Fat's the issue: eating in your 30s and 40s

At this stage of life, maintaining a reasonable weight and staying healthy means taking a closer look at diet, says Dr Wynnie Chan

We're more at risk of over nutrition than malnutrition in our 30s and 40s, and it's not because we eat more. Compared to the frenetic pace of our 20s, our lives tend to become settled and as a result less active.

During this time a woman's energy requirement is around 1,940 calories a day, give or take a hectic lifestyle. This sounds a lot, but scoff a couple more Mars bars and you'll be pushing the daily requirement - 2,550 kcals - of a man in the same age group.

Quality and quantity
More women are choosing to wait until their 30s and early 40s to have children, and so vitamin intake becomes even more of a priority. A pregnant woman should be watching her intake of folate and iron before and after she conceives. A deficiency of folate has been linked to spina bifida in babies. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have to increase their calorie intake.

Fat's the issue
It is thought that at least half of the population - male and female - is overweight or obese. Most experts agree that eating more calories than we need is the most effective way of putting on weight. And of course eating more calories than we need more often than not involves that food baddie, fat.

Diets high in fat are high in calories, but fat is a less efficient fuel than other food groups. In its 1995 report on obesity, the Department of Health suggested that excess energy from carbohydrates is more likely to be used up as energy, whereas excess fat in the diet ended up on the body as - quite simply - fat.

Keeping your vitamin and mineral uptake when you're watching calories requires careful planning, but it's necessary if you are to avoid health problems like osteoporosis (brittle bones). Check our food table to make sure you're getting enough.

  • Fat's the problem
    Fat calories are mostly bad, but some are worse than others. What kind you eat can also make all the difference to your chances of getting dangerous conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, gallbladder disease, respiratory problems and some cancers. Avoiding high-fat foods is a good start, but you still need to keep some fats in your diet, not least because they contain important nutrients like vitamin E. Healthy fats include those found in oily fish, whereas ones to cut down include saturated fats found in dairy products.

  • Veggie vitamins
    Vegetarians who eat a balanced diet needn't worry too much about getting enough vitamins, although vegans will find it harder to get enough of the vitamins B12 and D.

    Vitamin B12
    This is needed to prevent anaemia, and is found mainly in animals and animal products. Although bacteria and fungi can make the vitamin, plant foods usually don't have appreciable amounts unless bacteria have contaminated them. Other sources include fortified yeast extract, fortified soya milk, fortified breakfast cereals and fortified textured vegetable protein.

    Vitamin B2
    Like vitamin B12, vitamin B2 - or riboflavin - is found in meat and milk products. Good vegan sources of riboflavin include yeast extracts, fortified breakfast cereals, seaweed, avocado and seeds such as sesame or sunflower.

    Vitamin D
    This is found in animal foods such as meat, egg yolk and liver, although fortified breakfast cereals, fortified soya milk, soya cheese and vegan margarines do contain a good amount. The main source of vitamin D is via the action of sunlight on the skin, so people who have to wear enveloping clothes or are strict vegans may need vitamin D supplements.

    Iron
    The risk of iron deficiency, or anaemia, is increased for those following strict vegan diets. Plants contain a type of iron called non-haem iron which is not as readily absorbed as the type of iron found in meat and meat products. In addition, plant foods and wholegrain cereals contain compounds called phytates that combine with iron and makes it unavailable for absorption by the body. Tannins in tea also reduce the absorption of iron. So including a vitamin C rich food or drink rather than having tea during a meal will help increase the absorption of non-haem iron.

    Healthy eating in your 30s and 40s Eating healthily doesn't mean depriving your taste buds - just check out our menu plans below.

    If you eat meat
    Try and eat two of the following every day: lean meat, chicken or fish, or if you are a vegetarian, try eggs, nuts, peas, beans and lentils. You should also include two portions of milk, cheese or yoghurt (reduced-fat versions wherever possible) each day. Vegetables (canned, fresh, frozen, dried and juices) should be included five times a day and you should try and eat four or more portions of bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta or rice.

    A typical menu might look something like this:

    Breakfast

  • Bowl of grapenuts with strawberries and semi-skimmed milk
  • One wholemeal crumpet with reduced-fat spread
  • One glass of orange juice

    Lunch

  • Wholemeal pitta bread with reduced-fat hummous and grated carrots
  • One pot of reduced-fat yoghurt
  • One banana

    Dinner

  • Chicken stew with couscous
  • Bowl of green salad with reduced-fat dressing
  • Orange and grapefruit salad

    Snacks

  • Fruit, breadsticks or scones

    For vegans
    Protein is important part of the diet, so try and eat between two and three portions of nuts, peas, lentils, tofu or beans. Try and eat three to five portions of bread, breakfast, rice, pasta, wheat or millet. As with meat eaters you should also eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables. Also, try to fit in around three portions of soya milk, soya cheese or soya yoghurt.

    Breakfast

  • Two Weetabix with handful of strawberries and fortified soya milk
  • Wholemeal bread with vegan margarine
  • One glass orange juice

    Lunch

  • Bowl of lentil and vegetable soup
  • Large piece of French bread with vegan cheese
  • One pot of fortified soya yoghurt
  • Handful of grapes

    Dinner

  • Tofu and vegetable stir fry with brown rice
  • Soaked dried fruit sprinkled with muesli and topped with fortified soya yoghurt

    Snacks

  • Handful of sesame/pumpkin seeds, fruit, pumpernickel bread with peanut butter

    How to get them
    The following table should help you work out how best to get the vitamins you need. If you are worried you have a deficiency you should check with your doctor.

    Source Males Females
    Vitamin A
    Fish, egg yolks,
    butter, liver; yellow,
    orange, red and dark
    green fruit and
    vegtables    		 700ug 600ug
    Thiamin
    Pork, beans, nuts and seeds     		1.0mg 0.8mg
    Vitamin B6
    Fish, meat, chickpeas,
    potatoes and avocados    		 1.4mg 1.2mg
    Vitamin B12
    All animal products,
    eggs, meat, cheese,
    yeast and oysters     		1.5ug 1.5ug
    Folate
    Green vegetables,
    beans and orange juice
         		200ug 200ug
    Vitamin C
    Citrus fruits, broccoli,
    dark green vegetables,
    red peppers, strawberries
    and kiwi fruit     		40mg 40mg
    Calcium
    Dairy products, orange
    juice, tinned salmon,
    almonds, broccoli and
    sardines    		 700mg 700mg
    Iron
    Liver, beef, lamb,
    clams, oysters, mussels,
    beans, peas, dried fruits
    brewer's yeast, kelp,
    molasses and wheat bran     		8.7mg 14.8mg
    Zinc
    Beef, pork, poultry, eggs,
    seafood, cheese, beans and
    nuts    		 9.5mg 7.0mg
    Vitamin D
    Fatty fish, including
    herring salmon and tuna    		 10ug 10ug

    For information on nutrition while you are pregnant, click here

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