The five factors that affect the type of nutrient a person needs are pregnancy and lactation, illness, gender, age, and growth. Needless to say, women who are pregnant and breastfeeding need more nutrients because they transfer the vitamins and minerals to their babies. The same goes for sick people because their body requires more energy in order to combat their illness. Because men have more body mass compared to women, they need a vitamin that will suffice their needs. As a person grows old, his or her nutritional requirements also change, hence, a vitamin that will address his or her needs is preferable. Lastly, a growing child would need much more vitamins and minerals because he or she is more active and spends a lot of energy.
