UNIT 7 PRINCIPLES OF MEAL

PLANNING AND MEAL

PLANNING FOR-THEADULT

7.1 Introduction
7.2 Meal Planning
7.2.1 Aims of Meal Planning
7.2.2 Factors to be considered in Meal Planning
7.3 The Adult
7.3.1 Recommended Dietary Intakes for the Adult
7.3.2 Meal Planning for the Adult
7.4 Let Us Sum Up
7.5 ' Glossary
7.6 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

r 7.1 INTRODUCTION
In Unit 6 of Block 2, you studied about balanced diets. A balanced diet, as you know,
includes the right kind of foods in the right amounts and proportions so as to meet the
nutrien! needs of the individual for whom it is planned. A day's diet consists of three
main meals say breakfast, lunch, dinner. If we ensure that each meal is balanced, the
day's diet would be balanced as well. You have already learnt the essentials of
planning balanced meals and diets. On going through this unit, you will find that
balanced meals must be planned within the socio-cultural, economic and regional
framework of the individual. This practical and useful exercise of planning acceptable
and adequate meals is called meal planning.
In addition to the factors mentioned earlier, several others play a role in meal
planning, such as individual preferences, saving on time and labour and providing
variety in the diet. This unit will talk about these factors and how to apply them in
order to plan suitable meals.

Using this knowledge of meal planning, we shall then learn how to plan balanced
meals for adults. Adulthood, as you may be aware, is the 1,astphase of the fife cycle of
an individual. It begins from the agp of twenty years and extends through old age till
the time of death. Great variation exists in the nutrient need of adults depending on
age, sex and d y t y pattern. What are the nutritional needs of this population group?
How does age, sex and activity pattern influence n'utrient needs? What are the
problems faced in meeting the needs specially with respect to older adults? How do
we provide nutritious and inexpensive diets for adults? We shall ellamine all these
kpects in this unit.

I Objectives
h r studying this unit, you will be able to:
discuss the concept and aims of meal planning
identify the factors that need to be consider& while planning meals
describe the period of adulthood
list the recommended dietary intakes .for adults and
discuss meal planning for the adult

, , 7.2 MEAL PLANNING

Any individual who carries the responsibility of providing meals has to take decisions
regarding:'what to serve, how much to serve, how much to spend, where to shop, how
much to buy, how to prepare food, how to serve meals, at what hour to serve meal
and so on. All such decisions are a part of planning meals. Extending this concept
further, one could define meal planning as a simple practical exercise which involves
a<plying the kqowledge of food, nutrient requirement, individual preferences to plan
adequate and acceptable meals. In other terms, meal planning means planning for
adequate nummtion.
 I
Meal Planning
Remember meal planning is just not an exercise of selecting the right kind of foods to
help meet the nutrient ceeds. It also concerns with preparinglplanning attractive and
enjoyable meals for ali'persohs. Meals must taste good, smell good. Because
food is seen before it is tasted the eyes have a role as well, in food acceptance. Meals
must 'lo& good' to be tasted to be enjoyed. T o do this, the planner does not have to
be knowledgeable; only, but also imaginative and creative. The art of skilful blending
of foods in terms of colour, texture and flavour must bk known: In this context,
therefore, it is said that meal planning is an a n . It is an ak-t which develops through
thought.and inspiration. Meal planning, in fact, is a skill which improves with practice.

7.2.1 Aims of Meal Planning

Why do we need to plan meals? Let us find the answer to this question with the
following examples:
A, Meena and Kaju'are schbol-going children. They love eating'&mburgers,
chocolates, toffies and ice creams. Their eating habits are influenced by their
friends and by the food advertisements on the television. Their mother, Seeta
Devi, on the other hand, disapproves of their eating habits and is always coaxing
them to drink milk, eat green leafy vegetables, chapatieslrice.
B. Mohan and Abha haye invited friends for dinner. Abha.is keen on preparing
delicious and attractive dishes for her guests. She is trying various food
combinations and preparation methods to provide variety and make the meal
more appealing.
-
6.Rati is a working woman: She has limited resources time and energy. Her
consideration is to be able to prepare nutritious meals at reasonable cost within
the time available.
From these examples what clues can we get on why we need to plan meals? Let urr
consider. In the case of Seeta Devi,you would have noticed that, consciously or
unconsciously, she is trying to provide nutritious meals for her children. Abha, for
sure, is aiming to prepare an attractive and satisfying meal for her guests. And Rati,
like Seeta Devi, is also attempting to provide nutritious meals at reasonable cost. It is,
therefore, evident that the effort of all the three (Sceta Devi, Abha and Rati) is to
provide satisfying, nutritious meals. This, in fact, is the first and the forehost aim of
meal planning. What are the others? Think. From your experience try listing down
how planning meals would help you. You can tally your responses with the aims of
meal planning listed below.
The aims in planning meals are to:
e fulfil the nutritional needs of the family members, taking into account the family
size and composition ' ,
plan meals within the family income, i.e. make maximum use of the money
available, in the best possible way
aid,in the proper purchase, preparation and service.of food
e economize on time, labour and fuel
* provide variety in the diet by making proper selection of foods from within each.
of the three food groups

Meal pl&nfllnghelps to ensure nlutrltlour m u l e according to

peraorlrl like~ldlrllkn,
 make meals appealing and ,palatable bv moper selection of food in tebsns of Principles of Meal Phneiog
and Meal Planning for the
colour, texture and flavour Adult
provide nutritious meals taking into account individual preferences ( F i ~ r 7.1)
e
plan meals in advance, so that any pre-preparation required can be made and also
the leftovgs from the previous meals can be economically utilized.
7.2.2 Factors to be considered i n . ~ e aPlanning
l
Providing a meal that would be enjoyed and accepted by one and all in the family is
rather difficult. Why? Individual preferences, varied nutrient needs, varied food
habits, are a few factors that wbuld, influence meal planning. The crucial aspect to be
considered then, is how best to plan adequate and satisfying meals, within the
socio-cultural, economic, regional and psychological framework of the individual.
Here is a detailed discussion on this aspect. However , before we discuss these
factors, let us first get to know certain terms that areoften used in the context of meal
planning. These are discussed in Box 7.1.
-- -- -

I Box 7.1 Meal, Menu and Meal Pattern

Defined below are terms used frequently in meal planning.
I
Meal: Normally an individual eats 3-4 times a day. The foods consumed at a
particular time of the day constitute a meal. For example, foods taken in the
morning constitute a meal-breakfast. Similarly foods eaten in the afternoon are a
part of lunch, Usually breakfast, lunch and dinner are the three main meals
consumed in a day.

