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Diet and health
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Foundation
A balanced diet
A healthy diet should be based on a range and variety of different foods,
as shown below.
An unbalanced diet can lead to dietary related diseases.
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Malnutrition
Having intakes of energy and/or nutrients below or in excess of needs
for long periods of time can affect health. It is a serious condition called
malnutrition. Malnutrition includes both under and over nutrition.
Severe under nutrition (having an intake of energy and/or nutrients
below what is needed) is rare in the United Kingdom, but can be
common in some developing countries. However, under nutrition does
occur in the UK, e.g. micronutrient deficiencies.
Children suffer the effects of starvation (not enough food) more quickly
than adults.
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Under nutrition – not enough nutrients
Worldwide, Kwashiorkor and marasmus are two common diseases
caused by a lack of protein and energy.
Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and minerals are stored in the body
so it takes time for these deficiency diseases to develop.
Water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body so low intakes usually
lead to signs of deficiency relatively quickly.
The most common symptom of under nutrition is unplanned weight loss.
Other symptoms include lethargy, low mood, poor concentration,
delayed wound healing and an increase in illnesses or infections.
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Over nutrition – more nutrients than required
Over nutrition is a problem usually associated
with developed countries, such as the United
Kingdom, however it is also rapidly increasing in
some parts of the developing world.
The most common over nutrition problem is
obesity, resulting from too much energy being
consumed, or high levels of inactivity.
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Risks of malnutrition
The risk of malnutrition is increased by:
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increased requirements for some nutrients
restricted range of foods
reduction in availability of food
low income
medical conditions
unusual dietary habits
psychological conditions.
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Health issues
There are a number of health related
issues relating to diet, including:
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CHD
Cholesterol levels
Obesity
Cancer
Bone health
Anaemia
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Rates of CHD
CHD is the most common cause of death in the United Kingdom. It is a
major cause of premature death (i.e. before the age of 65 years).
CHD is more common in men than in women.
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Risk of CHD
The chance of suffering from CHD is affected by many factors. These
are called risk factors.
Factors that increase the risk of CHD include:
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smoking
high blood cholesterol level
high blood pressure
physical inactivity
diabetes.
Other risk factors:
• being overweight or obese
• having a family history of CHD – the risk is increased if you have a
male relative with CHD under 55 or a female relative 65 years
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Diet and CHD
A low-fat, high fibre diet is recommended, including plenty of fruit and
vegetables and wholegrains. Salt should also be limited to no more than 6g
per day.
A small amount of unsaturated fat should be included in the diet, which will
help to reduce your cholesterol levels. Foods high in unsaturated fat include:
• oily fish
• avocados
• nuts and seeds
• sunflower, rapeseed, sesame and olive oil.
To maintain a healthy weight, combining a healthy diet with regular physical
activity.
To learn more about CHD, click here.
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Blood cholesterol levels
Cholesterol is a type of fat made by the liver and can also be found in
some foods.
It is needed for healthy cells in the body, but if there is too much in the
blood it can lead to CHD.
The level of cholesterol in the blood depends partly on genetic factors,
but can also be affected by diet.
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Cholesterol and the diet
The level of blood cholesterol is affected by the amount
and type of fat in the diet.
High intakes of saturated fatty acids, and of total fat, can
increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, and
therefore increase the risk of CHD.
Most people are consuming too much saturated fat and
need to reduce their saturated fat intake and switch to
foods containing unsaturated fat.
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Obesity
Obesity describes people who are overweight with a high degree of
body fat. Body Mass Index is the most widely used method of assessing
a person's weight.
Body Mass Index = weight (kg)
height (m)2
A person is considered obese with a BMI 30-40 or morbidly obese with a
BMI over 40.
Waist circumference measurements provides information about how
your weight is distributed around your body. People with larger waists (≥
94cm in men and ≥ 80cm in women). It is understood that a greater
waist circumference can lead to a higher chance of getting diseases
such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure.
Obesity is also an increasing problem in children with 18.9% of children
aged 10-11 classified as obese (NCMP data 2012/2013). Obese
children are more at risk of being obese later in life.
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Problems associated with obesity
People who are obese are more likely to suffer from
• breathlessness
• increased sweating
• snoring
• difficulty sleeping
• inability to cope with sudden physical activity
• feeling very tired every day
• back and joint pains.
Obesity can also cause high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels
which significantly increase the risk of develop CHD. Another long term
problem is diabetes. Obesity can also be associated with health problems
such as gall stones, arthritis and some type of cancers.
In addition, psychological problems may also arise, e.g. low self esteem,
low confidence levels and feeling isolated in society.
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Obesity
Being active and eating healthy is important in maintaining a healthy
weight.
Being slightly overweight is not a risk to health, but it is important to
not continue gaining weight.
To learn more about obesity, click here.
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Cancer
Cancer is a complex disease where cells in a
specific part of the body grow and reproduce
uncontrollably. It sometimes begins in one part of
the body before spreading to other areas
(metastasis).
A wide variety of factors are involved in the
development of cancer, including:
• age
• genetics
• environment
• hormones
• infections.
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Common cancers
The most common cancers in the UK are:
• Lung, prostate and bowel cancer in men
• Breast, lung and bowel cancer in women.
To learn more about bowel cancer, click here.
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Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is caused by a buildup of fatty deposits on the walls of arteries around
the heart (coronary arteries). The deposits narrow
the arteries and restrict the flow of blood to the
heart.
If one of the blood vessels becomes completely
blocked, the blood supply to part of the heart stops
and that part is damaged. This is called a heart
attack.
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Bone health
Calcium is important for strong bones. Vitamin D is needed for calcium
to be absorbed from food.
Osteoporosis is a disease where bones become weak, brittle and more
likely to break. It is caused by severe losses of calcium resulting in gaps
of the structure of the bone. It is most common in men and women over
the age of 55.
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Osteoporosis
Healthy bone is strong and does not break easily.
During childhood, adolescence and early
adulthood, calcium and other substances are
added to the bone. This makes bones stronger.
After the age of 30-35, bone density loss begins.
It is a normal part of ageing, but it can lead to a
osteoporosis and an increased risk of factures.
After the menopause women lose bone at an
increased rate.
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Bone health
Bone strength is affected by:
• genetics
• gender
• sex
• diet
• exercise
• body weight
• smoking
• hormones.
It is important that people at risk of osteoporosis take
steps to help keep bones healthy and reduce the
risk of developing the condition, e.g. regular physical
activity, healthy eating and lifestyle changes such as
quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake.
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Anaemia
The mineral iron is used to produce red blood cells. Iron from
the diet forms haemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the
blood. If there are fewer red blood cells than normal, the
organs and tissues will not get as much oxygen as they
usually should.
There are several different types of anaemia and each one
has a different cause. Iron deficiency anaemia is the most
common type.
If the body’s store of iron is low and there is too little iron in
the diet, the symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia will start to
develop.
Large amounts of iron can be toxic.
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Symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia
The main symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia include:
• tiredness and lethargy
• shortness of breath
• health palpitations
• pale complexion.
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Blood health
Iron from animal sources is more easily absorbed than iron from plant
sources. However, Vitamin C increases absorption of iron from plant
sources.
It is important that the diets of infants and young children contain foods
rich in iron.
Iron requirements increase during adolescence because of growth and
for girls at the start of menstruation.
Some women have very high iron requirements because they have large
menstrual losses.
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Task
Select on dietary related disease and create a pamphlet or fact
sheet suitable for a teenager to learn more about:
• the health problems
• risks factors
• steps which could help to prevent the development of the disease.
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