The Nutrition Link with Reproduction

The human body is made up of nutrients. This makes the food we eat and its reflection on our nutritional status and health especially crucial. Nutrition thus is a very important determinant of our biological and social welfare throughout the various stages of the human life cycle. This makes it necessary for us to show very practical commitment to ensuring the adequacy of the quality and quantity of food in our communities, in our cherished bid to prevent the incidence of disease, and thus promote the health of the public. The focus of this presentation is on the physiological changes that occur during the reproductive years, and their implications on nutritional needs. Specific nutrition-related problems, the various methods for assessing the nutritional status of individuals in their reproductive years, and the nutritional determinants of pregnancy outcome will be discussed. Recommendations for the improvement of the nutrition of people in their reproductive years will be made. (Inst. of African Studies Research Review: 2002 18 (1): 51-55