Created by:

Muhammad Hamza
DIET AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION OF BALANCED DIET
The enjoyment of food is one of the life pleasures. For those who
have an adequate food supply, eating is about far more than survival.
Eating together is an important part of our daily life and social events,
celebrations and festivals.Obtaining the nutrients the body needs
depends on the amount and variety of food locally available. Different
groups of people also have different nutritional needs.
All foods can be enjoyed as part of nutritious diet. From a nutritional
point of view a particular food is neither good nor bad of itself. The
best advice is that one should try to eat a wide variety of foods and to
spread consumption over the day. This is especially important for
children who cannot eat enough in only one or two meals to meet
their nutrition needs. Breakfast is particular important to provide fuel
both for physical and mental activity.
This lesson provides basic guidelines about good diet. Food habits,
lifestyle choices and food values to get the best from available food.
The information provided may lead to prevent poor nutrition diseases
related to diet, and poor health.
MEANING OF BALANCED DIET
Balanced diet is that diet which contains all required food constituents
in optimum proportion and bulk which would maintain the body in
perfect health, activity and growth. Balanced diet is quite different
from a stomach full of food. The stomach can be filled with any type
of food depending upon the food habit of the individual and the
availability of food, e.g. sweetened rice, salted boiled rice , rice and
potato. In all these cases the food is rich in carbohydrates with little
proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins. Similarly food consisting of
only fish or meat would be devoid of carbohydrates, vitamins and
minerals. A combination of two types of foods would provide the
necessary major types of nutrients carbohydrates, fats and proteins
.Supplementing this food with milk, vegetables and fruits would give
the required minerals and vitamins. A normal healthy person requires
55 to 75% carbohydrates, 15 to 35% fats, 10 to 15% proteins, traces
of minerals and vitamins. This is besides the requirement of water and
roughage.
The energetic food in our diet consist of various types of essential
chemicals for our body termed as “Nutrients” thus the science which
deals with nutritious diet and its importance for the individual is
known as Nutrition . The nutritious diet directly affects the health of
individual .Nutritious diet is known as balanced diet or the diet which
consists of all these nutrients in correct proportion for efficient
working of body is known as balanced diet.
TYPES OF GROUPING FOOD
Food is further grouped in three parts. Three types of Grouping food are
as listed below:-
1. ENERGY YIELDING OR ENERGY GIVING FOOD
Energy yielding foods consists of carbohydrates and fats. This
food helps to produce energy for body work out. It is found in food
items like rice, chapatti, sugar, butter and ghee etc. The major
nutritional role of carbohydrates is in the supply of energy. These
types of food are called emery yielding food or energy giving
food.
2. BODY BUILDING FOOD
Body building food consists of proteins. Proteins help in the
growth & development of body. Proteins are found in food item
like cheese, nuts, eggs, soya, milk and fish etc. Though proteins
can produce energy equivalent to that of carbohydrates, they are
mainly meant for development and maintenance of body structure
and organization. So these types of food are called body building
food.
3. DEFENSIVE OR PROTECTIVE FOOD
Defensive food consists of vitamins, mineral and salts. Defensive
food helps in proper functioning and defense of various organs.
Defensive food also improves the immune system of the body.
Defensive foods are found in food items like vegetables, fruits,
honey, carrots and salad etc. These types of food are called
defensive food.
EFFECTS OF BALANCED DIET ON THE FUNCTIONING OF BODY
Food is eaten for taste only. Taste for a particular food item may
develop due to its regular intake since childhood, availability in a
particular area or personal likes and dislikes. The few effects of
balanced diet on the functioning of body are as listed below:-
1. SUFFICIENT ENERGY
Balanced diet provides sufficient energy for the various
activities of the individual like movement, breathing, blood
circulation digestion and excretion etc.
2. PROPER FUNCTIONING OF ORGANS
Balanced diet helps various organs and various systems of body
to function properly. So the individual should remain healthy.
3. AGE FACTOR
Age play an important role in diet preparation, like in growing
age in the children needs more proteins. In old age the people
should avoid proteins and fats but to take more minerals.
4. INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE
Individual difference causes variation in diet. Male needs more
calories as they exert more than female. So according to the
nature of the individual work food is needed.
5. MAINTAINING BODY WEIGHT
Weight also brings difference of diet. Over weight person
should take fibrous food whereas slim person need more
proteins and fats. So the individual can maintain their body
weight.
ROLE OF DIET IN SPORTS PERFORMANCE
Diet plays an important role in sports performance. As there are lot of
activities in Games and Sports thus individual require specific diet to
improve performance. It helps in the attainment of proper growth and
development. Everyone follows a balanced diet for proper growth and
development .In almost all Sports activities the diet required during training
period should be rich of complex carbohydrates along with low fats diet.
This type of diet helps to provide sufficient energy during training period.
The diet one week before the competition should be required in rich of
complex carbohydrates. The rich of complex carbohydrates raises the
glycogen stores of energy in the body. Vitamins and minerals should be
required during this period. The meal before the competition should be
taken at least 3 to 4 hours before the competition. The diet should be rich of
complex carbohydrates, low in fats, and low in proteins and low in fibers
like milk, cereals, rice, wheat, bread cake, potatoes and chocolates etc.
