Understanding How Our Diet Affects Our Overall Growth and Development - Assignment Example

Understanding How Our Diet Affects Our Overall Growth and Development I. Introduction The kind of food that we eat affects our overall growth and development. We may not be aware of it but some of the foods that we eat everyday are harmful to our body and these unhealthy foods can eventually make us sick. We may not like the sound of it but some food heals and some food kills. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture, healthy eating is essential to promote healthy growth and development. The nutritious foods help maintain healthy skin, bones, internal organs and other parts of the body. When we eat right, healthy foods, we maintain high energy levels so we perform better at work and at play. Healthy eating also help war off certain types of diseases and lower the risk of eating disorders, malnutrition, dental carries, constipation and iron deficiency anemia (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2005). However, since all of us have unique nutritional needs and we consume varying amounts of energy daily, we may have different nutrition requirements. As it is, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture (2005) the there is no such thing as a diet that fits all so we need to strive hard to plan our meals and make sure that we eat enough foods from the right food groups. Where healthy diet benefits the body, an unhealthy diet and lifestyle can lead to a host of disease that when left untreated, could prove to be fatal. This essay aims to present a clear picture of how poor diet can harm the body and prevent us from reaching out full potentials. The essay will discuss on how we could eat right to prevent certain types of diseases and stay healthy. II. Effects of Poor Diet Eating the wrong kind of food can have some serious consequences to our health. A lot of us find it hard to picture how delicious fast foods, French fries and yummy ice cream can do to our bodies. To get a better perspective, imagine what would happen to your car if you put water on its fuel tank instead of gasoline or diesel. When you put water into the fuel tank of your car, your car will not run. The worst part is that when the water from the fuel tank of your car gets pumped into the system of the car, the internal parts of the car may rust. When this happens, you have to spend a lot of to overhaul the car and out it back into shape. The same thing happens to our body when we eat the wrong types of food. We may not feel the ill effects of unhealthy eating right away but sooner or later, our bodies will show the effects of our poor diet. How? According to the CDC (2008), unhealthy eating can lead to atherosclerosis which is the most common cause of heart disease. Atherosclerosis is often associated with high blood cholesterol level which is often caused by poor eating habits. People who consume large amounts of trans fats often have high cholesterol level and are at risk of stroke and heart problems (CDC, 2008). Poor diet not only causes atherosclerosis and high blood cholesterol level, it can also trigger osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone which is caused by inadequate calcium intake. A lot of people, especially those in their advance years, often blame their age for their brittle bones but in really, not only old people suffer from loss of bone mass. According to the CDC (2008), since the human bone stop growing as we reach the age of 35-40, we need to eat right to slowdown the aging process of our bones. By eating foods that are rich in calcium, we can keep out bones strong and healthy. Unhealthy eating can lead to a lot of health problems as we grow older so it is very import to start eating right at an early age. Studies show that unhealthy eating can lead to obesity. According to CDC (2008), the prevalence of obesity among children between the ages of 6 and 11 has more than doubled in the last 20 years and the rate of obese adolescents (aged 12-19) has more tripled in the same span of time. Since most obese kids often become obese adults, we end up with a predominantly obese population. According to the CDC (2008), less than 40% of kids in the United States eat well and meet the U.S. dietary guidelines for saturated fats while only 39% of kids ages 2-17 meet the dietary recommendation for fibers (CDC, 2008). III. Eating Right According to the food guide pyramid issued by the USDA (2005), to stay healthy, we need to get the right amount of nutrients from the six food groups namely, the (a) carbohydrates group, (b) vegetable group, (c) fruit group, (d) oil group, (e) dairy group and (f) protein group. a. Eat Carbohydrates In Moderation The carbohydrates group provides the best sources of energy for the body. Carbohydrates are easily converted into glucose and transported through the blood to produce energy. Good sources of carbohydrates include pasta, beans, breads, potatoes, rice, cereals and bran. Although carbohydrates are good sources of energy for the body, we should not consume too much of it. According to the CDC (2008), eating too much carbohydrate can lead to obesity and when you become obese, you are bound to experience a lot of health problems. To stay healthy, the USDA (2005) recommends that we should get around 55-75% of our total daily energy needs from carbohydrates and out of this portion, only 10% should directly come from sugar or simple carbohydrates. b. Vegetables and Fruits Groups Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables has many health benefits. These types of foods contain plenty of high soluble fibers and are very low in fats and calories. According to the USDA (2005), fresh fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals that are good for the body. For instance, green vegetables typically contain plenty of vitamin A while dark green and dark orange vegetables are loaded with vitamin C. Vegetables like broccoli are good sources of iron and calcium. To stay healthy, the USDA (2005) recommends that we eat 3 to 5 servings of fresh, canned, frozen or juiced fruits and vegetables daily. c. The Oil Group Oils are fats that come from different sources including plants and fishes. Most types of oils contain large amounts of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Oils that come from plants do not contain cholesterol but a few plaint based oils including palm kernel oil and coconut oil has high saturated fats that can be harmful to the body (USDA, 2005). Saturated fats or trans fats promote build up of flakes around the arteries so it very important that we limit out intake of this type of fats to just about 2% of our daily calorie needs (USDA, 2005). Trans fats are often found in butter, pork fat, beef fat, chicken fat, shortening and stick margarine (USDA, 2005). To stay healthy, we should avoid eating foods that have trans fats and stick to healthier oils which do not contain cholesterol such as canola oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil and soybean oil (USDA, 2005). d. Dairy and Protein Groups The dairy and protein groups are essential for growth and development. Dairy products help strengthen our bones while protein rich foods are essential for muscle development (USDA, 2005). To keep our bones strong, we need to drink at least two glasses of milk daily (USDA, 2005). Adults should opt for fat-free or low fat milk, cheese and yogurt instead of full cream milk. For people who are lactose intolerant, the USDA (2005) recommend calcium fortified foods and beverages including milk from soya and fruit juices that are fortified with calcium. When it comes to protein, meat, poultry and fishes are some of the best sources of protein. Protein can also be found in some nuts, fruits and vegetables. IV. Conclusion The kind of food that we eat defines us in terms of health, physical and mental growth and development. Certain types of food are helpful to the body while others are harmful. Eating the right amount of food from the right food group is very important. Note that eating too much even from the right food groups is bad for our health. The human body is very unique and it is designed to take in just enough food to convert into energy. If we eat too much, our body will not be able to process all the food that we eat, thus, we end up being obese and sickly. By eating well, we can prevent certain types of diseases and stay healthy.   Works Cited Center for Disease Control (CDC) (2008) Nutrition and Health of Young People http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/nutrition/facts.htm United States Department of Agriculture (2005) Dietary Guidelines for Americans http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2005/2005DGPolicyDocument.pdf Read More