The Importance of Nutrition for Human Health

This assignment provides an in-depth analysis of the role of nutrition in maintaining human health. It examines the effects of fast food on immunity and discusses the benefits of a Low Carb-High Fat diet, particularly for individuals like Dena and Gus who require specific nutritional interventions. The document also touches upon the concept of food well-being and its connection to physical and mental wellbeing.

Unit 6: The Impact of Nutrition
on Health and Well-being

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Components of balanced diet along with their functions, sources and effects.......................1
Effects of an unbalanced diet including causes......................................................................3
Comparison of balance and unbalanced diets........................................................................4
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................4
Dietary needs..........................................................................................................................4
Factors influencing what they eat...........................................................................................5
Factors influencing choices they make...................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
Nutritional plan to meet dietary needs and choices................................................................7
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Health is very important for an individual in terms to carrying out daily life aspects and
bear a comfortable life as well. Nutritions are essential for a human body as they are responsible
to balance necessary nutrients. There are different types of nutrients that are gained by people
through eating various kinds of fruits, vegetables, pulses and many more (Diener and Chan,
2011). Because every eatable has its own value as per bearing different nutritional elements
which are important for well being. They provides necessary benefits to attain mandatory energy
to conduct regular routine work as well as reduce risk of diseases. This report will discussed
about balanced diet for a 14 years old and 65 years old man which will help them to stay healthy.
Several nutritional description about their impacts on human body is below.
TASK 1
Components of balanced diet along with their functions, sources and effects
There are various kinds of components which are involved in balance diet having their
different impacts on health of human body. Their effect are due to dissimilar age group, certain
allergies or nutrients contains by specific eatable item. People have to make sure that what is
healthy to eat and easily digestive along with fact of necessity minerals for body. The re are
several types of reactions are happened in human body of an individual which are collectively
called as metabolism (Langford and et. al., 2011). Different food groups have their own
importance to make a healthy person so that people required to eat every food item that help to
improve immune system more strong. Some of them with sources are described below:
Food groups Functions
Bread, rice, potatoes,
pasta
 Bread and rice are light to eat and easily digested to provide
energy. Pasta is oily food and not good for health but can prefer
sometimes.
Fruits and vegetables  It is essential to eat fruits and vegetables regularly through
which people gain carotenoids, fibre, iron Vitamin C and B2
which are necessary for body.
Milk, fish, eggs, beans  These eatables are helpful in providing calcium, protein, fats
and vitamin B2 which are essential to make bones, hairs and
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teeth strong.
Dairy foods  Dairy food includes milk, cheese, butter, curd and many more to
make fats and calcium that is important for bones, muscles etc.
Fats and sugars  It include butter, ghee, cooking oil sugar and jaggery which
renders energy, fats and essential fatty acids (Thompson Coon
and et. al., 2011).
Nutrients with their sources
Nutrients Functions Sources
Carbohydrates  It contains carbon, hydrogen
and oxygen and considered as
main source of energy in
body in terms each gram
bears 4Kcal.
 It may gained from plant food
like cereals, pulses, tapioca,
yam, colcassia potatoes, etc.
Protein  They have function of
building blocks, regulatory
aspects along with formation
of enzymes, hormones,
several secretions in human
body (Campos, Doxey,and
Hammond, 2011).
 Protein can gained from cereal
grains, pulses, nuts, legumes,
meat, fish, poultry eggs, milk
etc.
Fats  These are responsible for
taste of foods, decrease
gastric motility and remain in
stomach much longer to delay
hunger, they are carrier of
soluble vitamins such as A,
D, E and K.
 Sources are lard, butter, ghee,
cream and oils of ground nut,
gingery, mustard etc.
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Vitamins/Minerals with their functions
Vitamins/Minerals Functions
Vitamin A  It is necessary for eyes, mandatory for building cells,
synthesis of glycoproteins and maintain normal
reproductive organs in males.
B vitamin and folic acid  It is basically a complex including B1-Thiamine, B2-
Riboflavin, B6-Pyridoxine, B12-Cyanocobalamine,
Niacine, Folic acid, Pantothenic acid, Biotin, Choline. They
are compulsory for DNA and collectively various functions
in human body (Nilsson, Sangster and Konijnendijk, 2011).
