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      Nutritional needs throughout life

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can plan meals for different dietary requirements, with justification.

      Key learning points

      1. Dietary needs change at key age and life stages.
      2. Some people have an allergy or intolerance to specific foods. 14 major allergens are listed on food packaging.
      3. Portion sizes change through life. There are consequences of excess (servings of food and their portion size).
      4. Recipes and meals can be adapted for different dietary requirements.

      Keywords

      • DRVs - dietary reference values - energy and nutritional requirements for different groups of healthy people in the UK population

      • EARs - estimated average requirements - an estimate of the average requirement of energy, or a nutrient, needed by a group of people

      • RNIs - reference nutrient intakes - the amount of a nutrient that is enough to ensure that the needs of nearly all people in a group are being met

      • LRNIs - lower reference nutrient intakes - the amount of a nutrient that is enough for only a small number of people in a group who have low requirements

      Common misconception

      Dietary Reference Values (DRVs), nutritional requirements, are intended for individual healthy people.

      Dietary Reference Values (DRVs), nutritional requirements, are intended for different groups of healthy people. They are a series of estimates of the energy and nutrients required.

      Teacher tip

      Enourage pupils to link different dietary requirements to ingredients and food, giving practical changes and modifications that could be made to recipes and meals.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Which of these are macronutrients?

      Correct answer: protein
      minerals
      Correct answer: fat
      vitamins
      Correct answer: carbohydrate

      Q2.
      On average, we are recommended to drink __________ glasses of fluid a day to prevent dehydration.

      4 - 6
      Correct answer: 6 - 8
      8 - 10
      10 - 12

      Q3.
      helps to keep our digestive system healthy and can help to prevent constipation.

      Correct Answer: fibre, dietary fibre, dietaryfibre

      Q4.
      Match the vitamin to its source.

      Correct Answer:vitamin A,liver, fortified spreads, green leafy vegetables, carrots
      Correct Answer:vitamin B1,bread, fortified breakfast cereals, meat, beans
      Correct Answer:vitamin C,citrus fruits, peppers, tomatoes
      Correct Answer:vitamin D,sunshine, oily fish, eggs, fat spreads

      Q5.
      True or false? An adequate intake of micronutrients is possible by always eating the same types of foods.

      True
      Correct answer: False

      Q6.
      helps to build and maintain strong bones and teeth.

      Correct Answer: Calcium

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      True or false? Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) are intended for individual healthy people.

      True
      Correct answer: False

      Q2.
      Match the following terms:

      Correct Answer:Dietary Reference Values,energy and nutritional requirements
      Correct Answer:Estimated Average Requirements,the average requirement of energy or a nutrient
      Correct Answer:Reference Nutrient Intakes,the amount of a nutrient needed by nearly all people (97.5%)
      Correct Answer:,
      Correct Answer:,
      Correct Answer:,

      Q3.
      Teenage girls need the more than boys.

      Correct Answer: iron

      Q4.
      The Food Information Regulation (2014) states that food businesses must provide information about the __________ used (either on a label or through provided information, such as menus).

      safety of ingredients
      modification of ingredients
      Correct answer: allergenic ingredients
      biological ingredients

      Q5.
      True or false? Scientific studies show that when children and adults are presented with bigger portions of food, they tend to eat more.

      Correct answer: True
      False

      Q6.
      Match the ingredients to the recipe modification reason.

      Correct Answer:using soy sauce (reduced salt),to decrease salt
      Correct Answer:using a non-gluten flour,to avoid an allergic reaction
      Correct Answer:using brown rice,to increase fibre
      Correct Answer:using lots of fruit and veg,to achieve 5 A DAY
      Correct Answer:using a spray oil,to reduce fat

      To help you plan your 9 cooking and nutrition lesson on: Nutritional needs throughout life, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...