Good nutrition plays a positive role in good health, self-sufficiency and quality of life. An individual's dietary intake will be affected as they undergo changes in their life and move from one life stage to the next. Adequate nutrition is necessary to maintain cognitive and physical functioning, to prevent, reduce and manage chronic diseases and related disabilities, as well as to support health and a good quality of life (Menu and nutritional requirements). To meet the body's daily nutritional needs while minimizing the risk of chronic diseases, an AMDR (acceptable macronutrient distribution range) has been established, in which carbohydrates represent 45-65% of total calories, fats 20 -35% of total calories and proteins, 10-35% of total calories. It is also suggested that no more than 25% of total calories come from added sugars (Menu and Nutritional Prescriptions). The RDA is the average level of daily food intake sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of almost all healthy individuals of a given age group and gender. The following presentation will illustrate the nutritional needs of both men and women at various stages of life. Food provides the energy and nutrients a body needs to be healthy. Breast milk and formula milk provide adequate nutrition for the baby. Both contain all the vitamins and minerals necessary for a baby. Children under the age of 2 need up to 50% of their calories to come from fat. Whole milk is a good source of fat after the first year of age (Nutrition for Infants and Toddlers). But, after the age of two or three, you can switch to low-fat milk. As a child grows, the recommended daily intake of protein, fat and water increases at small incremental rates. This occurs because their weight is in......middle of paper......physical shape, they build a healthy foundation and choose sensibly, when developing their eating habits and healthy diets. Choose a lifestyle that combines conscious eating with regular physical activity. No single food can provide all the nutrients in the quantities an individual needs, so choose the recommended number of daily servings from each of the five major food groups to ensure you get all the nutrients you need. Choosing a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat is also an important factor in choosing a healthy diet and establishing good eating habits. Always emphasize the importance of physical activity along with a healthy diet. Adults are recommended to adopt an "active" lifestyle equivalent to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity throughout the day (Menu and Nutritional Requirements). REFERENCES