Vitamin C  It is helpful in building collagen, an abundant protein, bone
matrices, dextrin and muscular epithelium.
Vitamin D  It is compulsory to building healthy bones and teeth.
Formation of active calcium binding protein in DNA.
Vitamin E  It works as an anti-oxidant, supportive to prevent
destruction of lipids through process of oxidation.
Vitamin K  This is necessary for synthesis of prothrombin and many
more clotting proteins by liver.
Calcium  It builds strong teeth along with bones, helps to avoid bone
loss and make muscles like that heart can perform its
functions properly.
Iron  It is helpful to provide oxygen for all parts of human body
and reduce tiredness.
Effects of an unbalanced diet including causes
There are various kind of issues which may cause due to having unbalance diet. People
are fond of eating junk food in current scenario and avoiding the factor of health consciousness
(Block and et. al., 2011). Fast food is more tasty but not easily digestible in stomach and they
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are not rich of essential nutrients. Fast food is responsible for low immunity of citizens in
present situation. It can prefer to have junk eatables sometimes, but it may turns into several
health issues while taking on regular basis.
Effects of an unbalanced diet
Dena (14 year old teenager) Gus (65 year old man)
 She is teenager and easily digest fast
food but due to pursuing sports training
it is harmful for her.
 She needs a healthy diet to gain more
energy to avoid feeling tiredness every
time (Brown and et. al., 2011).
 She is suffering from fist level of
diabetes. Hence, it is important for her
to take regular balance diet to avoid
instability in sugar level.
 He is an old man having slow and
weak digestive system and requires to
avoid fast food.
 He needs to take fruits or juices on
regular basis to stay healthy because
during any health issue then recovery is
very slow in old age.
 As he is suffering from osteoarthritis in
his right hip which is due to joint
injury, increasing age and over weight.
It is necessary to take only healthy food
in limited context to stay healthy.
Comparison of balance and unbalanced diets
There are various kind of impacts can be observed on human body id both balanced and
unbalanced diets which may cause some of critical health issues that may cures in long term.
In case of Dena:- As she is suffering from first level of diabetes then she must prefer
healthy diet which helps to make herself well-being life long and continue sports training
through balancing sugar level properly. But if she will used to eat unbalanced diet food then she
become unable to maintain her diabetic issue which makes her weak and hence, can't continue
her sports.
In case of Gus:- He is an old citizen then it is must to take a balanced diet which is
healthy for him and easily digestible because in this age, digestive system become quite weak. If
he prefer to have unbalanced diet then it is not possible for him to get rid off that health issues of
osteoarthritis in his right hip (Kickbusch and Gleicher, 2012).
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TASK 2
Dietary needs
There are various kind of dietary needs as per requirements of body of an individual
regarding its capability of immune system. Various kind of choices of person may includes in
this chart of diet which is mandatory to be followed by particular human being.
Dietary instructions for Dena:- It is important to follow diet schedule of diet because
she is teenager suffering from first stage of diabetes and pursuing sports training of tennis. She
needs to accept essential diet chart and follow it strictly to maintain sugar level for life long life
period along with continuing her successful career in sports. Some of suggestions are given
below:
 It is necessary to check blood glucose levels carefully before exercise.
 Taking important meal like carbohydrate based or snack at least before one hour of
exercise and must avoid it during that period while sugar level is low (Bercik and et. al.,
2011).
 She needs to eat something after very event to stop or prevent hypoglycaemia and to
refuel the glycogen stores.
 Energy drinks and juice boxes are important to take for regaining energy.
Dietary instructions for Gus:- He is an old man and in this age recovering power of
body become weak so that it is necessary to take healthy and light food. Already having problem
of osteoarthritis in hip is major issues and to reduce it he has to be careful about his meal. Some
of instructions are given below:
 It is necessary for him to take healthy food which can easily get digest and provides
essential nutrients to gain energy.
 As he is suffering from osteoarthritis in hip which is caused due to overweight.
 He has to be careful about to take meal through avoiding those food items that cause
joints pain.
 It is mandatory to prefer a healthy diet chart to maintain long term comfortable life that is
free from health issues.
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Factors influencing what they eat
There are various kinds of factors which impacts on choices of eating food items and that
varies single person accordingly. Several elements are there as per health issues and preferences
influencing from culture and marketing.
