Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease - Research Paper Example

Nutrition Related Disease 1. Introduction about food and nutrients Nutrition is a beneficial organic process through which an organism digests food and utilizes it for growth and sustenance in humans. Good nutrition is therefore imperative since it helps in the prevention against diseases and promotes good health in individuals. Consumption of the essential fruits and vegetables helps in ensuring that our mortality level is slightly lowered and it reduces a person’s susceptibility to several degenerative diseases such as cancer, immune dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases (Gibney, 2009). Other than the vitamins and minerals contained in fruits and food, it may also ensure beneficial protective effects to individuals (Coulston & Boushey, 2008). Food is not only important for the maintenance and development of an individual, but also in the performance and reproduction of life. It has been estimated that during a person’s entire lifetime, a person consumes approximately 30 tonnes of food on proportion in professedly endless dietary categories (Bjorklund, 2005). However, as digestion takes place, the food is broken down into basic nutrients necessary for the well being of the individual. Therefore, it is safe to assume that food is chemistry. In the process of digestion, the mixture of chemicals present in the food is broken down into four basic categories: nutrients, non-nutritive naturally occurring components (which include antinutritive and natural toxins), man-made contaminants and additives. Taking that into consideration, it is safe to say that nutrients make up for more than 99.9% of the food contents. Nutrients can be classified into carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, fats and minerals. These constituents are referred to as macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients can be described as primary sources of strength and building elements for humans, whereas micronutrients on the other hand are only required in comparatively volumes. Micronutrients can be obtained in vitamins, minerals and trace elements, and are still essential in ample amounts to ensure proper performance of all body cells (Coulston & Boushey, 2008). Furthermore, micronutrients such as water do not necessarily provide individuals with energy. The majority of micronutrients are critical nutrients for life processes, often synthesised by the body. For that reason, these necessary nutrients can be received from the food that we eat. Most significantly, macronutrients are constituent and indispensable ingredients of our diets, often found in carbohydrates, water, fat and protein (Gibney, 2009). 2. Differentiate between foodborne illness and nutrient related diseases (Bjorklund, 2005). A nutrition related disease is a disease that comes about as a result of too much or too little intake of nutrients. Some of the most common nutrient related illnesses include rickets, obesity and kwashiorkor. The image below shows a child suffering from kwashiorkor. Nutrient related diseases often can be related to long term habits such as compulsive disorders, abnormal intake of particular nutrients or minerals such as Vitamin A which tends to result in a disease known as hypervitaminosis A or calcium which causes rickets. In addition, another habit that causes nutrient related disease is malnutrition. Food borne diseases on the other hand are illnesses contracted from the consumption of contaminated food or beverages. The common illnesses include food borne intoxications and infections, which are commonly mistaken by many as food poisoning. The main causes of these illnesses are bacteria, viruses, toxins, prions and parasites. The main symptoms that can make one aware of the presence of the illness vary from moderate gastroenteritis and may lead to life-threatening neurological hepatic and renal symptoms. 3. What is food borne illness Food borne illness, or food poisoning as it is commonly referred to by many, is brought about by consuming food which is contaminated with pathogenic viruses, toxins, bacteria, prions and parasite. Several different pathogens can contaminate food, hence there are many different types of food borne illnesses. The contamination normally arises as a result of improper handling, preparation and storage of food. In addition, the other common cause of food borne diseases is adding medicine or pesticides to food or by consuming poisonous substances unknowingly. When pests such as rodents, cockroaches and insects also come into contact with food, they are also likely to contaminate the food and hence cause food borne illnesses. 4. List the common types and sources of microbes that cause food borne illness. Bacteria and Viruses These are the most popular cause of food poisoning. The symptoms and austerity of food poisoning differ. This will depend on which particular bacteria or virus is responsible for the food contamination. Parasites These are organic bodies that get their nutrient and protection from other living organisms referred to as the hosts. The most common parasites that cause food contamination that are widely known include protozoa, tapeworms and roundworms. Mould and Contagions Most of the reported food poisoning cases were as a result of the parasite, bacteria and viruses rather than the poisonous substances likely to be found in the food. However, there are cases where the food poisoning can be traced back to either natural or chemical toxins. Allergens Some individual’s immune system have an unusual response or reaction to food. This condition is known as food allergy. Some common foods that most people may be allergic to include eggs, milk, nuts and seafood. 