Castletown Chemist

It is sometimes stated that we are what we eat. That’s not to say a diet rich in root vegetables means there’s a chance we might begin to look like a carrot (redheads have their hair colour genetically predetermined). However, there’s no doubt what we consume both in quantity and quality directly affects our health and wellbeing.

Interestingly, it’s not only the colour of our hair and our eyes that is established before we’re born; children have a genetic predisposition to prefer certain tastes (the fact that some children prefer meat pie and sauce to seafood risotto might, therefore, be blamed on what took the fancy of their grandparents!) Nevertheless, the main influence on a young child’s eating behaviours and food choices are their parents and care-givers. We adults must set the example. We can help children to establish healthy eating habits that are carried into adulthood.

However, older children and adolescents are also subject to many other influences on their eating habits. These include peer pressure and, not surprisingly, television. Several studies have shown rates of overweight and obesity in children related to hours of TV viewing (a recent study has also shown increased death rates from all causes in adults watching more than four hours of TV daily – these deaths being apparently linked to lack of mobility). Obese children have a significantly higher risk of becoming obese adults with all the associated health risks.

Soft drinks, vitamin drinks and energy drinks have all become fashionable. Consumption of such drinks is a fashion that should not be allowed to extend to children.

Up to the age of 12 months, breast milk, infant formulas and water are the only fluids recommended. From 12 months onwards, cows’ milk is an important source of calcium, protein and some B group vitamins for children and adolescents; and the trend toward the greater consumption of soft drinks, instead of milk, is fraught with danger. Cola drinks seem to present particular problems.

In the United States, the consumption of cola beverages has been associated with bone fractures in physically active high school girls, possibly due to the high phosphoric acid content in cola drinks. In addition, caffeine increases the rate of elimination of calcium from the body. Similarly, energy drinks are considered unsuitable for children, mainly because of their caffeine content.

As with drinks, so with food; fashion and fad diets might be commonplace with adults, but have no place with young children. A child on a vegetarian diet is at risk of a number of nutrient deficiencies. So, such a diet for a child must be carefully planned; while a strict vegan diet is not recommended at all.

As well, there are a number of specific foods which are considered unsuitable for children under the age of five – foods such as nuts, lollies, popcorn and pieces of raw vegetables and raw apple.

Of course poor food choices can occur as we get older as well. It would seem most unlikely that anyone in Australia could be malnourished; and yet malnutrition among older people is quite common; and it’s a condition that often goes unnoticed.

Elderly men seem to be more at risk than elderly women (men living alone are less likely to eat regular well-balanced meals), but some risk factors affect both men and women. Gastro-intestinal symptoms such as heartburn, indigestion, constipation, vomiting and diarrhoea might be obvious. Perhaps less obvious are conditions such as arthritis, difficulty in swallowing, poor fitting dentures, dry mouth, oral infections and medication side effects.

If you are caring for a child or may be an older person, and you’d like some nutrition advice, call into one of the 2000 pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information – they have a series of fact cards on nutrition. For the nearest location, go to the Pharmaceutical Society website at www.psa.org.au and click on “Self Care Pharmacy Finder” or phone 1300 369 772.

©2010 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia