Planning Special Diets: Considerations and Examples

Understanding Special Dietary Requirements

When planning nutritional needs, it's crucial to consider special diet requirements.

Identifying Dietary Requirements

The first step is to accurately establish the dietary requirements by:

• Consulting the individual directly or reviewing their nutritional records.
• Thoroughly researching unfamiliar diets to avoid errors.

Never make assumptions as this could potentially lead to illness or life-threatening conditions such as anaphylactic reactions.

Types of Special Diets

Special diets can be health-based or driven by specific reasons:

• Health-based diets: These may regulate food intake or address allergies or intolerances.
• Examples include:
• Diets for the elderly
• Diets for diabetics
• Low-fat diets
• Gluten-free diets
• Egg-free diets
• Weight loss programs
• Diets for athletes or sports
• Other dietary considerations:
• Diets based on religious beliefs, restricting certain foods
• Vegan or vegetarian diets, excluding meats and sometimes all animal products like eggs and dairy

Some individuals may require diets that are high or low in specific food groups depending on their health or nutritional needs.