I . ~ e n u menu

---------
Menu A
: ~ is the list of dishes/food items served at a meal. Consider the ex-
amples of two menus given below:
.-----..---.
Menu B
>

----------. ----------.
Rice chapa&ce
Sambar (Arhar dal/ Rajmah
vegetables preparation) Aloo gobi (Cauliflower/
Curd potato preparation)
Onion nita (curd
preparation)
Menu A is coNunon in a Tamilian household whereas Menu B is common in
Punjabi housekfotds.
Meal Frequency: This term refers to the number of meals consumed in a day.
For example, if. you consume-breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner-in a day, the meal
frequency is 4.
Meal Pattern: It refers to the number of meals (i.e. the meal frequency), the ,

- - timing and nature of different meals consumed in a day.

I / ~ h e c kYour Progress Exercise 1

Read the following p?ragr.aph.
~ o h a n \ ian
s accountant in a government office in North 1ndia. His office timings
a r e 9 . 0 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. His meal pattern is as follow%-He has bed-tea early
morning. Before leaving for his office he consumes a heavy breakfast? He carries
a packed lunch to office (which he eats around 1.30 p.m.). Before lunch, around
mid-morning, he usually takes tea along%ith his friends. Around 4- 4.30 p.m. he
has another cup of tea supplemented with a siack. He returns home around 7.30
p . h and has dinner right away. Then late at night, before going to bed he drinks
glass of milk.
t
Now answer the following questions

I a.
a ) what is the meal frequency adopted by Mohan?
..*..........................................................-......................................
b) List the various meals Mohan has had in a day.
...............................................................................................
 c) Can you suggest a menu for dinner for Mohan?
Meal P h n h g

You have just been introduced to some new terms in Box 7.1. With this
understanding let us now move on.to discuss the major considerations in planning
meals (Figure7.2). We begin with nutritional adequacy.

MEAL PLANNING

ISATIETY VALUE I

ECONOMIZE ON TIME
LABOUR AND FUEL

i) Nutritional adequacy: The nutritional requirement of the individual to be served is

r'
an important consideratibn in meal planning. This int is particularly important
when we are planning meals for a family, In a farm y, as you know, there might be
different individuals - a child, an adolescent, an adult, a pregnant woman or an
elderly person. Each of these individuals has hislher own specific nutrient
requirements. The basic aim while planning meals should be to fui' the nutrient need
of each individual. How do 1s.- ensure this? This can be ensured by planning balanced
meals according to the recommended dietary intakes for different individuals.
 ii) Plan balanced mcals: Do you recall the discussion we had in Block 2 on how to
planlprepare balanced meals? We talked about the three food groups namely -
energy-giving, body-building and protective/regulatory food group. Including food
items from each of these thee food groups in each meal can ensure balanced diets.
What are the food items in each group? Can you list therr? Think of all the food items
available and list them in Chart I under the heading 'Food item' according to the group
I they belong to. For example, in the energy-giving group, cereals are included. List all
cereals like wheat, rice etc. in the place provided in ffont of cereals as indicated in
Chart I. Similarly, you could list the food items included in the other food groups
CHART.1: The three~lgoup,clewification
of food
FOOD GROWS FOODITEMS
a) Energy-giving *Cereals Rice, wheat, ................................................

'Roots and tubers Potato, ........................................................

..................................................................
VegetaMe oils, ..............................................

..................................................................
b) Body-building *Milk and milk ..................................................................
products ..................................................................

..................................................................
: c) Pmtectivd *Green leafy
w@a'to~ .Vegetables ..................................................................
..................................................................
I *Yellow and orange
vegetables .................................................................
..................................................................
Other vegetables ..................................................................
..................................................................
*Citrusfruits ............................................................. '..
.................................................................. ,.

*Yellow and orange

fruits ..................................................................

j * ~ t & fruits
-r

NQWthe problem is, which food items to include from this exhaustive list? The
selection of food items from each food group would depend on how much the
individual can spend on foodland what is available and acceptable to the individual
t
These aspects are d i s c k d in the subsequent points. .
iii) E e o d c com&Wbm The income ofthe family, ofmore specifically, the
amount of money available for food per p e k n influences the.kind and amount of
food to be included in each meal. To understand this better consider the three income
-
groups low, middle anct high.
People with limited.income or those belonging to the lower income group may not
bc able to include much of milk. meat and fruits in' their 'daily diet as these are
expensive foods. So the .crucial decision is what food items to select that would
-
 enable them to plan nutritious meals atlow cost. Well, there are many ways in
which one can ensure mtritious meals 'Hjjthout increasing the cost. To begin with,
one could use:
- more of the cheaper foods like cereals. It would further lower cost if high priced
cereals such as rice or wheat are partialiy replaced by millets i.e. ragi, jowar, bajra
and partially by roots and tubers i.e. p t a t c , c o l k i a , tapioca
- jaggery instead of sugar
- seasonal and locally available fruits and vegetables only
- food combinations (cereaupulse) and processes like germination, fermentation, to
improve the nutritive value (as they add extra nutrients without extra cost)
- cheaper variety of pulses and cheap nuts such as groundnuts
- vegetable oils
People belonging to middle income group can surely have more variety by
including more of cereals (ricklwheat), pulses, milk, fruits andvegetables. 'hey
can have reasonable a m ~ u n t s ' ~
fatdoils
f and sugar in their diets. However, use of
nutdoilseeds and other miscejaneous foods like jam, jelliesetc would be limited.
e As incGme rises one gets the freedom to choose from a wide variety of foods -in
or out of season, locally available or purchased from outside. Consumption of milk
and milk prodacts, meat, vegdtables, fruits, fatdoils etc.tends to increase. ~ ucare
t
needs to be tdke? that foods like fatdoils, sugars, are not taken in amounts more
than needed by the body.
iv) Fwd Acceptance: Individual likes and dislikes, religious taboos, socio-cultural
practices ate some of the factors that influence aq individual's acceptance or
rejection of certain foods. While planning one should take into consideration all
these aspects and-accordinglyselect the foods. Here are a few key points you
could keep in mind:
e include traditional or region-specijk foods in a meal. For instance, rice and
rice-preparations like idli, dosa, etc..are typical foods of the South (Tamil Nadu).
Similarly, dhokla, kbandvi etc. are typical of West India (Gujarat). Including such
foods in a meal would make me& acceptable because people living in these
regions are familiar with these foods and have been tuned to their specific taste-and
preparations.
Plan meat5 keeping the religious considerations in mind since religion greatly
influences food acceptance. For instance, you know that in certain communities
eating meat and other flesh foods, is totally forbidden. Even among flwh foods,
eating of beef is forbidden in one community and pork in another. A wise planner
should know about the various food preferences of religious groups and '
accordingly provide meals.
e Plan meah keeping in mind the likesldislikes of the individuals. But, remember
likeddislikes should not interfere with meeting the nutrient needs of the
individual. Milk and green leafy vegetables, for example, are generally dislikec~b~
childrenand frequently not consumed. In such a situaticn, therefore, the diet
could lack in certain essential nutrients. We need to avoid th'is. Keeping the
dislike in mind it is always better to change the form of food and then include it in
the diet and make it more acceptable (Figure 7.3). For instance,if milk is disliked
then it is better to serve curd, cottage-cheese based preparations or any other milk
prc duct.

