Relation of food and nutrition to health
1. Nutrition and Health:
– Nutrition is required for physiological, mental, and intellectual development.
-Low protein and energy cause malnutrition and cause disorders of health.
- Nutrition and Immunity:
– Malnutrition decreases immunocompetence and makes the body vulnerable to attack of d/s. – – – Low nutrition leads to weakness of lymphoid tissue including T-cells (needs carotenoids, Zn, Cu, Vit. B6), phagocytosis impaired in under nutrition (vit. C and Zn).
- Nutrition and aging:
– Deficiency of natural antioxidants i.e. Vit. C, E, and A cause damage to cells.
– Bioactive phytochemical of food helps scavenge free radicals and protect cells from damage.
- Nutrition and mental function:
– Nutrition are precursor of neurotransmitters.
– eg: tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin i.e. related to sleep, food intake, and mood required in old age).
- Nutrition and CHD:
– BMI (wt in kg/ height in meter square) more than 25 means overweight and more than 30 means undesirable. Ideal weight maintenance by proper nutrition, and exercise. CF and omega-3 – 3 FA reduce serum cholesterol.
– All SFA are hypercholesterolaemic.
- Nutrition and cancer:
– tobacco- cancer of the mouth,
– high fat – development of rectal and breast cancer,
– high animal protein, red meat- prostrate, uterine, ovarian cancers,
– CF intake – inhibit colon cancer,
– beta-carotene, vit. A, vit. C, riboflavin-protects cancer of Athe limentary and resp. tracts
– Grilling, smoking of food- carcinogenic
– Food with fungi (aflatoxin)- cause liver and kidney cancer.
