Why is it important for women over 40 to prioritize their food intake

India observes Poshan Maah or the month of nutrition in September every year. This is the 5th year of Poshan Maah in the country. This year the government aims to focus on women's health and child and education. The theme of National Nutrition Month 2022 is “Mahila aur Swasthya'' and “Bacha aur Shiksha”.

The POSHAN abhiyaan was launched on March 8, 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition (POSHAN) Abhiyaan is also known as the National Nutrition Mission.

Read: "Can't out-exercise a terrible diet"

"This year, the objective is to trigger Poshan Maah through Gram Panchayats as Poshan Panchayats with key focus on “Mahila aur Swasthya” and “Bacha aur Shiksha”," an official statement said.

Women's health is of prime importance as they age, but it is the least taken care of in Indian households. A mother, a wife and a daughter is always expected to take care of others and in the process neglects her own health. As an individual ages, more emphasis should be given to the body as aging takes a toll on the physical health and makes a person prone to several diseases.

"Once we reach the 40s, we find that 7 out of 10 women complain about minor issues like headaches, lack of sleep, tiredness, fatigue, and hair loss. Such symptoms are initially neglected, but when left untreated for a long time, it increases the risk of non-communicable diseases," says Dr Varsha Gorey, senior clinical dietitian, HOD, Dietetics Departments , Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai.

Women go through the perimenopause phase during their 40s. During this time, there is a huge change in the hormone level in the body due to which a woman's body undergoes several complications including anxiety and depression.

After reaching the age of 40, women are prone to issues related to ovary and bone health. Women are also at a higher risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Women are also prone to rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition, at this age.

Apart from these, owing to age and several biological changes that occur internally, women are likely to face issues related to an overactive bladder, perimenopausal symptoms, kidney stones, urinary tract infections, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure and heart issues.

"Anthropometrics, Biochemical parameters, your Complaints, and existence of any particular Disease," are the ABCD of health which health experts use to work on a good diet for an individual," explains Dr Gorey.

"The diet we eat should be holistic, i.e. it should take care of all the food groups, from the main grains, from macros to micronutrients, with importance to dietary fibre," Dr Gorey says and goes on to explain the importance of exercise as well.

Some of the risk factors associated with these diseases are modifiable in nature which emphasizes the need to be more careful about physical activity and exercise.

"Also, exercise along with good nutrition is important because exercise along with good protein will help in toning muscles, helping us to beat fatigue, and simple minor aches and pains, most women complain of," Dr Gorey adds.

Dr Gorey stresses on eating timely, as she says women either stay hungry or delay eating their food. "They need to be more mindful of food gaps," she emphasizes and adds that a human body needs about 2200 to 2500 calories to maintain ideal body weight. Bodyweight plays an important role in several bodily functions. Imbalance in the weight is the reason behind several diseases. Mindless eating or heavy indulgence in eating after a big gap are two contributing factors in being overweight.

"All in all, if we look at the mindful way of eating that is timely meals, correcting the diet, while you look at your blood parameters, or at your ABCD, it will help you to prevent the risk related to advancing age," suggests the doctor.

The government aims to create awareness at the panchayat level. "Poshan Panchayat Committees will work closely with field level workers (FLWs) – AWWs, ASHAs, ANMs – to support problem solving and enabling service delivery through Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Village Health and Nutrition Day (VHNDs), and other relevant platforms to ensure all pregnant and lactating women, children below six years, and adolescent girls receive basic Integrated Child Development services," the official statement says.

"Growth Measurement drives under Swasth Balak Spardha will be conducted by States with the help of AWWs, AWHs, ASHA, district functionaries and agencies such as Lions Club, Rotary Club etc. Health camps for anemia check-ups will be especially organised at AWCs for adolescent girls," it adds.

With a special focus on traditional foods in tribal areas for healthy mother and child, the programme also aims to nurture activities like ‘Amma ki Rasoi’ or Grandmother’s Kitchen of traditional nutritious recipes.