Infants

Adolescents

Pregnant/
breastfeeding women/women in reproductive years

Other people

Older people

Ageing is a normal process that affects all parts of the body at varying rates(1). However, older people tend to be more prone to disease, and when they are ill they are often not as able to absorb and use many essential nutrients effectively.

Vegetarians

There are many non-meat sources of iron, but this type of iron is not as easily absorbed by the body as that derived from meat. Consequently, vegetarians are more likely to have low iron levels and, thus, an increased risk of developing anaemia when their need for iron increases, such as during pregnancy. To avoid this, it is advised to drink orange juice with meals because vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron in foods eaten at the same time. Conversely, drinks such as tea and coffee, which contain tannins, inhibit the absorption of iron and should only be drunk between meals and very weak.

Reference
1. Webb G, Copeman JP. The nutrition of older adults 1996. London: Arnold


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