A HEALTHY BALANCED DIET

 Balanced Diet

A diet that contains all of the nutrients like carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals in proper proportion according to the requirement of the body is balanced.

A balanced diet related to age, sex, and activity

Different factors affect the nutritional requirement during the periods of body growth and development. Energy requirements change through life and depend on many factors, such as Age, Sex Level of activity. The key stages in life include.

Childhood

The energy requirements of children increase rapidly because they grow quickly and become more active. Young children do not have large stomachs to cope with big meals. Therefore, to achieve a relatively high energy intake for their age, foods should be eaten as part of small and frequent meals.

Adolescence

It is a period of rapid growth and development and is when puberty occurs. The demand for energy and most nutrients is relatively high. Boys need more protein and energy than girls for growth. Children should be encouraged to remain at a healthy weight concerning their height.

Adulthood

A good supply of protein, calcium, iron, vitamins, and D, as part of a healthy, balanced diet, is important. Calcium is needed for healthy tooth development, and together with vitamin D, can help develop strong bones.

Sex and Level of Activity

Men are more active than women so they need more energy than women of the same age group. Muscular tissues are more In men, their body size is large, and therefore, boys of growing age need more body-building nutrients (Proteins, Calcium)as compared to girls of the same age.

Problems Related to Nutrition (Malnutrition)

Problems related to nutrition are grouped as malnutrition. Malnutrition is a condition that occurs when a body does not get enough nutrients. Malnutrition results from a poor diet or a lack of food. It happens when the intake of nutrients or energy is too high, too low, or poorly balanced. Consuming less than 2011 calories a day, one is considered to be undernourished and suffering from hunger. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition is the gravest single threat to global public health. Globally, it contributes to 45 percent of deaths of children aged less than 5 years.

Types of Malnutrition

There are two types of malnutrition.

(1) Chronic Malnutrition

Characterized by delayed growth in the children.

(2) Acute Malnutrition

Characterized by insufficient weight about the child's height (emaciation). Acute malnutrition can be moderate or severe according to the child's weight. Undernourishment and malnutrition have serious consequences for the health of younger children. Worldwide, three nutrient deficiencies are of particular concern:

*Vitamin A deficiency is the world's most common cause of preventable childhood blindness and vision impairment.

*Iron deficiency is associated with decreased cognitive abilities and resistance to disease.

*Iodine deficiency is the major preventable cause of mental retardation worldwide.

Effects of malnutrition

Malnutrition hurts people both mentally and physically. The more malnourished a person is; the more nutrition the person is missing, the more likely person will experience health issues, Some of them are given below:

Starvation:

it is a severe deficiency in caloric energy intake, It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death.

Heart disease:

The term"Heart disease" is often used interchangeably with the term "cardiovascular disease". Cardiovascular disease