Health And Nutrition Essay Research Paper Health

Health And Nutrition Essay, Research Paper

Health and Fitness

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Table of Contents

Health

A Balanced Diet

Dietary advice for all types of athletes is the same as for the general public. That is, eat a well-balanced diet from a wide variety of foods in sufficient amounts to meet energy needs. Experts agree the key to healthy eating is the time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation. In short, that means eating a wide variety of foods without getting too many calories or too much of any one nutrient.

Because people need more than 40 different nutrients daily for good health, it is important to eat a variety of foods. No single food supplies them all. Diets that include a wide variety of foods not only reap the nutritional benefits, but may also help prevent disease and consequently live longer. Recent studies have found that people who ate wide varieties of foods had a lower risk of premature death than those who ate the same food year after year.

Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Nutrition experts like the American Dietetic Association recommend that we eat a diet low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are foods such as pasta, rice, potatoes, and breads. Generally, nutritionists suggest that we consume no more than 30 percent to 35 percent of our calories as fat, at least 55 percent as carbohydrates, and the remainder as protein.

The Food Guide Pyramid shown below is a practical tool to help you make food choices that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Using the Pyramid enables you to eat a variety of foods daily so that you can get the nutrients you need. The basis of a healthful diet as shown in the Pyramid is foods from the grain products group, along with vegetables and fruits. Limit fats and sugars added in food preparation and at the table.

Controlling Fat in Your Diet

All fats are a combination of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Each of these types of fats has different effects on the body, but all contain nine calories per gram. Fat is an essential nutrient that everyone needs to stay healthy. It is a valuable energy source and carries fat-soluble vitamins needed for proper growth and development. It also contributes important taste and textural qualities that are part of enjoying food. Too much fat, however, can increase the risk of heart disease, obesity and other health problems. Studies have shown that diets that are too high in certain saturated fatty acids and dietary cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol.

Health authorities recommend Americans consume 30 percent or less of their total daily calories from fat, with 10 percent or less of those calories from saturated fat. The 30 percent fat consumption refers to your total fat intake over time, not single foods or meals. Refer to the table below as a guide to the amount of fat in grams to include in your daily diet.

Calories Total Fat Total Saturated Fat

1,600 53 or less 18 or less

2,000 65 or less 20 or less

2,200 73 or less 24 or less

2,500 80 or less 25 or less

Remember that it’s the total fat intake over time that’s important. A food high in fat can be part of a healthy diet as long as it’s balanced with other lower-fat food choices. Use the Nutrition labels on food products as a further guide to select foods appropriately.

Attaining a Healthy Weight

Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. The best way to control body fat is by proper nutrition and regular exercise. Start by calculating how many calories your body needs based on your current weight and activity level. The weight that’s right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity.

Body composition consists of lean body mass (LBM) and fat. Lean body mass, also called frame size, is made up of muscles, bone, vital tissue and organs. A person’s ideal body weight is determined by their frame size. A person with large bones and muscles would have a heavier ideal weight then a person of the same height with small bones and muscles. An optimal ratio of fat to lean mass is an indication of fitness. Ideally, a man should be approximately 15% fat and a woman 22%. The ideal weight for a person changes as their lean body mass changes. The right types of exercises will help you decrease body fat and increase or maintain muscle mass.

Improving Your Eating Habits

To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what’s wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then analyze your diet to see where you are eating foods that are high in fat and calories. Compare what you usually eat to the recommended number of servings and make modifications to your diet that are consistent with healthy eating.

If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, don’t eliminate them. Instead, moderate how much o

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