Nutrition and Illness - Research Paper Example

? Nutrition and Illness Nutrition and Illness Introduction With the modern economic growth, urbanization and industrialization, changes in human lifestyles and diet has occurred. As a result, nutritional implication on the health of the population has been the consequence of these changes. The nutritional impact is significant within the countries in transition and the developing economies. Health challenges which result from poor nutrition is due to the increased availability and expansion of food in addition to the improving standards of living. The changes in dietary patterns in the population, increase in the use of tobacco and reduced engagement in physical activities have contributed to chronic illnesses, which are related to poor dietary habits. This paper gives a critical analysis on the nutrition practices of the world populations in relation to their contribution to the prevalence of chronic illnesses in addition to the implications on the nursing practice. Statement of purpose The chronic illnesses, which result from poor dietary habits, include obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and some types of cancer, stroke, and hypertension. These illnesses are caused by the changes in dietary life styles in the population and thus leading to disability. Death would also result from these conditions when they become worse. These illnesses affect negatively on the economy because of the high health budget due the loss of human resources (Daniel et al, 2011). Scientific evidence demonstrates that nutrition plays a major role in occurrence of chronic illnesses (Sticher, Smith & Davidson, 2010). Moreover, the alteration of a persons’ diet and changes in the physical activity plays a significant role in determining whether the individual will develop the illness later in life. However, it is notable that even though research on the relationship between diet and illnesses shows a contribution to chronic illnesses, policies and practices have not been changed to ensure a healthy society. In the developing economies, the food policies are focused on preventing under nutrition but the focus on the chronic illnesses, which are caused by poor health, is neglected. Review of the Literature The energy balance equation determines the weight of an individual. The rate at which the body spends energy determines the health of that person (Burns, Gross & Zanin, 2010). When there is more consumption of calories and fats the chances of one becoming obese increases. The possibility of being obese is facilitated by food consumption, which is not proportionate to the energy breakdown. This is what leads to energy imbalance in the body, which is the basis for chronic obesity. The lifestyles of people have been changed by civilization and urbanization. There is reduced physical activity in urban areas as compared to the rural communities in the developing nations. The energy expenditure by the body is reduced drastically in a sedentary lifestyle. The work environment in urban centers for example makes an individual confined to the work desk. Moreover, competition among businesses has led to long working hours, which does not allow people, time to engage in physical exercise. The prevalence of obesity is greater in developed countries as compared to the developing economies. In addition, urban centers have more obese people in comparison to the rural environments. This is a result to the differences in lifestyles. In developing countries and rural communities, the lifestyles of individuals promote physical activities, which encourage consumption of energy by the body. There has been a global epidemic of obesity and overweight because of the modern lifestyles which advance storage of fat in the body. Reduced physical activity is demonstrated by the fact that people drive to work. This promotes conversion of nutrients into fat for storage. Reduced physical activities eventually lead to accumulation of fat in the body that causes obesity and overweight (Burns, Gross & Zanin, 2010). The imbalance of the body composition in terms of the ratio muscle, fat and bone tissue leads to the chronic overweight problem, which is experienced by the population. Less muscle and more fat in the body show that an individual is overweight. Good eating habits such as the regulation of the amount of fat taken helps to prevent obesity. Healthy dietary habits prevent the prevalence of obesity because the proportion of food intake is balanced with the energy consumption by the body. The metabolic pathways of the body play an important role in the regulation of the body composition. Because nutrition and physical activity share the same metabolic pathway, it is true to say that these factors contribute to the prevalence of chronic illnesses, which are related to eating habits of people (Daniel et al, 2011, p. 12). Physical activity and nutrition interact in a manner, which has implications on the health of people. The risk of pathogenesis is increased significantly by poor dietary habits and lack of exercise. For example, overconsumption of food rich in fat and lack of sufficient physical activity such as exercise leads to overweight. Cardiovascular fitness is directly related to the dietary habits of the individual. Poor eating habits lead to the development of heart disorders such as hypertension. Overconsumption of energy rich of fatty food results into gradual accumulation cholesterol within the major arteries of the body, which leads to heart disease and eventual death. This demonstrates how important dietary regulation is in the promotion of the health of an individual. A well balanced diet with proper physical activity of individuals who live active lives reduces the chances of developing a heart disease by many folds. Both the quality and quantity of fats consume by the population are important determinants of health (Sticher, Smith & Davidson, 2010). The national fat diets vary across the regions of the world. The total fat consumption of the population includes the amount of fats contained in foodstuffs and the added oils and fats. Europe and North America have the largest amount of fat consumption with Africa recording the least fat use by the population. However, the