Nutrition for the whole family: Our Dietitians answer your frequently asked questions
Nourishing our bodies by eating a nutritious diet is one of many things we can do to live happy and healthy lives. Our passionate and food loving team of Dietitians are highly trained in the dietetics space and provide tailored dietary advice and support care plans for each client of all ages across Australia to ensure that they have a good relationship with food no matter their age or disability.
We sat down with Jane, one of our
Dietitians based in
Melbourne to answer frequently asked questions they often get from clients and their families about nutrition and how to promote healthy eating habits for our children.
Important nutritional needs at different life stages
What are some key nutrients that are important for each stage of life, from childhood to old age?
Jane: There are many key nutrients that people should focus on getting enough off at different stages of life.
- Iron – Iron is an important nutrient, especially for young children. Iron is important for growth and development as it helps move oxygen around the body.
- Protein – Protein is important for all stages of life but is particularly important for older adults. Protein in older adults helps with maintaining muscle mass and strength. Having an adequate protein intake later in life has shown to reduce the risk of falls, improve quality of life and assists with maintaining independence.
- Calcium – It is important to have an adequate calcium intake throughout your life. Calcium helps build and maintain strong bones through childhood and adolescence. It also helps build healthy teeth. Calcium also plays an important role in many other parts of the body such as muscles, nerves and blood.
- Fat – It is important to have an adequate amount of ‘healthy’ fats in your diet at all stages of your life. Fat plays an important role in providing the body with energy and provides essential fatty acids which your body is not able to produce so needs to get them from the food you eat. It also helps with producing important hormones in your body. Including the right amounts of ‘healthy’ fats in your diet has been shown to decrease your risk of certain diseases such as coronary heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
What are the benefits of a balanced diet for overall health and well-being?
Jane: From a young age, it is important to have a balanced diet to promote health and well-being. Following a healthy diet ensures that the body receives essential vitamins and minerals necessary for growth and development and reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In the short-term, a healthy and balanced diet can contribute to improving energy levels and your mood and reduce the risk of developing an infection or illness. Ultimately, prioritising a balanced diet from an early age is essential for both immediate health benefits and long-term disease prevention.
Promoting healthy eating habits
What are some tips for encouraging children to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables?
Jane: Be a good role model! Setting a good example is key to getting children to eat vegetables. It is also beneficial to be persistent and patient. It is important to keep offering your child vegetables even if they initially refuse to eat vegetables. Another good strategy is to get your child involved with food preparation and cooking meals with vegetables. Children are more likely to want to eat the meal if they have helped prepare it.
How can families navigate the challenges of eating out while maintaining a nutritious diet?
Jane: Families can still eat out while maintaining a healthy diet. To curb the challenges of ordering the unhealthy option on the menu, families can:
- Order a meal with vegetables included, such as a stir fry or chicken or fish with a side salad or vegetables.
- Order a side of vegetables to have with the main meal if the meal doesn’t already have vegetables included.
- Encourage water as a drink over soft drink and fruit juices.
- Look for grilled, steamed, boiled and baked options as they are generally healthier meal options over foods that are fried.
However, if you only occasionally eat out and it isn’t a regular event, it is fine to let your child have the less healthy option such as fried chicken with chips, especially if you eat healthy options at home most of the time!
What are some easy strategies people can try to reduce their intake of sugar and processed foods?
Jane: There are many simple strategies people can implement to reduce their sugar and processed foods intake including:
- Prepare in advance. Set out time to go food shopping and get ingredients to prepare healthy family meals and snacks for the week ahead.
- Have healthy snacks available in your home and on hand when you are out so you are not tempted to reach for processed food or food high in sugar. Good healthy snack options are fruit and plain yoghurt or cheese with crackers.
- Limit intake of sweetened drinks, such as soft drinks, fruit juices and cordial, which can be a big contributor to high sugar intake in children. Water is best!
- Instead of adding sugar to cooking, look for other ways to add flavour such as from spices like cinnamon or ginger.
What are some nutritious and easy-to-prepare meals that the whole family can enjoy?
