CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

According to World Health Organization (n.d.) Nutrition is the intake of food, considered
in relation to the body’s dietary needs. A Good nutrition is an adequate, well balanced diet
combined with regular physical activity which is a cornerstone of good health. Poor nutrition can
lead to reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and mental
development, and reduced productivity. In hospitals, nutrition may refer to the food requirements
of patients, including nutritional solutions delivered via an IV (intravenous) or IG (intragastric)
tube.

According to Nordqvist (2017) Nutrition is the study of nutrients in food, how the body
uses nutrients, and the relationship between diet, health, and disease. Major food manufacturers
employ nutritionists and food scientists. Nutritionists may also work in journalism, education,
and research. Many nutritionists work in the field of food science and technology. There is a lot
of overlap between what nutritionists and dietitians do and study. Some nutritionists work in a
healthcare setting, some dietitians work in the food industry, but a higher percentage of
nutritionists work in the food industry and in food science and technology, and a higher
percentage of dietitians work in healthcare, corporate wellness, research, and education.
(Medical News Today n.d)

A healthy lifestyle requires a lot of hard work and discipline. You have to take into
consideration the food that you eat and the workout and/or exercise your body needs. As humans,
we only have one way of fuelling our bodies with energy, and that is through eating food
(Advisor Healthcare, 2015). They say that healthy eating is more than just an intake of healthy
foods because it must also involve eating on time as well as using the proper method or
technique of food preparation.

According to McCoy (2017), consuming your meals and snacks on a regular time can
help keep your digestive system in top shape. When you do not eat at consistent times each day,
it can cause your stomach to overwork which may result to bloating and indigestion. On the
other hand, eating on time will allow proper digestion of food, resulting to a good comfortable
feeling in your stomach. (Healthy Eating, n.d.).

On the other hand, methods of food preparation are not only aimed to make food tasty
and palatable but also nutritious. Unfortunately, there are losses of nutrients during the stages of
preparation of food which can be minimized only with the use of proper methods. According to
Home Science (n.d.) the following are the effects of heat to nutrients: 1) Carbohydrates absorb
water and swell up in the presence of moist heat. Over cooking results in the bursting of
carbohydrate molecules and makes the food pasty and sticky; 2) Proteins coagulate in the
presence of heat and become tender. Prolonged cooking results in their shriveling and hardening;
3) Fats at optimum cooking temperature do not change. However, on extensive heating, it starts
to disintegrate into fatty acids and glycerol; 4) Minerals normally do not change. However, if
excessive water is used for cooking and then discarded, a lot of minerals leach into the cooking
water; 5) Water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C is easily oxidized and lost in the presence of
light and heat. It is better that fruits and vegetables which contain vitamin C are consumed in raw
form. On the other hand, Vitamin B complex is lost even during washing of foods and it is also
due to leaching. Discarding the cooking water and addition of soda bicarbonate leads to further
losses.

According to the Food Standards Code (2011), a balanced diet for an average adult is
made up of 8,700 kilojoules of energy, 50 grams of protein, 70 grams of fats, 24 grams of
saturated fatty acids, 310 grams of carbohydrates, 90 grams of sugar, 2.3 grams of sodium/salt,
and 30 grams of dietary fiber. However, it is important to remember that these only serve as a
guide to help you in deciding what’s best for you. It will still vary for every individual depending
on their energy needs and lifestyle (Mydailyintake.net, n.d.).

To fuel the body’s basic energy needs, calories are needed and important. Many people
still find it difficult to take in the right amount and right kind of calories. Many dietary guidelines
are handed, people still crave for what is bad for them. Resisting those sugary and fatty snacks
has become exceedingly difficult for today’s generation. There is more to food than nutrition
because what a person eats also carries cultural, social and economic weight. Having a right diet
and right kinds of food, can prevent many health problems like cardiovascular issues, diabetes,
obesity and hypertension. A healthy relationship with food means a healthy lifestyle overall.
(Psychology Today, 2019)

Diet can also refer to the mental and physical circumstances connected to eating.
Nutrition involves more than eating a good diet but also about nourishment on every level.
(Regents of the University of Minnesota, 2016) A study shows that poor diet is the leading risk
factor for deaths in the majority of the countries in the world. Unhealthy diets are a larger
determinant of ill health than either tobacco or high blood pressure. (Aubrey, 2019)

It is important to have a balanced diet because our organs and tissues need proper
nutrition to work effectively. Without good nutrition, the body is prone to disease, infection,
fatigue, and poor performance. Balanced diet are foods that are low in unnecessary fats and
sugars and high in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. (Krans, 2019)
References:
Advisor Healthcare. (2015, July 17). Top 3 health Benefits of having meals on time. Retrieved from
Medium.com: https://medium.com/advisor-healthcare/top-3-health-benefits-of-having-meals-on-time-
4ff4903bb136

Eating Healthy. (n.d.). Healthy Eating schedule! Eat On Time, Stop Indigestion And Bloating, Feel At Ease.
Retrieved from healthy-eating-for-a-healthier-life: https://www.healthy-eating-for-a-healthier-
life.com/healthy-eating-schedule.html

Food Standards Code. (2011). Daily Intake Levels. Retrieved from My Daily Intake:
http://www.mydailyintake.net/daily-intake-levels/

Home Science. (n.d.). PREPARATION OF FOOD. Retrieved from download.nos.org:

http://download.nos.org/srsec321newE/321-E-Lesson-8.pdf

McCoy, K. (2017, August 24). 10 Tips for Better Digestive Health. Retrieved from Everyday Health:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/digestive-health/tips-for-better-digestive-health/

Nordqvist, C. (2017). Nutrition: What is it and why is it important? Retrieved from Medical News Today:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/160774.php

Nutrition. (n.d.). Retrieved from World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/topics/nutrition/en/

Tidwell, K. (n.d.). Why Eating on a Schedule May Improve Your Digestion. Retrieved from Stop Colon
Cancer Now: https://www.stopcoloncancernow.com/buttseriously/healthy-living-tips/why-eating-on-a-
schedule-may-improve-your-digestion