Factors impacts on Dena's dietary choices
 Advertisement and marketing:- As she is a teenager and people of this age group get
attracted very soon towards anything and hence, she also fond of eating junk food and
careless about her health. Fast food displaying of posters impacts highly on choices of
children and they prefer such eatable items.
 Taste:- Taste of people is different and teenager individuals are very fond of eating new
food products as per their choices and preferences regarding taste particular food item. It
is very obvious that people of teenage group make decision of taking meal as per their
suitable taste of eatable items.
 Health issue:- She has health issue of diabetes as suffering from its first stage so that she
have to avoid those food products which increase sugar level such as sweet items and oily
food etc. as perusing training of sport, she requires more energy but she can only take
limited types of meal.
Factors impacts on Gus's dietary choices
 Economic status:- Gus is an old man of 65 years old then it is mandatory for him to take
light and healthy food that renders necessary energy along with easily digestion. They
always try to eat such food items that are affordable by them according to budget of
income. Digestive system become weak in this age so that it is essential to prefer only
healthy balance diet.
 Health issue:- As he has a major health issues due to having osteoarthritis in hip then
required to follow strict diet of doctors. It is due to joints pain and overweight of a person
which is necessary to control on body structure. Recovery in old is extremely very slow
so that it is mandatory to take precautions against health issues (Fuller, 2012).
 Age:- At the age after 65, people are generally avoid to eat extra food or junk eatables
because they usually faced problems regarding this. To avoid various kind of health
issue, it is mandatory for people of this age group to take appropriate precautions against
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major diseases. They have to ignore fast food and prefer light eatables which are easy to
digest for gaining energy
Factors influencing choices they make
Various kind of choices are there according to individual needs and wants of food items
of different people of age group. It includes many factors which renders support to make
decision about to make kind of food products by themselves. It also depends upon willingness to
make food or ability of making recipes as per choices preferences of age.
Factors influencing choices of Dena Taste of food:- People of teenage have flexible choices as per their mood and
requirements according to taste of food products. They want tasty meal and avoid the fcat
of eating healthy food. Sometime, it is observed that a person prefer to make eatable
items by their own due to reason of eating more tasty food according to their choice. Trend of fats food:- Growing teenagers are fond of eating trendy eatable items because
they generally attend several gatherings with friends and accept choices of known ones.
 Health issues:- As she is suffering from diabetes of first level and hence required to
make more healthy food by avoiding sweet eatables and oily food as well.
Factors influencing choices of Gus Affordability:- He is retired person and staying alone without having anyone with him at
home. Then he tries to make food items as per his affordability regarding his budget of
income.
 Health issues:- Gus had problem of osteoarthritis in his hip which is major health issues
for him that cause due to over weight. He has to make proper diet food by kept in mind
about his crucial disease.
TASK 3
Nutritional plan to meet dietary needs and choices
Nutritional plan for Dena
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
Breakfast 1/2 cup oats cooked in
1/2 cup each 2% milk
and water
1 serving Everything
Bagel Avocado Toast
• 1/2 cup blueberries
1 serving Yogurt with
Blueberries & Honey
• 1 table spoon.
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• 1 medium plum,
chopped
• 4 walnut halves,
chopped
Top oats with plum
and walnuts.
(294 calories, 41 g
carbohydrates)
• 25 pistachios
(297 calories, 33 g
carbohydrates)
ground flaxseed
• 6 walnut halves,
chopped or whole
(289 calories, 27 g
carbohydrates)
lunch Turkey & Apple
Cheddar Melt
• 2 slices whole-wheat
bread
• 2 table spoon.
whole-grain mustard,
divided
• 1/2 medium apple,
sliced
• 2 oz. low-sodium
deli turkey
• 2 table spoon.
shredded Cheddar
cheese, divided
• 1 cup mixed greens
(319 calories, 37 g
carbohydrates)
1 3/4 cups Vegetable
Weight-Loss Soup
• 2 slices whole-wheat
baguette
(314 calories, 47 g
carbohydrates)
3 1/2 cups Mixed
Greens with Lentils &
Sliced Apple
(347 calories, 48 g
carbohydrates)
Snack 1/2 medium apple,
sliced
1 medium apple, sliced
• Cinnamon to taste
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• 1/2 table spoon.