5. Signs and symptoms of food borne illness. Some of the common symptoms of food borne illness are diarrhoea and/or vomiting, which normally lasts for about one to seven days. However, it is important to percieve that each pathogenic organism is associated with its own symptom. The other symptoms may include abdominal cramps, fever, fatigue, joint/back aches and nausea. In addition, what most people frequently refer to as “stomach flu” may actually be a food borne illness caused by pathogens such as parasite, virus or bacteria consumed in a contaminated drink or food. The incubation interval (period between exposure to the pathogen and onset of the symptoms) often ranges from a few hours to one week. The level of severity of the food borne illness depends on the pathogenic organism or toxin that has been ingested, the amount of food consumed and also the general health status of an individual. For individuals who have immune compromised health conditions, or children, or the aging or pregnant women, any food borne illness may be life threatening to them. 6. Preventing food borne illness (Shils, 2005). Below is a list of seven ways in which one can prevent food borne illnesses: Infected people handling food People with poor personal hygiene or poor food handling methods are often the biggest contributors to food contamination. Some of the preventive measures that can be taken in such an instance include: do not handle ready to eat foods with undressed hands, use hand sanitizers, wash hands before handling any food and individuals who have cuts of lesions on their lower upper arms should not handle food. Time between food preparation and consumption Given adequate time, bacteria in food can develop depending on the sort of food, the heat at which it is kept, its acidity level and the moisture in the food. Some food are often prepared and then served later on after cooking. These kind of food require proper handling to avoid any kind of contamination. In addition, the food ought to be properly cooked and stored safely away from any kind of pathogens. It should be reheated properly when it is time to eat. All conceivably dangerous foods must be heated to a regulated internal temperature before they are consumed. Most people make the mistake of assuming that simply cause the colour of the food has changed instead of heating it up until it cooks. Too little reheating Heating leftover and frozen food inadequately is also one of the principle determinants of food borne illnesses. This often happens when people simply warm up food instead of actually heating it up to the right temperatures. It is advised that in order to be safe from food illnesses, people should heat up the food up to about 165oF. In case it is liquid, the individual should let it boil and not simply warm it up. Contaminated raw foods and ingredients Certain raw foods such as fish, eggs, meat and poultry often are susceptible to contamination. The indicated microorganisms can be developed during processing and manufacturing and can easily stay alive in the food if heating is not enough. It is imperative that the raw food is cooked to the appropriate temperature and that consumers watch out to buy food from the appropriate sources. 7. List the methods of food preservation(Gibney, 2009) Traditional methods of food preservation a. Drying- This process involves the addition of sodium chloride to meat, vegetables and fish, or a sugar syrup to fruit and fruit. Drying of foods enhances the density of solutes in foods and additionally greatly decreases the size and volume of the food product. The foremost shortcoming of this technique is that it often results in some sort of change in the natural and sensorial characteristics of food, hence making it less desirable. b. Fermentation- Fermentation method controls decomposition microorganisms by the discharge of metabolites (natural acids, bacteriocins, catalysts and alcohols) and modification of the states of the food (decreasing of redox changes or water motion or extraction of nutrients and development factors). c. Low temperature storage- All microorganisms can only survive at a certain temperature which when lowered kills them. This therefore implies that the growth of these microorganisms can be controlled by lowering the temperature. Commercial Methods of Food Preservation I. Canning and Bottling- Canning entails the process of storing food in preserved containers by application of heat. All the microorganisms are first killed by the application of heat, after which the food is stored in airtight containers to prevent it from any further attack by microorganisms. II. Machine Drying-Over the years, scientists have developed machines that can be used in the in the drying of different food products, at different temperatures. This method had been established to be way better than the traditional method of drying food in the sunlight. III. Cold Storage- This method has become popular globally in both urban and rural areas. Fruits and greens are stocked in cold storehouses in order to guarantee that they do not spoil. This preservation method is based on the principle of refrigeration. IV. Pasteurization- this method is only applicable to milk. The milk is heated to 1650 F and then immediately cooled to 550. The main aim of this method is to kill any bacteria in the milk and ensure that any that remains stays inactive. The milk can be stored for up to six days and the colour or taste does not change at all. V. Use of antibiotics- although this method is still under research, it has become a bit common over the past few years. When antibiotics are put in fish or poultry, it can increase their life span by about two or three times due to the reduced rate of the development of the microorganisms. 8. Outline the role of Health agencies in preventing food borne illness (Shils, 2005). Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) The HACCP is a system that helps business food operators observe how they handle food and introduces new ways to ensure that the food produced at these food outlets is safe for consumption. Food safety is addressed by the analysis and restriction of synthetic, physical and biological dangers from raw material generation, treatment and acquisition to manufacturing, dissemination and consumption of the finished product Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) Most workers in the UAE restaurants are incapable of reading or speaking English. This has made it very easy for them to understand food safety guidelines. The ADFCA was established to use pictures to educate these workers on health and safety when it comes to handling foods and on how to handle the food as stated by the international standards. The ADFCA was established with the aim of ensuring food safety, guaranteeing quality of food for consumption and carrying out necessary research and studies on safe food. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) The FDA is responsible for regulating foods and medicine in order to ensure safety. The agency is also responsible for informing people and communities on the safe use of these products. Therefore, the main aim of the FDA is protect consumers in America from unsafe food, medical devices, medicine and cosmetics. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) The CDC works together with other agencies to develop expertise, tools and information that people and communities require in order to look after their health by the use of health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and ensure that people are well prepared for any new health threats likely to come up in the near future. 9. What are nutrient related diseases. Nutrient related diseases often can be related to long term habits such as compulsive disorders, abnormal intake of particular nutrients or minerals such as Vitamin A which tends to result in a disease known as hypervitaminosis A or calcium which causes rickets. In addition, another habit that causes nutrient related disease is malnutrition. 10. Explain the effect of excessive consumption and deficient diets in terms of Carbohydrate, fat, protein, energy (Coulston, 2008). Carbohydrates- while eating moderate amounts of carbohydrates may be beneficial, excessive consumption may result in illnesses such as cancer and obesity. On the other hand, for the people who avoid carbohydrates out of fear of getting fat, it also holds some adverse effects. It may result in weight gain due to the hunger that comes with not eating carbohydrates, it may also cause chronic illnesses such as ketosis and hypoglycaemia. Fats- Eating too much fat can increase an individual’s risk to several health threats. It can increase the cholesterol level in the blood hence increasing chances of high blood pressure and it may also lead one to be overweight and obese. Obese people are susceptible to endometrial, colorectal, breast and prostate cancer. Eating too little fat can also hurt a person’s health such as poor vitamin absorption, increased risk to cancer, depression, high cholesterol and heart disease and overeating resulting in a person being obese. Proteins- People who do not have sufficient intake of protein often suffer from undernutrition and kwashiorkor. Over months on undernutrition, the body will slowly break down muscle fibres as a source of energy, which will result in serious health problems that ranges from dehydration to death. On the other hand, undue consumption can result in weight gain, intestinal irritation, seizures, dehydration, risk of heart disease, heart disease and increase in enzymes found in the liver. 11. Prevalence of the above conditions in UAE, Globally. Poor diets are causing problems, in not only the UAE, but it has deemed to be a global challenge. Over 11 million deaths recorded globally were as a result of poor diets. People do not pay serious attention to what they eat because they do not know how much of a crucial factor it actually. In addition, the malnutrition in most places is often as a result of people not wanting to observe what they eat because society dictates that the new healthy is eating too little to maintain your weight. 12. Suggest steps to be taken to prevent As an individual ,family , community, country Below are a spectrum of preventive measures that can be taken to prevent poor nutrition: a. Promoting community education to ensure that everyone in the community has an idea on the importance of good nutrition and pass on the message to other members of the community. b. Educators can also take the initiative of education their students on good nutrition to ensure that the idea is instilled at an early stage. c. The government can come up with policies and legislation to stipulate how commercial food, beverages and fruits need to be prepares to ensure that it is safe for human consumption. 13. Conclusion. As a consequence of differences in the manner in which we eat and live, some chronic illnesses are more frequently influencing both developed and developing states. Admittedly, diet-related chronic illnesses - such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disorder, cancer, dental infection, and osteoporosis - are the most prevalent cause of mortality in the society and brings with it a great responsibility for society (Coulston, 2008). References Bjorklund, R. (2005). Food borne illnesses. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. Coulston, A. M., & Boushey, C. (2008). Nutrition in the prevention and treatment of disease. Amsterdam: Academic Press. Gibney, M. J., Lanham-New, S. A., Vorster, H. H., & Cassidy, A. (2009). Introduction to Human Nutrition. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Shils, M. E. (2005). Modern nutrition in health and disease. Philadelphia, Pa. [u.a.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Read More