UNIVERSIDADE ABERTA ISCED

Faculdade de Ciências de Educação

Curso de Licenciatura em Ensino de Biologia

Health and Nutrition

Nome do aluno:Lórcio Carlos Macuacua Código do estudante: 31230541

Massangena,aos 31 de Maio de 2023

 Health and Nutrition

Trabalho de Campo a ser submetido

na Coordenação do Curso de
Licenciatura em Ensino de Biologia
da UnISCED.

Tutor:Msc. Gumissai Gumissai

Nome do aluno:Lórcio Carlos Macuacua Código do estudante: 31230541

Massangena, 31 de Maio de 2023

 Índice
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 2
2. Health and Nutrition ............................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Nutrition ................................................................................................................................4
2.2 Balanced diet ........................................................................................................................ 4
3. Health and Disease ................................................................................................................. 5
4. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 6
5. Bibliography references .........................................................................................................7

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 1. Introduction

The present field work entitled “health and nutrition” is developed in different manners such
as the definition of the term food, health, nutrition, balanced diet. The essay is composed by
the definitions of the terms referred behind, the diseases caused by malnutrition and the
respective symptoms to help the identification of them in the community and the procedures
of the cure.

The general goal of the work is to analysis the impact of health and nutrition in human being
and the specific aims are: define the food, health, nutrition, balanced diet, identify the types of
food, and mention the diseases caused by the lack of nutrients and proteins (malnutrition).
The methodology used to make possible the research is the bibliography references given and
the reading and interpretation of the various texts.

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 2. Health and Nutrition

According to World Food Programme (n.d), Food is the basic necessary of life. We all
know that regular supply of food is essential for human beings in order to keep fit and to carry
on all the life processes. We eat a large variety of food according to our taste, availability and
body requirement.( http://www.wfp.com)

Food is any substance which performs the following functions in the body:

Yields energy for life processes

- Builds up new cells during growth
- Repairs worn out or damaged tissues
- Aids in production of useful body compounds. Food can be classified into three
categories based on their functions:
- Energy providing foods
- Body building foods
- Protective/regulatory foods
a) Energy providing foods: these are rich in carbohydrates and fats and provide
energy on biological oxidation in the body. Make part of types of food the
following: cereals, sugar, fats, oils, coconut, and groundnuts.
b) Body building foods: these are rich in proteins and help in the formation of new
tissues. Example: legumes, milk, egg, meat, fish, etc

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 c) Protective/regulatory foods: these are rich in minerals, vitamins, and water. They
help in regulation of internal metabolism in the body. Example: vegetables, fruits,
oranges, water melon, etc.

2.1 Nutrition

Is the sum of the processes by which an organism takes in, metabolizes and utilises food
substance for various biochemical activities.

Nutrients are the organic or inorganic substances which help in our survival and in
maintaining proper health. Nutrient supplies energy to the body, builds and repairs body
tissues and regulates the body metabolism.

2.2 Balanced diet

consists of all the nutrients in varying amounts recommended for health growth and for
efficient daily activities and functions.

A balanced diet contains the proper quantities and proportions of the needed nutrients to
maintain good health. To maintain proper health, one needs the right type of food in right
quantity. The need generally varies with age, sex, type of work and state of body. A balanced
diet is one that contains all essential nutrients in a suitable proportion and amount to provide
the necessary energy and keeps the body in a healthy state. A balanced diet has the following
qualities:

It meets the nutrients requirement of the body

Consists of different types of food items

Provides adequate amount of energy

2.3. Importance of balanced diet

A balanced diet provides the human body with:

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- Essential nutrients needed to allow the body to effectively perform different activities.
Without balanced diet, the body is more susceptible to fatigue, infections, diseases, and
reduced activity. On the other hand, children should have the balanced diet containing
different nutrients in order to avoid impaired development and growth, different infections,
and low academic performance.

Eating well ensures proper nutrition that keeps the body active and healthy. A healthy proper
diet protects the body against no communicable diseases, such as: heart disease, stroke, cancer
and diabetes that are the most common diseases in the world.

3. Health and Disease

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) (n.d), health is defined as the state of
complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely absence of disease or
infirmity.

Disease is a malfunctioning process related to a certain part of the whole body in which
normal functions are disturbed or damaged. The diseases which occur due to deficiency of
one or more nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals) in our diet are called
deficiency diseases.

According NHS (2019), Malnutrition is the condition resulting from lack of nutrients in the
diet. Nowadays, a large number of people in our country suffer from malnutrition, and affects
the health of some children adversely as it results in physical and mental retardation.
Generally the growing children suffer from protein energy malnutrition as the required
amount of proteins needed for their growth and development is not available.

The diseases caused by malnutrition are: Marasmus ;Kwashiorkor, etc.

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 Marasmus- it is caused due to the deficiency of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It
usually affects infants bellow the age of one year.
Symptpoms
- Wasting of muscles reduces the child to skin and bones
- Folded skin
- Sunken eyes, thin face, thinning of limbs and abdominal walls
- Retarded physical and mental growth

Kwashiorkor- this disease develops when mothers stop feeding their babies with breast milk
and the child is given traditional family food having low protein in it.

Symptoms -under weight

Note : the child suffering from kwashiorkor and marasmus can recover if adequate protein
and carbohydrate rich food is given.

4. Conclusion

During the realization of the present field work I concluded that the health and nutrition are
two terms that can’t be separated because they deal about human welfare and lack or each a
human being can’t exist or feels well. This topic is very crucial because teaches us the ways
that we should follow for our healthy state by following and knowing the importance of
balanced diet and the proper intake to avoid the risks that we may face if we don’t follow the
requirements of the same. Finally, I may say that this topic brought many teachings that
henceforth i shall apply and spread to others in order to save many lives in risk caused by
malnutrition, as the great problem that reduces lives and challenges or makes the World
Health Organisation be much worried.

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 5. Bibliography references

World Health Organisation. (n.d). Healthy diet.World Health Organisation.

http://www.WHO.int/initiatives/behealthy/healthy-diet.

NHS(2019,March 27). Eat well. NHS Choices.http://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well.

World Food Programme.(n.d). health and nutrition. World Food Programme.

http.www.wfp.healthy diet.