Aspects of Diet and Nutritional Principles : Report

Nutrition and Diet

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................4
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
a) Reviewing factors affecting food choices and current food trends.........................................4
b) Categorizing food according to type and nutritional content..................................................5
c) Nutritional requirements of groups in the given scenario........................................................6
d) Assessing key methods to measure nutritional status of chosen foods...................................7
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................7
a) Relationship between diet and health with an explanation of principles of healthy eating.....7
b) Appraising the effects of alcohol on human body and hospitality sector..............................10
c) Accessing the use of diet in the treatment of several medical conditions.............................12
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................13
a) Planning, developing and analyzing healthy palatable meals for given groups ...................13
b) Modifying existing meals and menus to implement healthy eating principles ....................14
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................15
a) Evaluating different methods of food production on nutritional value of food.....................15
b) Comparing different nutritional principles involved in the given scenario...........................16
c) Analyzing materials that provides nutritional information and promotes concepts of healthy
eating .........................................................................................................................................17
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................17
REFERENCE.................................................................................................................................18
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INTRODUCTION
In nutrition, diet can be explained as the sum of food consumed by humans or other
living organisms. In other words the word diet signifies the use of particular intake of nutrition
for achieving good health or for managing weight. Diet and nutrition go hand in hand and dietary
habits of individuals play very crucial role in improving their quality of life and fitness. The
present report features key aspects related to diet and nutritional principles. The report reviews
various factors that influence the food choices of individuals (Alliance, 2015. In addition to this
it also explores relationship between diet and health of individuals in the given scenario. Besides
this, it also analyses menus and develops healthy palatable meals for variety of customers and
situations. Apart from this, the study also evaluates the effects of various food production
methods used in the catering industry on the nutritional value of foods and promotes concepts of
healthy eating for the given industry.
TASK 1
a) Reviewing factors affecting food choices and current food trends
There are several factors that affect the food choices of individuals. These include
socioeconomic, cultural and psychological factors. In the given scenario, these determinants are
reviewed briefly so that the information can be made relevant for the catering manager.
 Socioeconomic factors: These factors significantly impact the eating behavior of
individuals. It has been studied in research that humans eat more while dining with
family or friends as compared to lone eating. In addition to this, the quantity of food also
increases with the fellow diners. It has been observed that low socioeconomic status is
directly linked to poor dietary habits (DeBruyne, Pinna and Whitney, 2015). Besides this,
food choices are greatly impacted by gender, age, environment , community networks
and lifestyle factors of individuals. It has been researched in population studies that low
income groups tend to consume unbalanced diets and low intakes of fruits and
vegetables. These groups are referred to be experiencing food poverty or insecurity. Cost,
knowledge and accessibility contribute to the main barriers to balanced healthy diet for
low income groups.
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 Cultural factors: These factors play important role in affecting the dietary choices of
individuals. It has been studied that values, traditions, customs and beliefs are the major
factors that influence food preferences, mode of preparation and nutritional status among
individuals. However, cultural habits tend to change as individuals move from one place
to another and adopt local food habits (Fontana and Partridge, 2015). For example:
Migration of South Asian females to European countries showed modification in their
dietary habits as they tend to consume fat rich food and thereby increasing their Body
Mass Index consequently leading to cardiovascular diseases. In addition to this, in some
cultures and religions there is more emphasis on vegetarian diet and strictly prohibited
the use of meat.
 Psychological factors: These factors are associated with mind and emotions. It has been
observed that Psychological stress modifies the behavior of individuals and affect their
physical health. Some people tend to overeat during stress while others consumes less
food (DeBruyne, Pinna and Whitney, 2015). . The effect of stress on person's food
choices is very complex to comprehend. However it can be explained that stress induced
changes are due to low motivational levels, availability of food, reduced appetite, meal
preparation and changes in eating opportunities. In addition to this, it also observed that
prolonged stressful situations may negatively impact the dietary choices that may lead to
development of various lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, obesity and
diabetes. Apart from stress, another factor that can significantly affect the food choices of
individuals is their mood (Alliance, 2015). Food is considered as a tool to change the
temperament and mood of humans. It has been observed that women are more commonly
report food cravings as compared to men. The severity of these cravings increases with
depression. For example: food cravings among girls and women are reported more often
before premenstrual phase.
b) Categorizing food according to type and nutritional content
In order to categorize food according to their type and nutritional content following table
can be referred:
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category of food and nutritional content
Food item Nutritional content
Protein
 Proteins are the building blocks of
human body.
 Help in growth, repair and maintenance
of tissues and cells
Example: Milk
60 grams per day
Carbohydrates
 Carbohydrates play important role in
supplying energy to body.
 Breakdown of carbohydrates releases
energy in body (Fontana and Partridge,
2015.
 Intake of excess of carbs than the
required amount may lead to weight
gain.
Example : bananas
One large banana gives 31 grams of
carbohydrates
Fats
 Provides energy to body
Example: butter
60-65 grams
Calcium
Example : Milk
1300 mg
Vitamin C
 It is very essential to keep diseases at
bay (Gaba, 2015)
Example : Orange
10 mg
Iron
 Helps to combat anemia
Example : Green Leafy Vegetables
15mg
c) Assessing key methods to measure nutritional status of chosen foods
The key methods to measure nutritional status food in the given scenario are discussed in
the following points:
Prospective methods : These are direct methods to measure current nutritional status. Weighed inventory : It is widely used method. The record of all food and beverages is
maintained. The method provide accurate data of portion sizes.
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 Household Measures: It is similar to weighed inventory but the portion sizes of food
items is recorded in household measures such as cup, spoonful, bowls) rather than
weighing them (Nunn, 2008). The advantage of this method is that it is simple to assess
nutritional status of food.
Retrospective methods : Diet history : in this method the diet history is utilized to assess general diet over last 24
hours. The trained nutritionists asks individuals about what they likely to consume for
every meal. Advantage of this method include large amount of data from an interview
and attention is paid to particular food groups .
d) Nutritional requirements of groups in the given scenario
 Children below the age of 11 years: Nutrition for children under 11 years is a matter of
great importance for promoting their physical as well as mental growth. Children grow
every year and they are very actives and therefore their nutritional requirements differ
with increasing age.
Nutrients Children Below 11 years
Calories 1200-2200 kcal
Fat : Example- butter, cheese 35 grams
Protein : Example- Peanuts, eggs, soyabeans 40 grams
Carbohydrates (Nutrition Guidance for Healthy
Children Ages 2 to 11 Years, 2016)
Example- whole grains, legumes, yogurt
150 grams
Calcium: Example: Milk, tofu, 1300 mg
Iron: Example- Green leafy vegetables, beans 15 mg
Fiber: Example: Bran, Broccoli, cabbage 26 grams
Sodium : Example- Salt, fish sauce 1500 mg
 Young women between the ages of 15-18 years: During adolescence, the physical
changes affect the nutritional needs of young girls between the ages of 15-18 years. The
lifestyle and eating habits significantly affect their health (Mortensen, 2016.). Deficiency
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