Fig. 7.3 Thc form h WWfood is md W r # r food

v) Food, Availability: The availability of certain food items in a particular region Prlnclples of Meal Planning
influences meal planning. For instance, in the coastal regions, fish andother sea foods and Meal Planning lor the
Adult
are easily available and cheap. These foods form an essential part of the diet of people
residing in the coastal region. Similarly, rice is a common staple grown in the South.
Hence, it should and usually does form the majoi ingredient in the meals planned for
the Southern h~usehold:The availability of food according to seasonal variation is
also to be considered. This is specially true of fruits and vegetables. A knowledge of
fruits and vegetables and their season of availability would help us to include them in
the meal w k n they are at their peak quaiity and at an affordable price.
So far we have talked about the various factors influencing the selection of food bhile
planning meals. Now we move on t d discuss the factors, influencing meal patterns.
~ iMeal
) Frequenciand Meal Patterns: You may have noticed that in different
households the number of meals consumed in a day vary. In some households only 2-3
meals daily are taken. whereas, in others as marly as 5-6 meals may be eaten in a day.
The timings of these meals may also vary. Why is this so? The income, activity
pattern, physiological state and age of the individual influences meal patterns.
An individual belonging to high income group would generally consume more meals,
as compared to an individual belonging to the low income group (income factor). A
small child may not be able to eat much at a time. So he would need to be given small
frequent meals (age factor). Similarly a pregnant1 lactating woman, .whose nutrient
needs increase considerably, may need to be given nutritious snacks and other foods
prep.arations In between meals to accommodate her increased nutrient need
(physiological state). The work schedule of the individual would also influence meal
pattern-the timing of meals and the number of meals consumed at home and those
eatep away from home.
This discussion demonstrates how important it is to keep the age, income, activity
pattern, physiological state and work schedule of the individual in mind, while deciding
on the meal frequency and meal pattern.
vii) Economize on time, labour and fuel: You are aware that one of the basic aims of
meal planning is to economize on time, labour and fuel. This point is particularly
important for the families where the woman is working or where income is limited.
Consider the case of Rati, who is a working woman. Rati may not get enough time to
planlprepare elaborate meal. So she would probably prepare simple meais that are
easy to cook, as well as, save time and energy. For example, instead of catering for
individual items like rice/daYvegetable/curd in a meal, she may cook only one-dish
meals like khichri (rice1daYvegetable preparation), bisi bella huliyanna (ricelsambar
preparation) or at the most two-dish meals like vegetable pulaolcurd; ricelsambar;
chapatilpalak-dal. The need here L to prepare simple meak which are nutritionally
balanced..
Similarly, consider the case of Rani who belongs to the low income group. Limited
resources may affect her choice of food and menu. She would rather prepare one-dish
meals like poushtik roti, missi p t i etc. which take less time and fuel to cook.
These examples have illustrated one way in which we can economize on time, labour
and fuel. Another simple way to economize on our resources is to:
!,,Plan henusfor sevecal days in advance. It is beneficial to plan weekly menus. Look
at the weekly menu given in Table 7.1.

Tabk 7.1: Weekly Menu

B r d f M Lunch Mnner
S
IJ i
N Buttered toast Paori RiceIChapati,
D Omelette (egg Aloo (potato) curry Urad dal
A preparation) Sitaphal (Pumpkin ,4100-gobi Sabji
Milk preparation) (Cauliflower-potato
Boondi raita preparation)
(Curd preparation)
&
 -

1
- -

Flain parantha ' 6apati Chapati

withbuster a M0osga 1 Palak-paneer
Pickle Aloebaingan sebji (Vi-h-COttJW
Tea @rinjal-potato &em prcpuatim)
preparation) Onion-cul)(umber
tomato salad

Ca~owcr WChapati . Khichri

stuffad parantha , Kabulichnna Mixedvcgctabka
Pi& and
Milk Cucumber raita Papad
(dPTarab) Pic&

Topst withbutter Ridchapti Pousbtik roti

Mesoordal (wheat flourldall

,
Fried egg
Tea Gajar-methi Saki vegetable
(carrot-fenugreek Ptepareh)
leaves preparation) Curd
Pickk

Potato s t w Vegetable pula0

parantha ' Mint raita
Curd (&mint
Picwe Pw-iim)
Tea Papad
I

RidlChapati Chapati
Kari ( b n - c u r d Ghia kofta (bottk
preparation) gourd PFPmtiOn)
- Alix~- gohi h h ~ i Chana &I-karcla
I (qu~iflcwru - oabii (&ngi
potato preparation) dabbitter gourd
preF?'=tim)

