Axia College Material

Appendix B
Nutritional Needs
Part A: Nutritional Needs by Age Group

Directions:

1. Navigate to http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/index.aspx to open the My Pyramid Plan

nutritional needs calculator.
2. Enter any age from 5 through 18 in the Age field. Record the age you entered where
indicated in the Nutritional Needs Chart on the following page (under the Children
heading). Return to the My Pyramid Plan calculator.
3. Select a Sex from the drop-down menu. Record your selection in the appropriate section
of the Nutritional Needs Chart on the following page. Return to the calculator.
4. Leave Weight and Height blank. Select a level of Physical Activity from the drop-down
menu and indicate your selection in the Nutritional Needs Chart on the following page.
Return to the calculator and click Submit.
5. Adjust the colored bars in the Pyramid Plan Results column by re-sizing the right side of
the bar to match the numbers generated by the My Pyramid Plan calculator:

• Click inside the bar to activate the adjustment box:

• Point the mouse over either open circle on the right side of the bar.
• When the mouse pointer turns into a double arrow, left-click, hold, and drag the box to
the right or left until the desired amount is reached on the measurement scale. Do not
change the height of each bar.

Below is an example of a Pyramid Plan result: 8oz. grains, 3 c. vegetables, 2 c. fruit, 3 c. milk,
and 6.5 oz. meat and beans:

Grains
Vegetables
Fruits
Milk
Meat & Beans

2oz 4oz 6oz

0c 1c 2c 3c 4c

6. Go back to the calculator, select an age from 30 through 65, and enter it in the Age field.
Record the age you entered in the Nutritional Needs Chart below (under the Adults
heading).
7. Select the same sex and same level of physical activity as before. Do not enter a weight
or height.
8. Run the My Pyramid Plan calculator by clicking Submit; adjust the colored bars in the
Pyramid Plan Results
9. Answer the Question below the Nutritional Needs Chart.

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 Nutritional Needs Chart

Sex: (6 year old

male and 30 year
old female
selection here)

Level of Physical Pyramid Plan Results:

Activity: (enter 6
year old very
active, 30 year old
very active
selection here)
Grains
Children Vegetables
Fruits
Milk
Meat & Beans Age: (6 selected)

0c 2oz 4oz 6oz

1c 2c 3c 4c

Grains
Adults Vegetables
Fruits
Milk
Age:(30
Meat & Beans selected)

0c 2oz 4oz 6oz 1c 2c 3c 4c

Question: In 1 to 4 sentences, describe the similarities or differences in nutritional needs you

noticed among children and adults of the same gender and activity level. Did the results surprise
you? Why or why not?

Type your response here.

Part B: When Nutritional Needs Are Not Met

Directions:

Select one vitamin or mineral from the following list.

• Calcium
• Iron
• Vitamin A—Retinol
• Vitamin B2—Riboflavin
• Vitamin B3—Niacin
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin C—Ascorbic Acid
• Folic acid
• Potassium

Gather information about the selected nutrient by navigating to the U.S Department of Agriculture:
Dietary Supplements Web site. Complete the following in 150 words or less:
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 • Identify the nutrient selected.
• Identify one or more foods in which the nutrient is available.
• Describe at least one health consequence or disorder that occurs when the nutritional
need is not met. How does the nutrient deficiency affect the body?

Type your response here.

The vitamin I choose is Calcium. Some food that this nutrient can be found in is milk, cheese, ice
cream and these are only naming a couple option out of many calcium can be found in. If the
amount of calcium intake is not meet this could cause some major health issues, this could
happen to kids and adults that do not consume the recommended dosage of calcium that is
needed to support your bones. The one of many health conditions that could plague you with not
drinking enough calcium is increased bone fractured which occurred mostly in young boys and
girls that did not drink the recommended calcium needed. If adults do not drink the recommended
intake of calcium the risk of having osteoporosis gets higher. Many adults and children don’t
know how your daily intake of the recommended calcium can have a huge effect on how your
bones grow especially for children during growth spurts and puberty. Your calcium intake can
protect your bones from becoming brittle and obtaining more fractures than the average person
would sustain.

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