The diet during the competition should consist of simple carbohydrates if
required on prolonged activity for more than one hour. It should more in
liquid fruits, fruit form rather hard stuff form. It helps to maintain water
balance of the body along with sufficient quick energy source like juices,
banana etc.
In contact sports like Wrestling, Judo, Kabaddi and Karate there are lot of
injuries during training period. Thus their diet has more amounts of proteins
to repair and replace the worn out tissues. These players are also advised to
take lot of complex carbohydrates along with vitamins and minerals.
FOOD CONSTITUENTS IN BALANCED DIET
INTRODUCTION
Food is made of seven constituent’s carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals,
vitamins, water and roughage. These constituents functions or perform in
different ways. The details of these seven constituents are as listed below:-
1. CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy. Carbohydrates are
providing fuel to the body. It is composed of carbon; oxygen and
hydrogen. The main sources of carbohydrates are Rice, Sugarcane,
Bread and potato etc.
2. FATS
Fats are composed of fatty acids and glycerin .Fats provides more
calories as compared to all other constituents of food. The use of fats is
same as of carbohydrates. Fats have high energy reserve fuel, insulation
and cushion for body parts. The main sources of fats are Butter, Cream,
Desi Ghee , Egg yolk and Soya bean etc.
3. PROTEINS
The basic component of protoplasm, material for growth and
development and maintenance of body structure. Proteins have a great
importance in human nutrition. The most important function of protein
is anabolism. It helps in the repair of tissues. Proteins are needed for
body building.
4. VITAMINS
A balance diet should contain all the vitamins which are essential needs
of a healthy person. Vitamins B and C are water soluble and A, D, E
and K are fat soluble. Vitamins are available both from plant sources
and animal sources are Eggs, Fish, Milk, and Cheese. Plant sources are
Groundnut, Peas, Beans and Pulses.
5. MINERALS
Minerals are inorganic compounds. Almost all the essential minerals are
present in the green leafy vegetables. Because plants transport all the
absorbed minerals first to leaves and then from leaves to other part of
the tree. The main sources of minerals are Milk, Leafy vegetables,
Cheese, Common salt etc. The minerals present in leafy vegetables
include Calcium, Iron, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Sulphur, Potassium
and to a smaller extent Iodine, Sodium and Chlorine.
6. WATER
Water is an inorganic liquid substance made of two elements, Hydrogen
and Oxygen in the ratio of 2:1. It is an essential constituent of food.
However, it does not have any nutrient value, i.e, water is non-nutrient
food constituent because, water does not give energy as do
Carbohydrates and Fats. Human body contains atleast 65%of water. A
person should drink water daily apporximately1.5 to 2 litres.
INTRODUCTION OF OBESITY
It is nutritional disorder where a person becomes bulky and
overweight due to excessive deposition of fats in the body. Obesity is
caused by over eating more food than the body can consume. The
excess protein does not accumulate in the body. Fats and unused
carbohydrates are stored as fats in the body mostly below the skin and
around the abdomen, chest, shoulder, buttocks and legs. Continuous
accumulation of fats would make the individual bulky and
overweight. The name of obesity is Luxury disease. Sometimes the
excess of fats can be noticed on neck, chin and cheeks. Obesity
brought many problems like loss of physical efficiency, irregular
shape of the body, decline performing efficiency in activity, inability
to perform hard activity and cardio problems etc. In developing
countries the increasing rate of obesity is alarming particularly in
USA and European countries. Due to this reason obesity has been
considered as an epidemic in America. Many studies have quoted that
33% of total population of America are obese. When a person is 20%
more than the desirable weight the person is called as obese.
TYPES OF OBESITY
The obesity is generally classified into two type’s .The two types of obesity
are as listed below:-
1. HYPER PLASTIC OBESITY
In this type of obesity human being having more than normal number
of fat is called as Hyper Plastic obese. Excessive weight gain in
childhood, characterized by the creation of new fat cells.
2. HYPER TROPHIC OBESITY
In this type of obesity human being having more than normal size of
the fat cells is called as Hypertrophic obese. Hypertrophic obesity
usually a start in adulthood is associated with increased
cardiovascular risk and responds quickly to weight reduction
measures.
CAUSES OF OBESITY
The basic causes of Obesity are as listed below:-
1. HORMONAL IMBALANCE
Excessive production of thyroxin from thyroid increases food
oxidation and vice-versa. Therefore its decrease production leads to
the deposition of digestive food substances in sub-coetaneous
region leading to obesity.
2. AGE FACTOR
With increasing age the metabolic activity as well as thyroxin
production decreases it also leads to obesity.
3. PHYSICAL FACTOR
Over dependence on modern luxuries like vehicle and comfortable
life etc. has decreased physical work of an individual these also
decreases food oxidation and rather result in its accumulation and
consequently in obesity.