Paneer stuffed Riiapati Chapati '

parantha Rajmah Moong dal
Pickle Aloeshimla rnirch Gajic=mtar
Tea Sabji (potato-qsicum (m-per~ . ,
prepration) PW-h)

These are sample menus for breakfast; lunch and dinner in a Punjabi hbusehold. You
could prepare a similar weekly menu for your family based on the meal pattern of
your region.
Setting out the menu at the beginning of the week will help to:
- ensure minimum repetition of foodr and food combimtions
- pkchase food items. For example, staple foods like cereals, pulses could be
b u g t in bulk 9nce in two weeks or preferably once a month; vegetables like
3
onio .potatoes could be bought once a week. Perishable foods, specially milk and
certain vegetables, could be bought daily. Remember buying in bulk saves on time,
money and energy.
- use the leftover food ftom previous meals. Suppose you have some dal leftover
from lunch. This dal can be reused to prepare poushtik roti 4or dinner. Mix the
leftover dal with whole wheat flour. To this mixture add onion and vegetables (like
boiled carrots. gieen leafy vegetables). Knead the dough and prepare poushtik
roti. This can be served with curd and pickle.
.
- wndeflake pre-parations in advunce: for instance if you want to cmk bengal
gram or any such whole pulse like rajmawsoyabean for lunch ,it woul'd be better
to soak the grams in water overnight. By doing so the outer hafd covertng of the
 seed grain would soften, thereby, aiding in the cooking process and saving on time
and fuel.
- - m u r e efJicient w e of t&w and labaw.
)

viii) Variety h meals: One would definitely not like to est the same kind of foods
every day. That's why, while plmning meals, one should include varlety of foods in
the meals. A mixed diet consisting of foods from the three food groups, as studied
earlier; would help ensure nutritional adequacy. Further, varyirrg the choice of food
.ircmr'selected Pom each of the food groups from day to day, would help avoid
monotony in the diets. A suitable combination of foods in terms of colorr, texture,
.flavour a d varying the methods of cooking would help make meals' look mbre
appealing and attractive (Figure 7.4).

SERVE FOOD
WE L'L
GARNISFIED

I VARIETY HELPS TO ENSURE APPEALING AND SATISFYING M E '

Flg. 7.4 v* In mab

I
Here are a few handy tips on how to make meals appealing and attractive.
@ Include attractive colour combinations of food in the meals: To illustrate ,consider a

meal consisting of black gram dal, palak bhaji (spjnach vegetable) and chapati. This
meal, though being nutritious, may not look appealing and attractive as all food items
are black, or dark in colour. In contrast, a meal consistingof moong dal, palak-bhaji,
chapati, curd and tomato-onion salad looks appealing and colourful as there is a
beautiful blend of colours i.e. the yellow of dal, green of green leafy vegetables, white
of curd and red of the tomato.
Include a combination of flavours in the meals: There are a wide variety of foods
with varying flavours. Foods like garlic, onion, cabbage, turnip have intense (strong)
flavour. Foods that are delicate (mild) in flavour inplude the staple foods (i.e.
wheatlrice, bread, potato), milk, vegetables like peas, kcumber and fruits like
papaya, pear and banana. Combine mildly flavoured foodr with those thatare strongly
flavoured. It is interesting to know thatsome flavours enhance others like butter with
I
bread, mint chutney with pakora or coconut chutney $iith idli. On the other hand,
I some flavours mask othen like onion with pickle. Same flavours are pleasing when
fosds arc eaten together l i b ricdbh, ridsambar, daYroti. TYMerr of good meal
P ! ~ @ I I lics in a judicious bled ofthe varyiq flavours.
i
. @ Include a combination of textures in the meals :Combining soft and crisp. smooth
and hard textures, would make meals more appealing. To illustrate, consider a meal
consisting of rice, sambar, curd and papad. In such a meal rice, sambar, curd are soft
and smooth. You can add crispriess to this meal by including a papad or a raw salad.
8 Use a variety of preparation methods: Variety in preparation should be part of meal
planning. No.two foods prepared in the same way should be included in one meal.
Variety may be introduced by pre-preparation processes like germination or
fenhentation of food in addition to the usual methods ot cooking, namely frying,
boiling, roasting, steaming, baking. Foods can be varied further by serving them well
garnished or by adding buttedghee.
ix) Satiety value: Meals should be such that they have a good 'satiety value. By satiety
we mean meals should relieve hunger and give a feeling of satisfaction and fulness.
You know that fat and protein-rich foods have high satietv value as compared to
carbohydrate rich-foods. Hence, some amount of fat and protein foods must pe
included in each meal so as to provide adequate satiety value and prevent the person
from feeling hungry before it is time for the next meal.
Froni ouk discussion above you would have got a good idea of what points one needs
to consider while meal planning. The points to remember given below, present a
summary guideline to meal planning.
-- ,

Check Your Progress Exercise 2

I) Each of the following statements highlights the role of a pacicular factorin meal
planning. Identify the factor in each case.
a) A family abstains from eating beef,

b) A meal consisting of dal, palak-sag (green leafy vegetable preparation),

ricelchspati and tomato salad looks appealing and attractive.

c) In the northern region wheat and other wheat preparations are more
com.mr - ., c,urrwmed.

d) Some amount of fat, protein, carbohydrate and v"larnrns/minerals should be

included in each meal.

e) Processes like germinationlfermentation, combinations (cereaYpulse) are used

to make meals nutritionally adequate.
............................................................................................... .!......
f) A woman prepares khichri (ze'rea~~ulse/ve~etable
mixture) for lunch rather
than a full meal of rice/dal/vegetable etc.
........................-... ...................................................................
 I
2) Give any three reasons to justify why meal planning is important. WDC&Sd M ~ P ~I h n r h g:
andMcPl~fwrhc
...... .................................................................................................
b..
Adult

..........................................................................................................

