Nutrition

Why do we eat?Good nutrition will: provide better health ensure a stronger immune system mean that you become ill less often help you learn more effectively makes you stronger makes you more productive What's in a balanced diet?A balanced diet must provide for both growth and repair and sufficient energy. Yhere are seven components in a balanced diet: carbohydrates - these are our main source of energy proteins - these are essential for growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues fats - these are essential as a source of energy and are also important in cell membranes, waterproofing, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and many other roles vitamins - these play many important roles in the chemical processes tkaing place inside cells. Some are water-soluble and some are fat-soluble minerals - these are the inorganic elements occurring in the body that are essential to its normal functions water - this is essential to body function. It is used in transporting substances around the body and as a main component of the body. About 60% of the human body is water. Fibre or roughage - this is the indigestible part of our food. It is essential for healthy functioning of the digestive system How much of each component do we need?In general energy intakes should come from: 57% carbohydrate 30% fats 13% protein Obesity is not just a problem of excess fat. The location where the fat is deposited also has an effect. People with extra fat around the middle are more at risk than people with excess fat around their thighs and hips.In the early 1980s, 6% of men and 8% of women in the UK were obese. Twenty years later, the figures show that 25% of men and 20% of women are obese. Of even more concern is that the number of obese children is also increasing. In the USA between 1995 and 2004, obesity in girls aged 11-15 rose from 15% to 26% and in boys from 14 to 24%.

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