honey
• Pinch of cinnamon
(58 calories, 16 g
carbohydrates)
(95 calories, 25 g
carbohydrates)
• 1 medium orange
(62 calories, 15 g
carbohydrates)
Dinner 2 1/2 cups Vegetable
Weight-Loss Soup
• 1 serving
Rosemary-Goat
Cheese Toast
(417 calories, 54 g
carbohydrates)
2 1/2 cups Lentil &
Roasted Vegetable
Salad with Green
Goddess Dressing
• 1 serving Frozen
Chocolate-Banana
Bites, to enjoy after
dinner
(420 calories, 48 g
carbohydrates)
1 1/3 cups Chicken
Sausage & Peppers
• 1/2 cup cooked
brown rice
• 1/2 table spoon.
extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 table spoon.
no-salt-added Italian
seasoning
• Salt to taste
(490 calories, 52 g
carbohydrates)
Nutritional plan for Gus
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
Breakfast Required to light food
like cherry coconut
porridge.
Raspberry smoothie Gingerbread oatmeal
lunch Gus has to take Thai
pumpkin soup.
Mediterranean tuna
salad
Kale Caesar salad with
grilled chicken wrap
Snack He can take juice. A small cup of tea. Salad will be great for
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him.
Dinner Curried potatoes with
poached eggs.
Slow cooker turkey
chilli.
Baked tilapia with
pecan rosemary
topping.
Report:- Dena have to follow strict diet chart to avoid health issue and to continue sports
career. She has to follow her diet strictly to control diabetic stage along become energetic for
sports training. Gus have to follow this to have healthy life by reducing his health issues. He an
old man and at this stage of life recovery of body is very slow then he is required to take care of
himself and eat only healthy food. Dena is required water soluble vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B6,
B12, C, Biotin, and Folate that are not remain in body or long time. Fat soluble are also required
vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, which is yet another reason why we highly recommend a
Low Carb-High Fat (LCHF) diet for diabetics. Gus required to take vitamin D on daily basis as it
is necessary for joints to remain healthy.
CONCLUSION
Nutritions are essential for a human body as they are responsible to balance necessary
nutrients. There are various kinds of components which are involved in balance diet having their
different impacts on health of human body. Fast food is responsible for low immunity of citizens
in present situation. different kind of choices of person may includes in this chart of diet which
is mandatory to be followed by particular human being. Dena and Gus have to follow their diet
chart strictly so that they can maintain their health stability through getting rid off certain
diseases from which they suffered.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Diener, E. and Chan, M. Y., 2011. Happy people live longer: Subjective well‐being contributes
to health and longevity. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being. 3(1). pp.1-43.
Langford, R. and et. al., 2011. The WHO Health Promoting School framework for improving
the health and well-being of students and staff. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 1.
Thompson Coon, J. and et. al., 2011. Does participating in physical activity in outdoor natural
environments have a greater effect on physical and mental wellbeing than physical
activity indoors? A systematic review. Environmental science & technology. 45(5).
pp.1761-1772.
Campos, S., Doxey, J. and Hammond, D., 2011. Nutrition labels on pre-packaged foods: a
systematic review. Public health nutrition. 14(8). pp.1496-1506.
Nilsson, K., Sangster, M. and Konijnendijk, C.C., 2011. Forests, trees and human health and
well-being: Introduction. In Forests, trees and human health. (pp. 1-19). Springer,
Dordrecht.
Block, L. G. and et. al., 2011. From nutrients to nurturance: A conceptual introduction to food
well-being. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. 30(1). pp.5-13.
Brown, H. E. and et. al., 2011. Does physical activity impact on presenteeism and other
indicators of workplace well-being?. Sports Medicine. 41(3). pp.249-262.
Kickbusch, I. and Gleicher, D., 2012. Governance for health in the 21st century. Copenhagen:
WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Bercik, P. and et.al., 2011. The anxiolytic effect of Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 involves
vagal pathways for gut–brain communication. Neurogastroenterology & Motility.
23(12). pp.1132-1139.
Fuller, R. ed., 2012. Probiotics: the scientific basis. Springer Science & Business Media.
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