--
7.3 THE ADULT
'The term 'adult' refers to any individual in the age group of twenty years and above. The
period beginning from twenty years and extending through old zge till the time of
death is considered the period of adulthood. Adulthood representslhe stage in life
when an individual has completed hisfher growth in terms of body size. The
'nutritional need is for maintenance of'bodv functions rather than for growth.
,As an individual ages,there,isa gradual and:progressive change in body functioning.
Why doe<thishappen? This is because there is an increased breakdown of tissues and
the renewal of worn out tissue is also much less. These changes associated with ageing
are common to all individuals, but; there is great variation $om person to person.'In.
some individuals the chriges beeme significant relatively early, whereas, in other
cases these changes appear much later in adulthood.
.Theentire period of addthood can be dividedhto two stages:
The Y o q Adult: A persbn in the .early years of adulthood representing the stable
state in life, when tissue briakdown'is not prkdorninant or significant, The bbdy
retains the capacity to adequately replace the worn out tissue;.and
The Older Adult: A person in the latter years of~adulthoodiThisperiod is
characterized by excessive breakdown of tissues and cells. The body can no longer
,.compensatefor tissue loss adequately:
What are the changes associated with ageing? How do these changes affect.the
. W i o n i n g of body systems? You will find the ariswer to these questions in the
dubsequent section.
Physiological changes during ageing: The effect of ageing on the functioning of some
specific body systems is discussed here:
1) Kidney hcdons: During ageing there is a marked reduction in the number of
functioning kidney cells. This affects kidxiey functioning.. As a result, the body
wtistes are not effectively removed from the body.
2) 'Digestivetract hctloahrg: The number of taste buds present in the mouth
decrease with.ageing, which reduces the sensitivity to-taste. There may also be a
reduction in the amount of saliva secreted, thus making swallowing somewhat
pfficult. To add to this, is the firoblem of loose teeth which makes chewing
difficult. Further.there is a decrease in the amount of acid and other digestive
juices secreted by the digestive tract, as g result, the food is not digested and
.absorbedproperly. The food stays in the stomach for alonger time because of
Which a:feelingof fullness and heaviness is commonly experienced. TFie muscles of
the digestive trait also become weak and the movement of food in the tract slows
down. Constipation ,minmonlysets in.
3) Skeletal &stem: Skeletal bone loss occur with ageing and may' have serious
consequences among the elderly. Y, ,)'havestudied earlier that bone is chiefly i
made up of two minerals namely.,calcium arid phosphorus. With ageing there is
some thinning of bone tissue due to the loss of the& minerals. In some individuals,
however, there is an abnormal thiming of bone tissue, as a result, Osteoporosis
develops. Osteoporosis is the conditidh when the bones become weak and britlle.
Old people; specially women are vulnerable toosteoporosis. But it is importkt to
remember that these acute bone changes do not occur in all elderly p e m .
Let us now study how thepi: ehanncs i n f l l l c ~ m rthe nutrient need of ad*.
!
s
..
.,
 Intakes for b e Adult
9.3.t ~ecommendd,~ietpry
The dietary intake for ad& is expressed in terms of a reference madreference
woman. What do we mean b~efereneemadwoman?D o you recall the discussion we
had on reference maniwoman ;*Unit 6 of Block 2?
\\ 'I
The Indian reference man you l e m t belongs to the age group 20-39 years and
weighs 60 kg. Let us get to know sdme more details about him. He is free from
disease and physically fit for active wkk. On each working day he is employed for
8 hours in an occupation that usually inhlves moderate activity. When not at
work, he spends 8 hours in bed, 4-6 hours sitting and moving about and 2 hours in
walking and in active recreation or household work.
Similarly, consider an Indian woman in the age group 20-39 years who weighs 50
kg. This, as you kngw, describes the Indian reference womao. She may be
engaged for 8 hours in general household work, in light activity or in other
moderately active work. Apart from 8 hours in bed, she spends 4-6 hours sitting
. or moving around only through light activity and 2 hours in walking or in.active
recreation or household duties.

From our discussion kbove, it is evident that the age, body size and activity level of
the reference individual is defined. But you may be wondering why we need .
reference individuals to compute RDIs for adults. This is because there is great
venation in the nutrient needs of adults based on age, sex, body weight (i.e. the body
size) and of course physical activity. -1s are @en for reference individuals and
adjustment is then made in the nutrient need of adults who deviate from this
reference.
Let us now look at the recommended dietary intakes of adults given in Table 7.2.
Table 7.2 :Recomamdcd Dletary Intaka for AdulY

Woman
(weight - 50 kg)

Calcium (mg)
Iron (mg) 30 , 30 30
Vitamin A (pg)
Retinol
or
Carotene
Thiamine (mg)
Riboflavin (mg)
Niacin (mg)
Asmrbic acid (mg)
Fotic acid ( p g )
Vitamin a,, &g.g) 1 . 1

Swrce: Nutrient Requirements anrt Rewmmeded qietary Intakes for Indians. ICMR (1990).

In Table 7-7 ; wou13 havn noticed that:

&
;.

e the nutdent requi~,meats for adults are given under the three categories based on
activity level - sedentary, moderate and heavy work and
,
(. the n~trientrequirements for men and women are given separately.
Why is it so? This is because the activity level, sex, body sizdcomposition all
infiuence the nutrient need. Let us consider each of them separately.
a) The Influence of activity level on RDIs for adcrlb9: Based on the nature of work ahd
level of activity different occupations are classified into three categories -
sedentary. moderate and heavy (Figure 7.5).
o Sedentary meaning 4ght work: A sedentary berson is one who does most of the
work sitting at one place using only his hands and head. A few examples of
individuais u n d e r t a b g sedentary work include teachers, tailors', iypigts, clerks,
office executives, huusewhes who have hswchdd help,
Moderate meanittg-rleither too light nor too sirepuouslhard work: A perssn is said tc Rinclpiw of M d
be moderately active individual if histher work involves use of both hands, and feet
continumly but not very strenuously. A few examples of people who wok!-
$: : ' "
belong to this group would include postmen, housemaids, servants, fishermen.
agricultural labourers,-housewives who do most of the housework themselves
manually.
Heavy meaning hard, strenuous work: A person is a heavy worker if helshe is
involved in hardjstrenuous work using hands and feet very fast and continuously '
for a long period each day. Rickshaw pullers, stone cutters, mine workers, coolies
belong to this group.

