6 Individual Factors That Impact Your Nutritional Needs

Thursday, 13 June 2024, 10:02 am
Press Release: Hugh Grant

Food is medicine, and like medicine, prescriptions and dosages need to be calibrated for individual users. Every body is different and might respond differently to the same amount of the same drug. In the same way, every person has different needs when it comes to food and nutrition. They may need more or less food, to avoid certain foods, or to get certain extra nutrients. Here are just some of the individual factors that can impact nutritional needs, and how.

1. Goals

Many people, when they talk about nutritional goals, are really only thinking about the concept of weight loss. In actuality, though, people have all sorts of reasons for wanting to keep tabs on their nutritional intake. Some folks want to bulk up or maintain their weight to meet fitness goals, look bigger, or stay in a weight class. Others might be interested in overall health factors more than looks or be tracking specific nutrients to correct an excess or deficiency.

For example, one person might have read that a diet lower in refined sugar could stabilize their moods and mental health symptoms. Another person might be perfectly healthy, but high blood pressure runs in their family; so they’re keeping an eye on sodium, just in case. Whatever the case may be, it can be easier to reach these goals by tracking daily intake with a dedicated app. It’s also important to choose the best macro tracking app for your individual needs.

2. Weight, Age, and Sex

Your nutrient needs vary widely depending on your weight, your age, and the gender you were assigned at birth. They can also change if you’re receiving gender-affirming care, for example if you’re taking hormones or your body composition is changing. Other factors aside (like activity level), women typically need fewer calories than men, except when they are pregnant. People who are smaller typically need fewer calories to maintain or gain weight than larger folks.

Relative to body size, older adults tend to need fewer calories to function, while children and teens will need a lot of calories. Older adults might also need extra potassium, calcium, dietary fiber, and other nutrients, as well as plenty of protein to keep their muscle mass. Young adults may want to focus on building good habits early, by eating a variety of fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains.

3. Activity Level

Two people of the same age, sex, and body size could still have wildly different nutritional needs, depending on activity levels. If one is a super-athlete while the other is relatively sedentary, there could be at least a thousand-calorie difference in their daily nutritional needs. Activity doesn’t just impact calories, but also necessary levels of individual nutrients. For instance, an athlete usually needs more electrolytes and carbs than a relatively healthy sedentary person.

While it’s tough, if not impossible, to meet big weight loss goals through exercise alone, activity level does make a significant difference. Your calorie targets when trying to lose weight or fat will depend significantly on how much you move each day. Older dieting programs often imposed restrictive calorie limits — often as little as 1200 per day, for women. However, an active woman could need more than 2,500 calories to function optimally and lose weight safely.

4. Health Conditions and Medications

Many peoples’ nutritional needs differ because they live with certain medical conditions. People with high blood pressure may need to monitor their salt intake, while those with diabetes have to watch their sugar. People with the chronic disease mast cell activation syndrome need to avoid high-histamine foods, like tomatoes or fermented foods. Folks with phenylketonuria, a rare metabolic disorder, must limit phenylalanine, an amino acid and artificial sweetener.

Some people need to pay close attention to what they eat because they’re taking a particular medication. For example, people who take the blood thinner warfarin need to carefully monitor their intake of foods with vitamin K. Vitamin K, which is found in high quantities in leafy green vegetables like kale and collard greens, is the natural antidote to warfarin. Consuming too much vitamin K can make warfarin less effective, while too little could lead to dangerous bleeding.

5. Pregnancy

Pregnant women should maintain a balanced intake of lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. They also have specific micronutrient needs like extra folic acid, iron, iodine, choline, and calcium. These nutrients play an important role in the health of both mother and child. Pregnant women not only need specific nutrients, they also need additional calories. During the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, they may need as many as 300-450 extra calories a day.

Besides what they need to eat, there’s a long list of foods it’s recommended that women avoid during pregnancy. These include raw seafood, seafood high in mercury, and undercooked meats, eggs, and poultry. They also include unpasteurized dairy products, unpasteurized soft cheeses, excessive caffeine, and any alcohol. While studies (and advice) on drinking a glass of wine conflict, the CDC says no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy.

6. Allergies and Dietary Preferences

This one’s obvious: If you’re severely allergic to certain foods, like peanuts or eggs, you certainly need to avoid those allergens. What’s not so obvious, however, is whether you might have a more mild intolerance or sensitivity. If you have common symptoms, like diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain, or gas, try keeping a food journal or use a tracking app. Knowing what you ate and how you felt afterward can help you uncover sensitivities and triggers.

Dietary preferences, too, can create different nutritional needs for certain people. For example, people following a vegan diet may need to be more careful about getting enough protein. Omnivores can get all their essential amino acids from meat and dairy products. But plant-based eaters need to make sure they combine the right foods to get all the nutrients they need. Vegan protein sources include soy products, beans, lentils, seitan, and nutritional yeast.

Knowing What’s Right for You

With all the nutritional advice out there on the internet, it can be hard to know what’s right for you. A good rule of thumb is to listen to your body, your doctor, and research-backed nutritional programs over media and influencers. The latest fad diet could be unsafe for your body — and is almost certainly ineffective in the long term. Taking the time to really understand what your body needs, on the other hand, could lead to better health outcomes and more energy.

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