Jane: Eating healthy as a family doesn’t need to be time consuming. Look for meals that include a lean protein source, lots of vegetables and a healthy carbohydrate option, such as pasta. Healthy meal options may include stir fries, spaghetti bolognaise with added vegetables or a side salad, tuna pasta bake with added vegetables, fish, chicken or beef tacos with lots of vegetables.
Addressing common nutritional challenges
What are the best ways to address common nutritional deficiencies seen in the elderly?
Jane: Older adults are at risk of becoming malnourished which means they do not have the proper amount of nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals and will often have unplanned weight loss and muscle wastage. For older adults who have poor nutrition, they tend to become sick more often and take longer to recover from illnesses.
Ways for older people to sustain a healthy diet is to optimise nutrient rich foods that are high in energy and protein. Energy found in food assists with maintaining weight and protein helps with maintaining muscle mass. Additionally, supplement drinks can provide additional nutrients for older adults when they are not able to consume enough food or meet their energy and protein requirements through eating.
for older adults who do not have a big or good appetite having smaller meals more frequently is encouraged with snacks between meals. This can be thought of as six small meals throughout the day and can be easier than managing a few bigger meals per day. Prioritise nourishing fluids, for example having milk over water to increase the overall energy and protein intake for the day.
What are some tips on overcoming picky eating in children?
Jane: Overcoming picky eating in children can be challenging, but with patience and consistency, it is possible to encourage healthier eating habits. One key strategy is to be persistent in offering healthy food options. Even if a child initially refuses a certain food, continue to present it in different forms and at various meals. Sometimes, it can take multiple exposures to a new food before a child becomes comfortable with it.
Another effective approach is to involve your child in the food preparation process. Allowing them to participate in activities such as washing vegetables, mixing ingredients, or even choosing a new fruit or vegetable to try at the grocery store can spark their interest in the food they are helping to prepare. This hands-on involvement can make them more excited to taste and enjoy the food they helped create.
Role modelling healthy eating behaviours is also very important for children to follow at a young age. Children often mimic the habits of their parents and caregivers, so demonstrating a positive attitude towards healthy eating can influence their own attitudes and preferences. Eating a variety of nutritious foods and showing enthusiasm for trying new foods can encourage your child to follow suit.
How Dietitians work with other Allied Healthcare Professionals
How can Speech therapy and Dietetics work together to manage swallowing difficulties in clients?
Jane: Speech Pathologists may need to recommend a client has thickened fluids to reduce the risk of aspiration. Dietitians can work with the Speech Pathologist to recommend thickened fluids that the client enjoys ensuring they are not at risk of dehydration.
The Dietitian can also make recommendations for the appropriate food that a client or resident can consume based on the Speech Pathologist’s plan. The Dietitian can ensure the food is nutritious and appealing and provide practical strategies to ensure the food is safe for the client to consume.
What role does dietetics play in supporting physiotherapy and occupational therapy?
Jane: Dietitians play an important part in the client’s physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions by supporting the client in getting the right nutritional diet. Nutrition is very important for people in the recovery and rehabilitation process, and it is important for older adults to avoid undernutrition and sarcopenia (the breakdown of muscle) during the recovery process. Usually, one of the main issues with older adults is eating enough nourishing foods and this is even more of an issue during the recovery process.
Adequate intake of protein and energy throughout the day helps ensure muscles are provided with the right nutrition to be able to recover and re-build and prevents further undesirable breakdown. So it is important for the Dietitian to work with the Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist as resistance training exercises have also been shown to help reduce muscle loss and increase muscle strength.
What does a dietetics sessions look like in the home care and residential aged care services space?
Jane: A Dietetic session will look like:
- The dietitian will take a detailed medical history, including taking information on the clients past medical history, blood test results and medications.
- Information on the persons current food and fluid intake will be recorded, along with information on their likes and dislikes or any current nutrition supplement drinks they may currently be taking.
- A nutritional diagnosis and goal will then be created in line with the client’s needs and expected outcomes.
- A personalised plan with food-first interventions will then be created with the client to help them reach their goals and optimise their health through nutrition.
Our Dietitians work across the Home Care, Residential Aged Care, and NDIS space and are also accessible via telehealth. If you are interested in working with our Dietitians who are based all over Australia, complete our referral forms which can be found here.