Flg. 7.5 The three e e s based bq activity level 17

The nature of work influences the nutrient need. A man doing heavy, strenuous work
needs an additional supply of energy as compared to a man doing moderate or light
work. The RDls fa? energy and B vitamins are based on activity level. As the activity
level increases energy requirements increase and so does the B. vitamin need as can be
seen from Table 7.2. What abwr the other nutrients.? The requirement for all other
nutrients is not influenced by the activity level.
We just ta!ked about how activity level influences energy requirements. However,
activity level is not the only factor determining eneiky mairements. Which ' ..,e
other factor:' Read Highlight 1 for more details on this interesting aspc;ct.
r
I HIGHLIGHT P
Estimating energy requirements
Consider a situation when an individual is resting or sleeping. What would be the
energy kquirement of the body under such a situation? You could argue that no
physical activity is being performed so the body does not need energy. Is this true?
Haven't we forgotten something? The heart beats, the blood circulates and respira-
tion, digestion, absorption and maintenance of body temperature continues even
when the body is at rest. Some mount of energy is required by the body to main-
tain these vital metabolic body functios. The amount of energy used in pe@nning
these
\
functions when the body k at complete rest (both menfullyand physically) is
k m e d basal metabolism. The ra:e at which energy is required to carry on these
functions is known as ,the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)of an individual.
What then is the totzl energy requirement of an individual? How do we calculate it?
We lake the basal metabolic rate s f an individual as the foundation for calculating
the total energy requirement. To the basal metabolic rate, the energy required for
performing other physical activities like walking, playing. as well as, manual work
(which could be light, moderate or heavy) is added, and that is how the total energy
requirement of a*: individual is calculated (Figure 7.6)

Fig. 7.6 Mqjor components denergy requirement

One other question that comes to mind is-does the BMR, like physical activity.
differ from individual to individual? Wha do you think? The answer is, yes. The
BMR varies f m one person to the other The age. sex. body size/composition,
growth, fever, stress, fasting, malnutrition are some of the factors that influence
BMR. In general, BMR is higher in growing children. pregnant women. adult males
and in people with fever or under stress. BMR is lowered by fastinglstarvation,
malnutrition.

on RD1s for adults: In Table 7.2

b) The influence of @ad\rfl~ze,o&~mpos~on y o would
~
have noticed that tile n u l l e a t needs of men and women vary (sex difference). The
energy and protein requirement of the woman is lower than that of a man of WcipEes of Meal Bfnnnb
rrnd Me& Rmanmlng:for t
h
corresponding age and activity level. You might be wondering why this is so? Well, Adus0
the basic difference lies in the body sizelcomposition. In the case of the man, the body
has more of actite tissues such a s i h e n~uscles.The woman, on the other hand, has -
more of the reiatively inactive fatty tissue. How does chis influence energy needs'? The
muscle fissue requires more energy for its activity. As a result, the basal metabolism
of the man is higher than that of the woman and hence the energy requirement of the
man increases. The RDIs for proteins, on the other hand, are linked to body weight,
In Unit 6 of Block 2 you learnt that a n adult requires 1 g protein per kg body weight.
Men (60 kg) weigh more than women (50 kg) of the corresponding age and hence
have higher protein needs.
What about the requirement of other nutrients? The iron requirement for women is
much more than that of men. This is so because extra iron is required to compensate
for iron losses through menstruation in the woman in the reproductive age group. The
requirement for all other nutrients is the same for both the man and the woman.
Now, let us study what happens to the nutrient requirement of adults with ageing.
c) The influence of age on RDIs for adults: The age of the adult influences the
requirement for some of the nutrients. You have learnt earlier that with ageing there
is a decrease in the body functioning and performance. Hence, body metabolism is
lowered. This factor, together with the reduced physical activity creates less demand
for energy. Table 7.3 tells you how energy requirement decreases with age.
Table 7.3 :Changes in RDIs for Energy with Age

% of RDI for energy

Source: Nutrient Requirements and Recommended Dietary Intakes for Indians, ICMR (1990)

Using this table, let us learn how to calculate the energy requirement. Consider a
sedentary adult man. You learnt earlier that this man requires 2425 Kcal. This is 100
per cent RDI. By the age of 40 he would require 95 per cent i.e. 951100 of 2425=23M
Kcal. Similarly, when he is 60, his energy requirement would further decrease to 1940
Kcal i.e. 801100 of 2425. This calculation can be used for both men and women of any
activity level.
ItTs clear, then, that with ageing the energy requirement decreases. What about the
requirement for other nutrients? D o they also decreases? Well, in contrast to energy,
the requirenent for other nutrients namely'protein, iron, B vitamins remains the
same as that of a vounger adult. This is so because these nutrients are requied to
compensate for wear and tear and for excessive breakdown of tissues common in old
age. One mineral that need emphasis and possible increase is calcium. Recent studies
have shown that increased calcium intake during old age help prevent calcium loss
(from the tissues) and development of osteopo~osis.But still there is some
controversy regarding nutrient requirement for older adults.

'Check Your Progress Exericise 3

1) List any two important physiological changes which take place during ageing.

.....................................................................................................................................
2) State whether the following statements are correct or incorrect Correct the false
statemenls.
a) Adulihood represents a pcriod from 50 to 80 years. (Truepalse)
 b) During old age, there is an increase in the active tissue i.e the muscles.
(True/FJ s e )

c) Women require as much energy as men of the corresponding age, activity level.
(TrueFalse).

d) At the agc of 65 ycars lherc is reductioil in the requirements for protein and
calci urn. (TrueFalse)
...................................................................................................................................
e) All old men aid women suffer from osteoporosis. (Truepalse)
...................................................................................................................................
f) Encrgy requirements for adults are based on the activity pattern of the
individual. (TruefFalse)
...................................................................................................................................
3) Calculate the eliergy requirement of a sedentary woman aged 55 years

..........................................................................................................
. ~ ~ - ~ ~

Z3.2 Meal Planning for the Adult

You have so far studied the nutrient needs of adults. Let us now learn as to how t c
translate these RDIs into meals or food items to be consumed that would help
maintain optimum nutrition. In this section we shall learn how to plan meals for both
the young adult and tho older adult.
You are aware that the nutrient needs of adults vary based on the age, sex, and
activity level. To help meet the varying needs it is obvious that the meals planned for
adults would also be varied.
In general, whatever be the nutrient need. remember meal planning should take into
consideration the basic four factors listed in the margin.here.
Certain other considerations that need to be kept in mind while planning meals
include:
Whom are we planning for?
@ Which nutrients are of particular importance?

