Nutritional issues for women

Many of the health concerns of women at different life stages are affected by nutrition. Diet is one lifestyle factor that is amenable to change. Health practitioners have a major role to play in helping women to adopt a healthier diet in order to gain the benefits that this offers. Women of all ages cite losing weight as one of their top priorities. Supporting healthy weight loss through a balanced diet with appropriate physical activity improves quality of life and reduces illness. Low iron status can be an issue for many young women, including pregnant women. Indeed once a women decides to try for a baby, becomes pregnant and breastfeeds, concerns for the health of her baby, may lead her to focus more on her diet. As women reach midlife, concerns relate to the onset of the menopause and the postmenopausal increase in risk from osteoporosis, some cancers and heart disease. Heart disease is increasingly a female issue and postmenopausal women need to be encouraged to make lifestyle changes, traditionally aimed at middle-aged men. At all life stages a healthy balanced diet and exercise are beneficial to health. This includes eating more fruit and vegetables, starchy carbohydrates and oily fish, cutting down on fatty, salty and sugary foods and alcohol, stopping smoking and being more physically active.