oils) for brain development. “If children are fussy eaters, it is worth going down the behavioural route first (eg, introducing new foods using negotiation) before trying supplements,” says Gemma Renshaw. “However, if a child has a very limited diet, with no fruit and vegetables or dairy products, they may benefit from taking a general children’s supplement to make sure they are getting the right nutrients.”

Teenagers

As children reach adolescence, they begin to make their own choices about their diet and lifestyle. It’s important that they fill up on nutritious food rather than sugary, fatty products. A recent survey by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), among over 13,100 school children across the UK, revealed that teenagers’ nutritional knowledge and eating habits are poor.

The survey found that more than half of secondary school children mistakenly believe that carbohydrate is more calorific than fat and nearly 60 per cent of 14-16 year-olds said that they skip meals. On the day of the BNF survey, over a third of 14-16 year-olds said they hadn’t eaten breakfast that morning.

“Iron deficiency in teenage girls can become an issue once they have started their periods,” says Ms Renshaw. “It can also be a problem if teenagers decide to become vegetarian, which is a common fad in this age group. Anaemia can lead to tiredness and fatigue, affecting concentration levels. Teenagers also need to watch their sugar and fat intake, as it is cheaper to buy chocolate and crisps than healthy snacks. They should steer clear of celebrity diets and be warned that it is dangerous to avoid whole food groups. For example, girls may cut out dairy products in an attempt to keep their weight down, but will need to watch their calcium intake.”

Higher Nature recently launched a new range of dietary supplements aimed at teenagers, including Multi Vit Shots (multivitamin and mineral liquids to tip straight onto the tongue), Skin Support capsules and Concentration Support effervescent tablets. Vitabiotics also has supplements specifically for teenagers aged 13-19 (WellTeen), containing a combination of vitamin D, omega-3s, green tea and cranberry extracts.

The 20s to 40s

Perryn Carroll, dietitian and spokesperson for the BDA, says that people in their 20s to 40s are often busy and stressed, and there is a danger that they will turn to comfort eating. “They need to have regular meals with carbohydrate for fuel,” she says. “Keeping fluid levels topped up is important, too, as dehydration can lead to a lack of concentration and tiredness. However, they shouldn’t rely on caffeine-containing drinks for an energy boost, as too many can lead to agitation and reduced concentration.”

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) tends to strike women aged 20 to 40. The symptoms usually come and go, often linked to stress and poor eating habits. Some people find that taking probiotics regularly helps to relieve the symptoms. A recent study at Kings College Hospital, published in the Journal of Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, found that Symprove, a multi-strain liquid bacteria, was associated with significant improvements in patients with moderate to severe IBS who had not responded to previous treatments (including conventional probiotics).

The randomised, double-blind placebo- controlled trial found that all major IBS symptoms either improved or disappeared completely in 60 per cent of participants following 12 weeks of treatment, with no unpleasant side-effects.

The 40s to 60s

Once people reach their 40s, the risk of heart disease and diabetes become growing concerns. “The British Heart Foundation recommends replacing saturated fats with olive oil or sunflower oil and sticking to low- fat dairy products,” says Ms Carroll. “The menopause may cause weight gain in women if they don’t cut down on calories and increase their exercise levels. Calcium from dairy products is important at this time to protect the bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, especially among women.”

The over-40s are eligible for an NHS health check, including blood sugar and cholesterol testing. According to nutritionist Rita Arora, managing director of Nutripharm, high cholesterol is a growing issue as people get older. “There is generally poor understanding of what cholesterol is, and most people aren’t aware that there is both a good and bad type of cholesterol. It’s because of this that people start statin medication, without really understanding what they can do to help themselves.

Perfect Vascular Natural is a new pharmaceutical-grade product based on a patent-approved combination of red yeast rice, plant sterols and CoQ10. Endorsed by cardiologists and used over three years across 4,000 patients, this product has shown to deliver results in line with statins (around 30 per cent reduction in LDL) with no side-effects reported.”

60s and older

As people get older, they may eat less or lose interest in food. Pharmacists may pick up on this during conversations with customers. It is important that older people drink enough fluids and eat fibre-rich foods to prevent constipation. A report published last year by the International Longevity Centre UK revealed that chronic constipation affects as many as 80 per cent of the older adult population living in care homes, and one in five adults aged over 65 in the community. “Older people must eat regularly to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need,” says Ms Carroll. “Protein is particularly important for muscle stability, as well as vitamin D and calcium for strong bones.”

Pharmacies can stock a range of supplements for older people whose dietary intake may be inadequate, such as Vitabiotics Wellwoman 70+. The Department of Health recommends that the over-65s take a daily 10mcg vitamin D supplement.