Nutrition in the Community Health

Foods and Nutrition

Chapter Outline

Introduction
Objectives
Nutrition and Health
Balanced Diet
Diet Therapy
Summary
Glossary
SAQ.

Introduction

As we know, the food that we eat is digested and absorbed it is utilized by the body. Food helps us in staying healthy. What do we mean by the term ‘Health’? How do we know if a person is healthy? What is meant by the term ‘Nutrition’? Our diet should be such that it meets our nutritional requirements and thus helps us in staying healthy.A balanced diet is according to the needs of the individual. Although food occupies the first position in the hierarchy of our needs, ignorance of many basic facts relating to food and nutrition is still widespread. All of us eat food every day – but have we ever paused to consider if our diet is balanced? In fact, do we even know what kinds and amounts of foods would make our diet balanced and lead us toward good health? Buying and cooking foodstuffs is a common experience for all of us. However, when purchasing, do we really know hoe to select the food items? Do we know the household ways of finding out whether the food item is adulterated? If the diet is not balanced the result would be malnutrition and nutritional deficiency diseases. So, we find out the type of diet that should be eaten by a person who is suffering from a disease – from fever, diarrhoea, diabetes or hypertension.

Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, you are expected to learn about:

Identify the relationship between nutrition and health
Explain the term balanced Diet
Explain the meaning of Diet therapy
State the nutritional problems associated with fever, diarrhea, diabetes and hypertension.