Nutrition And Health

NUTRITION AND HEALTH

Nutrition is a science of nutrients. It deals with inter and multidisciplinary nutrients. One can measure nutrition of an individual by understanding his/her nutritional status which inturn is influenced by the utilization of nutrients. To understand the exact status we can find it through by careful medical dietary history, physical examination and laboratory investigation. Thus we can co-relate nutrition and nutrients.

 Now to discuss about “Nutrients”, they are constituents present in food which are required by the body in appropriate amounts. It includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibers and water. But if amount of one of the nutrients is less, then it leads to condition known as ‘Malnutrition’ a major issue observed in developing countries  and on other hand if the amount is excess it leads to ‘Over nutrition’ a major issue observed in developed countries. To understand above two conditions we have to study nutrients in detail, so that accordingly steps can be taken and appropriate knowledge can be given to people regarding its harmful effects.

 Human nutrition is vast subject which deals with the each nutrient in details in terms of its definition, its classes or classification, its sources, its role and functions in body. Then comes nutritional biochemistry where it gives information about its breakdown process in body, then its absorption, assimilation in body and provides with various abnormalities with digestion and absorption of nutrients. While understanding human- nutrition one has to consider the nutritional importance of each nutrient in our body, their requirement in our body, how they are assessed, what are factors affecting their role in body and nutrient related various disorders.

In nutrition ‘Recommended dietary allowances’ (RDA) also plays a crucial role which represents quantities to be of nutrients to be provided in the diet of an individual for maintaining good health and efficiency of an individual. Balance- diet is also an important component in terms of health and nutrition. Now-a- days everyone wants the balance diet so that they can maintain their healthy life. This is very positive approach towards life and also it showcases that people are giving importance to good and healthy food.  Balance- diet is the diet which contains different types of food having all the nutrients-carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibers and water in requirement with the body meet. Again the composition of balance- diet varies from country to country depending upon the availability of foods, social and cultural habits, besides economic status, age, sex and physical activity.

Major nutritional disorders observed in our country are Kwashiorkor mainly found in children between 1-5 years of age. This is primarily due to insufficient intake of proteins. Next is Maramus means to waste. It occurs in children under one age. It is due to deficiency of calories. Apart from these two disorders there vitamin deficiency disorders, mineral deficiency disorders, goiter, anemia and its types.

Apart from Human- nutrition, Public nutrition and therapeutic nutrition are sections in nutrition. Public nutrition deals with meal- planning for various age-groups. Here while planning one has to consider factors like state and condition of public, their food habits, food-fads, food- taboos, religion, economic status, age- factor, physical activity, gender. Therapeutic nutrition deals with diet-therapy where the diet is modified for the prevention of disease and for maintenance of health. Modifications are done in individual’s normal diet so that nutritional status is maintained and the rest is given to the affected organ. It includes soft-diet, semi-fluid diet and fluid-diet.

Thus we can say Nutrition and Health are 2 sides of same coin which promotes the individual development and welfare.