Nutrition and Diseases

 

Eating a proper and nutritious diet along with regular exercise is the key to preventing chronic diseases.  The World Health Organization (2014) reports that nutrition affects several health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, osteoporosis, and dental disease (para.1).  Hypertension (high blood pressure) is also affected by our diets and contributes to cardiovascular disease.  The following list shows how our diets contribute to a few of these chronic diseases as noted in World Health Organization (2014):

• Cardiovascular disease:  Eating diets high in saturated and trans fat contribute to heart disease and stroke.  
• Foods high in saturated and trans fat such as butter, ice cream, chocolate candies, pastries, whole milk, and non-lean meats elevate LDL (low density lipoprotein) levels (para 5). 
• Hypertension:  High salt diets causes hypertension which contributes to cardiovascular disease.  
• High sodium foods such as salted nuts, popcorn, chips, pizza, pickles, breads, candies, processed foods, and fast foods cause high blood pressure which contributes to heart disease and stroke (para. 5).
• Cancer:  Poor diets which contribute to weight gain cause certain forms of cancer.  Weight gain attributes to cancer of the esophagus, colorectum, breast, endometrium, and kidney.  Other cancers also affected from diet are oral cavity and stomach cancer.  
• Eating foods high in saturated and trans fat contribute to weigh gain and increase the risk of contracting these cancers.  High alcohol intake has also been shown to increase the probability of getting certain cancers (para. 6).

Another health consequence that people do not realize is attributed from a poor diet is malnutrition. Malnutrition can affect a persons health and lifespan.  Malnutrition according to Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (Sizer & Whitney, 2013) can be caused by lack of appetite, illness, eating disorder, or desire for weight loss.  Malnourished people may have weakened immunity which makes them prone to illness that in turn may cause death.  Those at high risk are children, the elderly or hospitalized people (p. 423).

 References:

Word Health Organization. (2014). Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases.  Retrieved from http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/trs916/summary/en/

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies (13 ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.