4. OVER NUTRITION
Everybody eats more food during adolescence and early youth due
to higher requirement for growth and greater activity. This habit
continues in later life when one comes to have reduced physical
work. An excessive feeding habit also leads to fats deposition under
the skin.
5. IMBALANCED NATURE OF DIET
Food substances like egg yolk, meat. Ghee, butter and cream leads
to increased low density lipid (LDL) and higher density lipid (HDL)
in blood which finally accumulate under the skin and add to the
obesity.
6. GENTIC DISORDER
It has also been observed that some unknown gene is also
responsible for obesity in certain people. This gene when carried
from parents to their children also carries obesity to the next
generation.
7. ECONOMIC STATUS
It is often said that obesity is the disorder of the rich and not of the
poor. This is co-related to the economic status of the individuals
only rich are capable of buying expensive food items rich in fats
consequently they become obese.
8. EATING JUNK FOOD
Eating junk food like chips, pizza, cold drinks, cake, chocolate,
baking articles etc. causes health problems. Because this types of
food lead to obesity.
9. EATING LOT OF SWEETS
Person those who have habit of eating lot of sweet items in their
daily routine. So eating lot of sweets also leads to obesity.
10. DRINKING OF ALCOHOL
If a person takes alcohol as a medicine then it is not harmful for
health. But those who take daily in large scale it leads to obesity.
11. SEDENTARY HABIT
By nature or by profession, some persons have low physical activity
such as office worker, shopkeeper. Energy requirement of the body
is directly proportional to the physical activity. Persons with
sedentary habit should take less energy food; otherwise they are
going to become obese
. 12. STRESS
Many persons have a tendency to eat more under conditions of
stress. Excessive eating releases tension perhaps on account of
induction of sleep.
EFFECTS OF OBESITY ON INDIVIDUAL
Effects of obesity on individual are as listed below:-
1. Extra fat and flesh requires the formation of more blood capillaries for
supplying of blood to new areas.
2. It is estimated that every kilogram of extra body weight needs 1.5 km
of blood capillaries.
3. Obese person cannot be very active.
4. Obese increases infertility in women.
5. Extra load on heart brings about hypertension or high blood pressure.
6. Respiratory problems are increased due obesity.
7. There are increases chances of development of disorders like stones
and osteoarthritis.
8. Obesity leads to many cardiovascular ailments.
9. Obese persons are more prone to diabetes. Diabetes causes many
other ailments. It can lead to unconsciousness.
10. The basic cause is excessive intake of saturated fat and high
carbohydrate food.
11. Obesity is usually accompanied by increased level of cholesterol.
12. Cerebral stroke may occur due to hypertension reason.
UNHEALTHY EATING HABITS
INTRODUCTION
One should try to stay from the following eating habits which are not good,
to get on the fast track to a healthier life, learner body, and more satisfying
eating experience. The list of unhealthy eating habits is as listed below:-
1. SKIPPING BRAKFAST
As far as ideas go, skipping breakfast is a pretty bad one .Not only
does starting the day with a healthy breakfast give you a boost of
energy and help clear the fog out of your brain, it also helps you make
healthy eating choices throughout the entire day.
2. EATING BEFORE BED
If you are seeking sweet dreams avoid eating before bedtime. Eating
fatty foods before bed will slow down the emptying of the stomach,
exacerbating indigestion, while spicy foods can lead to heartburn and
indigestion.
3. BINGING
Unfortunately food binges usually come in the form of fatty snacks
foods like pizza, or cookies. Gorging yourself on said foods will
likely lead to weight gain dissatisfaction and feeling that you lack
discipline.
4. STRAVING YOURSELF
Contrary to what you may think the body’s reaction to starvation is
weight gain via the storage of fat. Well when you don’t eat for long
period of time, your body thinks it needs to store calories as fat
because it doesn’t know when the chance to eat will come again. And
then the fat remains with you.
5. EATING WHILE WORKING
Not only is eating while doing something else a great way to get food
all over yourself, it also tends to lead to overeating , and subsequently,
weight gain ,plus, once you begin eating while doing something else
you often can’t stop it and becomes a mechanical.
6. EATING TOO FAST
Start slowing things down at your next meal because eating too
quickly isn’t doing you favour. Hovering in your food at warp speed
will not only make you like you just walked out of the Neolithic ages
it also encourages weight gain.
METHODS OF TREATMENT FOR OBESITY
Few methods of treatment for obesity are as listed below:-
1. Obesity caused by hormonal imbalance and other metabolic
malfunctions requires treatment by experts.
2. In order to avoid cardiovascular ailments, blood cholesterol level must
be brought down. This is achieved by avoiding saturated fats and
using poly unsaturated oils.
3. Increase Roughage content of the food. Roughage slows down
intestinal absorption of digested food.
4. Reduce the caloric intake by avoiding fried and starchy articles.
5. Avoid eating in between the meals.
6. Reduce intake of sweets and sweetened beverages.
7. Increase body activity according to age and state of heart.
8. Children and young persons can perform vigorous exercises.
9. Middle aged and elderly person should go in for walking and light
exercises.