Which foods to select?

* What should be the meal pattern?
* What are the specific considerations?
In this unit and subsequent units we will discuss meal planning under these headings.
We begin meal planning by first identifying :
Whom are we planning for?
Is the adult we are planning for:
old or young -
men or women
sedentary, moderate or heavy worker
belong to low, middle or high income 'evel?
Information about these specific charaktelistics would help you determine the
nutrient need, the kind and amount of food needed and the meal pattern to be
followed. Based on the information you can list the RDIs.
Which nutrients are of particular importance?
During adulthood nutrients are required basically forthe maintenance of body
 Prlnclple d Meal PlpnrsBng
cqtegories of nutrients namely: md M d g f w h
0 Energy-giving (carbohydratedfats) Ad=!$
0 Body-building (proteins)
e Protectivelregulatory (mineraldvitamins)
However, depending on the age, sex and activity level of the adult, the amount of
nutrients required from each of the three categories would vary. For instance:
- an older adult would require less energy-giving nutrients as compared to a younger
adult
- a woman would require less energy-giving and body-building nutien& but more
iron ak compared to a man of the same age and activity level
- a heavy worker would require more energy-giving nutrients than a sedentary
worker.
which foQds to select?
To provide a nutritidhally adequate and a well-balanced diet one should include at
least one f e d item from each of the three food groups (i.e. energy-giving,
bddy-building and protectivelregulatory). The day's diet for an adult should
essentially contain:
- a cereal i.e. wheat, rice, bajra, jowar or any other staple commonly used
- one or more of the pulses, (preferably in combination with cereals) or meat, fih,
chicken if acceptable
- some amount of milk or milk products
- at least one green leafy vegetable like spinach, fenugreek leaves, mdstard leaves
etc.
-other vegetables like wuliflower, carrot, brinjal etc.
- some seasonal fruits
- fats and oils in adequate amounts
-sugarljaggery according to taste,
We have just gone through a simple guide on what food items b include in a diet. But
remember the kind and amount of food selected would-beinfluenced by the income
and activity pattern of the individual. Which foods to select when income is limited or
when income is high has already been discussed earlier in Section 7.2.2. Now let us
examine how the advity pattern influences the selection of foods.
Consider the case of Hari. Hari is a rickshaw puller, who travels long distances
ca'rrying people from one place to another. He is a heavy worker. Obviously, his
requirement for energy would be much higher as compared to a sedentary worker.
What about the protein need? You know protein need is not influenced by activity
level. The need would be the same as that for a sedentary or moderate worker.
Hence, while p l a n r p i meals for Hari, we would need to include more of energy-rich
foods such as cereals (including roots and tubers), fatdoils, sugarljaggery so as to help
meet the increased need.for energy. Protein-rich foods like pulses, milk and
protectivelregulatory foods like fruits, vegetables may be given in just sufficient
amounts to maintain body functions.

What should be the meal pattern?

The daily routine of the adult influences the meal pattern. Let us first consider those
adults who are engaged in an occupation. For them the work-timing is important. It is
commonly observed that mast people work for 8 hours (the timings being 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). The meal timing, number of meals and the kind of meals
plan@, therefore, need to be adjusted according to these work timings. The
comm6n.meal patterns likely to be followed would be as under:

A B C D
Break&! Breakfast Brunch Bed tea
Padred lunch Mid-morning meal Packed lunch Brunch
Dinnet ., Packed lunch Tea Packed lunch
Tea Dinner Tea
MMer Dinner
Bed time

i) Lunch and dinner arc the two main meals consumed in a day. Ensure that lunch and
dinner provide atleast l n r d of the total day's calories. Breakfast and the rest of the
meals together should provide the remaining 113rd of the total days calories.
Mcal Planning ii) Packed lunches are commo~lycarried by working adults. By packed lunch we
mean any food preparation carried to the place of work which is consumed in the
afternoon. It is essential that the packed lunches carried be balanced.The packed
lunch must include at least one food item fzom the three food groups, namely
energy-giving, body-building and protectiveiregulatory foods. This, however, does
not mean that we include three items (one for each group) in a packed lunch.
One-dish meals can also provide most of the nutrients. A few interesting ideas for
packed lunches (Figure 7.7) incIude-Paneeddal stuffed paranthas with pickle, poha
(preparation made of rice-flakes, vegetables and groundnut), vegetable upma
(preparation of semolina, vegetable and pulse), poushtik roti with pickle,
lemori-vegetable rice, curd rice with vegetables, thalipeeth (preparation of wheat,
jowar, pulse and green leafy vegetables) with pickle. bisi bell'a huliyanna (riceisambar
preparation). For details refer to'section 4 of Practical Manual 1.

Thallpeeth wlth plckle 1

Pouahtlk rot- A
wlth plckle

Mutrltlous onedlsh meals

Fig. 7.7 Ideas for packed lunches

iii) Brunch in meal pattern C refers to a heavy breakfast. It is actually a heavy meal
consumed in the morning. Including more of fat and protein-rich foods in this meal
would be advantageous as they would provide adequate satiety value and prevent the
person from feeling hungry before it is time for the next meal.
\
iv) Dinner is one meal which the adult can eat at leisure and hence it could be an
elaborate meal. But this does not mean that it should be heavy.
If the person is not working then the meal pattern followed would be the same as
suggested earlier in Unit 6, Block 2. L

So far we have talked about how to provide adeqaate, well balenced meals for young
adults. Now, let us examine the specific considerations one would keep in mind, in
addition to the points discussed above. while feeding older adults.
What are the specific considerations for the older adult?
Various physiological changes take place during ageing. These changes (specially the
digestive tract changes) necessitate certain modifications in the kind and amount of
food to be included in the meals, the number of meals to be consumed, the method of
preparation to be adopted. What are these modifications? Let's learn:
i) During ageing there is a problem of loose teeth. As a result, chewing becomes
difficult. What does one do in such situations? A change in the texture and
method of preparation of food is recommended. Include only sofr,well cooked,
mashed orfinely cut foodr in the diet. All hard foods, with skin or seeds should be
avoided unless they can be softened by mashing or grating (Figure 7.8).
 --
Chapati softened In dsl

