Describe three factors which may influence nutritional intake in Essay

Describe three factors which may influence nutritional intake in infants and explain how theses impact on diet-related disease in the UK - Essay Example Therefore, to meet evolving nutritional needs, an infant ought to obtain nutritionally safe and adequate complementary foods while breastfeeding for at least six month to two or more years. This paper describes three factors that can influence nutritional intake in infants and their impact on diet-related diseases in the United Kingdom. Infants require protein, carbohydrates, fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins. Breast milk and infant formulas contain enough amounts of needed nutrients for infants. However, breast milks have low iron and vitamin D (Meghea, 2013). The brain of an infant requires Omega-3 fatty acids to develop fully. The Institute of Medicine recommends consumption of 60 grams of carbohydrates, 31 grams of total fat, 500 milligrams of Omega-3s and 9.1 grams of protein each day of an infant up to six months old. According to IOM Infants between 7 and 12 months, old should consume at least 11 grams of protein, 95 grams of carbohydrates, 500 milligrams of omega-3s, and 30 grams of total fat each day (Ezzo and Bucknam, 2012). In the first six months since birth, an infant is fed breast milk or infant formulas. Infants ought to drink infant formula or breast drink every few hours or when they demand. An infant is ready to eat solid foods when about six months. The first solid food is iron-fortified infant rice or any recommended purees. Two tablespoons of rice cereals are offered an infant thrice or four times a day. Infant formulas and breast milks should also be fed to an infant. An infant between six and eight months is ready to start consuming strained vegetable and fruits. He/she is offered two to three tablespoons, four times a day. Whole-milk baby yoghurt should also be offered as it has high protein. Between 8 and 12 months, iron-rich strained meats are introduced in addition to earlier introduced food types. Eggs yolks, tofu, oat ring cereals, soft meat