Tag: Infancy nutrition

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), an infant needs approximately 100 kcal/kg/day, a higher energy requirement per kilogram of body weight than any other life stage. This astonishing demand for fuel is driven by the rapid growth, metabolic activity, and brain development that occurs during this crucial period of life.

Scientific research confirms that the body's nutrient requirements are not static; rather, **do the nutritional needs of healthy people remain the same during different life stages?** The unequivocal answer is no, as these requirements change dramatically based on growth, development, and metabolic processes.

According to the World Health Organization, up to 45% of deaths among children under five years old are linked to undernutrition. This highlights a critical vulnerability in the earliest years, emphasizing that infancy and early childhood represent arguably the most crucial growth stages to address the question, **'Which growth stage is the most vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies?'**.

A newborn infant requires over 100 calories per kilogram of body weight each day, significantly more than any other life stage, raising the important question: what age needs more energy in total? Energy demands fluctuate dramatically throughout a person's life, driven by growth, development, hormonal changes, and lifestyle factors.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), healthy dietary practices should begin in infancy to foster healthy growth and reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases later in life. Knowing at what age do nutrient requirements change is fundamental for maintaining optimal health throughout the entire human lifespan.