BALANCED DIET
>>A diet which contains all types of food nutrients at the right proportions for a healthy human.
Constituents of a balanced diet
» Carbohydrates
» proteins
» fats and oils
» vitamins(A, B, C, D, K)
» Mineral salts
» Water
» roughage(fiber)
CARBOHYDRATES —Energy sources for living things example glucose,sucrose
Sources of carbohydrates are Wheat,maize, cassava
PROTEINS —Used as a building blocks of tissue and muscles in the body. All proteins contain nitrogen,carbon,hydrogen, and oxygen
Sources of proteins are beans,meat
FAT AND OILS —Provides energy to the body and insulates it from heat loss.
Sources of fats and oils are peanuts,cashews, coconuts
VITAMINS —Essential for normal health in a variety of roles. They include;
» Vitamin A—necessary for normal growth in children and for proper functioning of eyesight.
» Vitamin B–strengthens the muscles of the body
» Vitamin C {ascorbic acid}–strengthens the gums and is involved in fighting diseases
» Vitamin D–help strengthen bones
» Vitamin K–essential for the process of blood clotting
MINERAL SALTS —Used in the development and mantainance of bones (iodine, calcium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium).
WATER—The main solvent in the body.
ROUGHAGE (fiber) —encourage peristaltic movement
MALNUTRITION
Deficiency disease caused by over feeding or underfeeding as a result of an unbalanced diet.
CAUSES OF MALNUTRITION
» poverty
» ignorance
» diseases
» war
» religious beliefs or taboos
» crop failure
» early weaning
» lack of access to different types of foods
DISEASES CAUSED BY LACK OF MALNUTRITION
» Kwashiorkor
» marasmus
» obesity
KWASHIORKOR
Caused by lack of proteins. The defining sign of Kwashiorkor or malnourished child is pitting edema (swelling of the ankles and feet). Other signs include a distended abdomen, an enlarged liver with fatty infiltrates, thinning hair, loss of teeth, skin depigmentation and dermatitis. Children with Kwashiorkor often develop irritability anorexia.
Anorexia nervosa is a life-threatening eating disorders that is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.
SYMPTOMS
Retarded growth, swelling of limbs due to excess body fluid, loss of appetite, loss of weight, anemia, change in the colour of hair from black to light brown
TREATMENT
Provide a child with a balanced diet containing protein
Fig 01 Kwashiorkor victim