Serve soft, well-cooked, masha or finely cut foods

Ng.7.8 MoQlficstlo~ld the food preparations tor dder adult8
ii) During ageing there is the problem of impaired taste sensitivity. As a result, the
pleasure of eating is partially lost. It is,therefore,advisable that the meals for the
aged should be made more attractive and appealing by including a variety af
foods and colour combinations so as to encouragelmotivate the elderly person to
eat. Any strongly flavoured foods or foods with a strong smell or totally bland
foods should be avoided.
iii) Particular attention has to be given for including protective foods
('uitslvegetables) in the diet of the elderly person, .since these foods are mequently
overlooked or omitted.
iv) Old people commonly complain of having a feeling of fullness or heaviness. In
such hses, therefore, small meals at frequent intervals should be given so as to
help in the digestion process. Any fried or fatty foods or highly concentrated foods
like sweets should be avbided.
v) Constipation is a common complaint during old age. To overcome this problem
include plenty of fibre rich foodslwater and fluid in the diet. Fluid in the form of
butter milk, juices, tea, soups and other beverages can be given, in addition to
water. An intake of six to eight glasses of water a day is recommended.
Some tips o n how to provide adequate and satisfying meals for older adults are
listed below in points to remember.
 NOTE: REFER T O SECTION 5 O F THE PRACTICAL MANUAL-PART I
FOR A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO THE PLANNING O F DIETS FOR
T H E ADULT. SECTION 6 DISCUSSES MODIFICATIONS FOR SEX AND
ACTIVITY LEVEL.
I
Check.Your Progress Exercise 4
1). Fill in the blanks.
a) Meals planned for any individual should be ........................and ................
b) A meal plan for a heavy worker, would have more oi .................................
rich foods.
c) A ................ meal pattern should be followed for an adult belonging to the
lower income group.
d) An old man cannot digest food properly. Hence avoid ..............................
and ........................................ foods in the diet.
e) Selecting the right kind of food in the right ...........................................
and ............................ would help ensure balanced meals.
2) What two major aspects would you keep in mind while planning meals for a
coal-mine worker?

3) List any three dietary considerations you would keep in mind while planning meals
for your grandmother.

7.4 LET US SUM UP

In this unit you studied the importance and need for meal planning. Meal planning,
you learnt, means planning for adequate nutrition. It involves proper selection of
food to ensure balanced meals. It helps to make meals look more attractive and
appealing through the judicious blend of colour, texture and flavour. It also helps to
make the best possible use of available money, time and energy. There are many
factors which influence meal planning, some. of which include nutritional adequacy,
economic considerations, acceptability and availability..
The second major aspect dealt in the unit is adu!thood. Adulthood, you learnt,
represents the stage in life (twenty years and above) when all growth in terms of body
size is completed. Nutrient need is for maintenance of body functions rather than for
growth. However, there are great variations in the nutrient need of adults based on
24 their physical activity, age, sex and body weight. This aspect should be kept inmind
while planning meals for adults. The kind and amount of food included in the meals RLndpks d MePl I"L 1 ~ 1 %
nod Meal F%aning f or the
should be according to the age, activity, income and work schedule of the individual.
Adult
Meals should help meet the nutrient need of adults.

7.5 GLOSSARY
Ageing : The term ageing describes the process of gradual and
progressive changes which take place over the entire adult
life span.
Constipation : A condition characteked by difficulty in passing stools.
Garnish : A term u s d in cookirlg which means to decorate food itemst
dishes.
Perishable foods : It refers to foods that would spoil easily.
Staple foods : Foods used frequently or daily, for example, rice (in the
south) or wheat (in the north).
Taste-buds : Small organs of taste on the tongue, which help to detect
different taste/ flavours i.e. sweet, sour, salty. bitter.
Texture : Refer to the structure, appearance, consistency of foods,
food items. Crisp, smooth, soft, hard or chewy are some of
the texture of the food.

7.6 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

EXERCISES
Check Your Progress Exercise 1
1) a) Seven.
b) Bed tea, Breakfast, Mid-morning meal, Lunch, Mid-afternoon meal, Dinner,
Bed time.
c) Plan a mend based on the availability of foods in your region.
Check Your Progress Exercise 2
'1) a) Religious consideration
h) Variety in meals
c) Food availahility/acceptahility
d) Balanced meals
e) Variety in rneals/Economic Consideration
f) Economimime considerations
2) Meal planning is important as it:
ensures balanced meals.
makes meals look appealing and attractive.
make best possible use of money, time, energy.
ensure variety in meal.
help meet nutrient needs of'individual.
(List any three from above)
Check Your Progress Exercise 3
1) List any two of the following:
Decrease in the number of the functional ceh of the body organs
Changes in the digestive tract functioning
-ages i n bone composition
2) a) False; adulthood represents the period beginuing from twenty years and above.
b) False; during old age the active tissue is replaced by the inactive fatty tissues.
c) False; woman require less energy as compared to the men of the same age,
activity level.
d) False; the requirement for protein remains the same as that of an younger
adult, whereas the requirement for calcium possibly increases.
e) False; osteoporosis does not develop in all old men and women.
f) True
3) Sedentary a w t ~man required 1875 calories (100% RDIs). At 55 years the
energy.requirement is 90% of the reference i.e. 90 x 18751100 =I687 Keal
CbecL Ysur Rognss Exemk 4
1) a) well-balanced; nutritionally adequate b) energy c) 2-3 d) fatty; fried
e) amount, proportion
2) A coal mine worker performs heavy work. Hence his requirement for energy and
otherhutrients, like the B vitamins, would be much more than that of a sedentary
worker. Keeping this in mind one would:
.include more of energy-rich foods like cereals (including roots and tubers),
fpts/oils, sugarljaggery etc.
decide the number of meals, based on the work timing
3) List any three of the following:
Include only soft, well-cooked mashed foods in the meal
Give small but Erequent meals
hovide-plenty of fluids
Include plenty of milk, green leafy vegetables, cereals and h e r calcium-rich
foods
Serve fibre-rich foods
Discourage her from overeating
Avoid spicy, fried foods.