Question

Healthcare professionals would be thrilled if individuals made decisions about what to eat based on a solid knowledge of what constitutes a "healthy diet." Unfortunately, that is not typically the case. Many people do not know what constitutes a healthy diet. There are also those who do know but make less healthy choices for several reasons.

The food choices that people make are influenced by a variety of factors. Factor-categories include, but are not limited to, environmental cues, socioeconomic realities, cultural/religious beliefs, and the availability of foods in the community.

In a 3-page paper, written in APA format using proper spelling/grammar, address the following:

1. Explain what nutrition is and why it is important.
2. Describe the characteristics of a healthy diet and provide supporting examples.
3. Identify at least two (2) factors (other than culture) that can impact a person's food choices and provide a specific example for each.
4. Research a culture (e.g., ethnic, religious, dietary) where specific food restrictions are dictated and address the following:
   1. Describe the restrictions.
   2. Explain how the restrictions could make it difficult for an individual to achieve a healthy diet.
   3. What dietary alternatives could be incorporated to overcome the dietary restrictions?
5. Cite at least 3 credible references and present the resources in APA format on the References page.

Answer 1

Nutrition is the science that interprets the nutrients and other substances in food in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health and disease of an organism. It includes ingestion, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism and excretion

Importance

Your food choices each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and promote your overall health.

Characteristics of Healthy diet

Health Topics/Nutrition/Diet & Nutrition/Healthy Eating Guidelines

What are the characteristics of a healthy diet?

Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD on behalf of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Nutrition & Dietetics

The others include incorporating lean dairy, meats, fish, and poultry, as well as whole grains and some healthy oils, such as olive and canola oil.

Make smart choices from every food group. Your eating plan should include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products, that includes lean meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts, and that's low in saturated fat, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

Find your balance between food and physical activity, by balancing the calories you take in from food with the calories your spend each day.

Get the most nutrition out of your calories by choosing nutrient rich foods ( foods with more nutrients and fewer calories) from each food group every day. Pick fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products more often.

Balance calories with physical activity to manage weight

Consume more of certain foods and nutrients such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood

Consume fewer foods with sodium (salt), saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, and refined grains