A.

INTRODUCTION TO NUTRITIONAL CARE

ROLE OF NUTRIENTS IN THE HEALTH-ILLNESS CONTINUUM

- Continuum: refers to something that changes gradually without any clear points
- Health: a variable component which changes time to time to make adjustment
with the internal and external variables
- Health Illness Continuum: a graphic representation of the wellness of an
individual
- John W. Travis: proposed the health illness continuum
- According to Travis, “A person is not only considered to be healthy based on the
absence of disease but also his/her wellness of mental and emotional health”.

- In this model, the right side shows a high level of wellness while the left side
shows premature death
- Medicine and physical treatment can only move health to a neutral point where all
can see no sign of illness
- After, it depends on the individual how he can move himself to optimum health
which is the highest level of wellness

Role of Nutrients in Maintaining Health

1. Growth and Development

- Nutrients is essential for attainment of normal growth and
development during fetal life and childhood
- Physical growth,intellectual development, learning and behavior
are affected by malnutrition
- Adequate nutrition is needed for adults to maintain optimum health
and efficiency
 - Elder people needs special nutrition because of their physiological
and chronological changes
- In order to provide adequate breast feeding for babies, prevent
abortion, growth retardation and low birth weight babies,pregnant
and lactating mothers require more proteins and nutrients
2. Specific Deficiency Diseases
- Nutrients is essential to prevent nutritional deficiency diseases,
promote health and treatment of deficiency diseases
3. Resistance to Infection
- A well balanced nutrition prevents infections like tuberculosis
- Enhances wound healing
- Improves resistance towards infections
4. Mortality and Morbidity
- Malnutrition increases death rate, infant mortality rate and
premature deliveries.
- Overnutrition causes obesity,diabetes and hypertension and might
cause death
5. Improved Memory Function
- Our brain health can be enhanced with a nutrient-rich diet,
improving our brain function and cognition.