fat intake has increased significantly in the world except parts of Africa were the levels of fat consumption are stagnant (Kennedy, 2011, p. 39). Moreover, the supply of animal fat has greatly increased especially in the industrialized and developed economies. The increase in the prevalence of heart diseases in the past few decades illustrates the connection between nutrition and chronic illnesses among adults. The demand for animal protein has increased globally. This is illustrated by the growth in the livestock sector. This growth is a result of the demand for animal protein by the population, which is facilitated by the increase in population, growth of urban centers and improved living standards due to growth in annual income (Burns, Gross & Zanin, 2010, p. 194). Improved income is a factor, which leads to the increase in the consumption of animal products such as milk, meat and eggs. Urbanization is the force behind the increased demand for animal products as compared to the rural communities whose diet is less diverse and less consumption of animal products. The excessive use of animal fat leads to the prevalence of chronic illnesses among adults such as cardiovascular disorders. These illnesses are more prevalent in the urban areas, which demonstrate how dietary behavior contributes to the predisposition to chronic illnesses in adults. Food consumption surveys find a reduced consumption of vegetables and fruits in many areas within the developing economies (Daniel et al, 2011). Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, which promote the immune system of an individual. It is therefore true to say that a poor dietary habit, which excludes fruits and vegetables from the menu, contributes to the prevalence of chronic illnesses in adults. In India, the level of consumption of fruits by the population in the rural areas is lower compared to the urban habitants. The people who live in urban centers have better incomes, which give them the opportunity of access and consumption of a wider variety of food, which includes fruits. On the other hand, China, which is one of the developed economies, has recorded increased consumption of fruits and vegetables as compared to the developing economies. The chronic illnesses such as diabetes, which are common in the developing world such as Africa, are attributed to poor dietary programs, which alienate fruits from the diet. The risk of chronic illnesses occurs at all ages but adults are more predisposed to chronic cardiovascular diseases. In the development of chronic illnesses, both over-nutrition and under-nutrition have a negative implication of human health Kennedy, S. (2011). . Preventable approaches should therefore be used to overcome the increasing prevalence of the chronic illnesses. Prevention is made possible through proper dietary practices. Global public health has targeted chronic diseases most of which result from poor dietary practices. The risk factors, which lead to the development of chronic diseases in adults, can be reduced by proper nutrition and lifestyles (Burns, Gross & Zanin, 2010). Good eating habits contribute reducing the risk factors, which predispose individuals to conditions such as cardiovascular disorders. Public health policies therefore advocate for prevention of disease through a good diet to avoid the costs associated to treatment including the human suffering and the economic loss to the country, which result from disabling diseases. There is a strong connection between diabetes and adult risk factors such as cholesterol, physical inactivity, and obesity. These factors are also related to the development of cardiovascular disorders in adult life including alcohol consumption and the use of tobacco (Kennedy, 2011, p. 41). Poor eating habits lead to increased blood pressure, which is eventually, leads to heart failure. Increased risk of developing a stroke is also associated with increased cholesterol level in blood. Cholesterol increases in the body due to excessive consumption of animal fat and reduced physical activity. Excessive salt in food is also a factor, which predisposes individuals to cardiovascular disease such as hypertension. Supportive evidence on the relationship between nutrition and chronic illness also emerges fro the developing countries. Low income and social status is a predisposing factor to the development of heart disease and diabetes. Moreover, low level of iron and folate in the diet has contributed to the development of chronic illnesses in adults. The manifestation of most chronic illnesses is in the older stages of human life. Old people may not engage actively in physical activities and sports and therefore focus is on proper nutrition. The diet of old people should contain as less sugar as possible because it predisposes them to chronic illnesses (Daniel et al, 201). Furthermore, old people live inactive lifestyles as compared to young people hence a proper diet is recommended as a way of reducing the chances of occurrence of chronic illnesses. Through a good diet in the elderly, disability is prevented and life extended. The life expectance is higher in the developed economies as compared to the developing and transitional economies. This is because the social economic abilities of elderly members of society within the developed world enable them to access proper nutritional programs in addition to proper health care Kennedy, S. (2011). . There is an increasing demographic shift of the chronic illnesses from developed nations to the developing economies. This is as a result of reduced predisposition of people in the developed nations from chronic illnesses. Through the ability to pay for nutritionists and the resultant nutritional program and the support treatment, the lifespan of people in the developed economies is increasing. The food polices of various countries vary. Additionally the regulation of food in terms of nutritional content is determined by the government regulation. Food organizations created in various societies act to regulate food in terms of nutrient to ensure suitability to human consumption. This is part of public health program, which aims at preventing, or reducing the prevalence of diet related chronic illnesses in the society (Kennedy, 2011). Nutrients play the role of determining the genetic expression and thus disposition of individuals to various chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. The interaction between the human genes and nutrition determines the susceptibility of an individual to some illnesses. Some forms of cancer for example have a genetic predisposition. As a result, poor diet will aggravate the possibility of developing some illnesses. This is demonstrated by the fact that proper diet and physical exercise reduces the susceptibility of an individual to cardiovascular disease even in cases where there is a genetic link to the development of such diseases. The nutrient intake of populations varies even though there is a range of the amount of various nutrients, which are suitable for people. Good health is consistent with intake of fat of at least 20% (Daniel et al, 2011). This means that a proper diet should moderate the amount of nutrients as a way of preventing of underutilization or excess intake of nutrients. However human diet should be rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grain, legumes and cereals and adequate amount of fat. It is important to note that the amount of nutrients vary depending on the lifestyle of an individual. Active people may consume larger amount of fat and sugar without health consequences as compared to people who live inactive lifestyles. Moreover, the genetic factor may predispose an individual to accumulation of body fat and therefore a proper diet should consider all factors, which have implications to the health of a person. Implications for practice The awareness of the medical practitioners on the increasing urbanization and industrialization and its effect on the behavior and dietary habits enables them to focus more on the prevention and treatment of illnesses associate with nutrition. Professional nurses therefore engage in teaching adults on the proper health practices such as nutrition and physical exercise as a way of preventing the prevalence of chronic illnesses. In addition, the increased rate of development of cardiovascular diseases has led to the medical implications such as more responsibilities for medical nurses on the care of such patients (Holmes, 2011). Professional nurses closely collaborate with physicians in the care of patients with chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disorders. Such diseases, which normally arise from poor dietary practices, may become serious and therefore demand intensive care especially for the high-risk chronically sick patients (Burns, Gross & Zanin, 2010). In the management of such diseases, communication of the nurse with both the patient and other medical professionals is very important. Through proper communication, the medical condition and vital signs of the patient are closely monitored as a way of ensuring quality of care. Dietary habits, which lead to chronic illnesses, have led to the need of outpatient care by patients with various illnesses such as diabetes and cancer. This has an implication to the nurse practice because the care of patient likely to be more home-based as compare to the traditional health care in the confines of the hospital (Holmes, 2011, p. 39). In addition, legal issues are likely to result from the increased prevalence of chronic illnesses. For example, patients in intense pain may request a professional nurse to end their life. As a result, nurses must exercise ethical practice of medical care so that the legal framework within the nursing practice is not violated. The dietary habits and the modern lifestyles have led to chronic conditions such as obesity which requires professional nurses to play an informative role to the patients (Sticher, Smith & Davidson, 2010). Proper eating habits through a strict and controlled diet are taught to patients in addition to the need for sufficient physical exercise. Moreover, professional nurses are more involved in dietary programs as a way of helping patients lose weight or recover from heat conditions. The need for research as an approach of finding ways of reducing the prevalence of chronic illnesses has led to the participation of professional nurses in such research programs. This is a way of contributing to the global need for prevention of preventable chronic illnesses within the human society. Conclusion Nutrition plays a major role in the wellbeing of an individual. Poor dietary habits lead to the occurrence of various diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, obesity, and hypertension. The increased prevalence of nutrition related chronic diseases is due to the changes in lifestyle in the modern society. With the emergence of industrialization and urbanization, the urban lifestyles are more sedentary and the demand of the increased population for various foodstuffs such as animal fat is increasing. The developed economies experiences a higher rate of chronic diseases but their prevalence is now shifting to the transition and developing societies. The life expectance in the developing countries is higher which demonstrates a relationship between the social economic status and nutrition. Nutrition and illness has a direct relationship and poor dietary is the cause of many illnesses in the contemporary society. Professional nurses are therefore responsible for providing specific care to chronically ill patients and teaching them on the proper dietary habits and lifestyle. References Burns, K., Gross, B., & Zanin, M. (2010). Cardiovascular Risk Study: A Comparison between Northeast Ohio Cardiovascular Nurses and the Nation. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 27(4), 187-196. Daniel, C., et al. (2011). A cross-sectional investigation of regional patterns of diet and cardio-metabolic risk in India. Nutrition Journal, 10(1), 12-24 Holmes, S. (2011). Importance of nutrition in palliative care of patients with chronic disease. Primary Health Care, 21(6), 31-39. Kennedy, S. (2011). The role of diet in lowering blood pressure. Nursing Standard, 25(48), 39-47. Sticher, M. A., Smith, C. B., & Davidson, S. (2010). Reducing heart disease through the vegetarian diet using primary prevention. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 22(3), 134-139. Read More