HIGHER INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES IN EDUCATION AND DISTANCE

Department of Science and Education

Honors Degree in Biology

Health and Nutrition

Eltone Armando Come – 41230741

Massinga, May, 2023

HIGHER INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES IN EDUCATION AND DISTANCE

Department of Science and Education

Honors Degree in Biology

Health and Nutrition

An assignment submitted to the

coordination of honors degree in
Biology. ISCED

Tutor: Guimissai Guimissai

Eltone Armando Come – 41230741

Massinga, May, 2023

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Index
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 General objective................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Specific objectives................................................................................................................. 4
1.3 Methodology ......................................................................................................................... 4
2. Health and Nutrition. ............................................................................................................... 5
2.1. Concepts “health” and “nutrition”.................................................................................... 5
2.1.1. Health............................................................................................................................. 5
2.1.2. Nutrition......................................................................................................................... 5
2.2. Relationship between nutrition and health ....................................................................... 5
2.3. Negative consumption of food for human health ............................................................. 6
3. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 7
4. References ............................................................................................................................... 8

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 1. Introduction
In recent years has been a high percentage of people suffering from illnesses due to the high
supply or deficit of nutrients in the body. The factor is due to a high rate of neglect with regard to
food and poverty in certain parts of the world. We never talk about health without including
food, so this work talks about health and nutrition.

1.1 General objective

 Establish the impact of nutrition on health.

1.2 Specific objectives

 Define the health concept;
 Define the concept of nutrition;
 Link the value of nutrition to health;
 Explain the negative consumption of food for health.

1.3 Methodology
In order to carry out the work, a bibliographical research was used, which consists of reading,
analyzing and interpretation of books, articles and scientific journals that deal with the theme
that constitutes the object under search.

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 2. Health and Nutrition.
The good health is conditioned by the way in which food is ingested. These two components are
directly proportional.

2.1. Concepts “health” and “nutrition”

There can be confusion between the meanings of these words. Although they are related, each
has an explanation.

2.1.1. Health
In the welfarist conception, health is defined as the absence of disease according World Health
Organization (1948), this conception, which highlights the need to rule out the disease that
affects the individual, presupposes a diagnosis, made through clinical and labor examinations, so
that medicines can be prescribed immediately; and thus cure the person of that disease.

2.1.2. Nutrition
Escola Estadual de Educação profissional (2006) defines nutrition as the science that studies the
relationship between food and nutrients ingested by human beings and possible states of health
and disease.

Feeding or nutrition is the process by which organisms obtain and assimilate food or nutrients for
their vital functions, including growth, movement and reproduction of daily tasks.

2.2. Relationship between nutrition and health

To ensure good health, human beings must consume a little of all the nutrients that can be:

 Proteins (milk, cheese, meat, eggs, nuts, legumes) - involved in the formation and
maintenance of cells and body tissues.
 Fats (olive oil, butter, hydrogenated vegetable fat) are alternative sources of energy; they
influence the maintenance of body temperature
 Carbohydrates (cereals, flours, pasta, breads, tubers, simple sugars) ensure the efficient
use of proteins and lipids.
 Vitamins (vegetables, vegetables and fruits such as lettuce, tomato, beetroot, carrots,
cashews, apples, oranges) are involved in regulating metabolism, favoring immune
responses and protecting the body.
 Minerals (fruits, vegetables, and some foods of animal origin) contribute to the
formation of tissues, favoring the transmission of nerve impulses and muscle contraction.

According to the World Health Organization, calculating how much water we should drink every
day is simpler than it seems. It's 35 ml daily for every kilo we have. That is, a person weighing
60 kg should calculate 60 kg x 35 ml and find out that the recommendation is 2.1 liters per day.
For a person weighing 100 kg, 3.5 liters a day is recommended. It helps hydrate, take nutrients,
such as oxygen and mineral salts to the cells, in addition to expelling toxic substances from the
body through sweat and urine.

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An average-sized person with low physical activity for men and moderate activity for women,
needs 60g of protein, 60g of lipids, 310g of carbohydrates and 25g of dietary fiber per day.

According to FAO/WHO-OMS (1985), the values of energy that must be consumed by the
human being during the day, must vary between 1800 to 2500 calories, of these 50% to 60%
must be from carbohydrates, 15% to 20% from proteins, 15% from 30% from fat, if this way of
eating is not fulfilled, the health of the human being is at risk, since the excess or deficit of
nutrients in the body can be vulnerable to the most common diseases such as: obesity,
hypertension and high cholesterol.

2.3. Negative consumption of food for human health

There are several factors that contribute to the onset of various diseases.

According to Peres (1994) there are several dietary errors that have a direct influence on the
mobility pattern of the population; therefore, the following dietary errors must be combated:

 High salt intake: High salt intake is responsible for the high prevalence of diseases such
as high blood pressure, stomach cancer, cerebrovascular and cardio circulatory.
 High consumption of alcoholic beverages: Mozambique is among the largest global
alcohol consumers. Psychosocial and affective problems, cirrhosis liver and several road
and work accidents have on the high consumption of alcohol is largely responsible.
 High consumption of fats: Cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemias and obesity are
caused by the high consumption of fats in our food.
 High consumption of sugar and sugary foods: Sweets and drinks sugary foods, when
consumed in excess, can contribute to development of diseases such as obesity, diabetes
and tooth decay.
 Reduced consumption of fiber-rich foods: Vegetables, legumes and fruits are excellent
suppliers of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. We know that its reduced consumption
is related to the increase in the prevalence of diseases such as constipation and some
types of cancer.
 Skipping meals and skipping breakfast: Starting the day without breakfast is a very
common food error. Its consequences are morning hypoglycemia, lack of attention,
decreased intellectual performance in school and at work, among others. Skipping in-
between meals, such as snacks morning and afternoon contributes to the loss of muscle
mass, which is consumed to produce the glucose that is essential for the functioning of
cells, in particular neurons.

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 3. Conclusion
Maintain a healthy diet is good for the body and mind, but how do I know if I'm on the right
track? In practice, we must include macro and micronutrients, always in good amounts and
conditions. A healthy diet is one that is balanced and can be summarized in three principles:
variety, moderation and balance. Variety is considered an important pillar, considering that
eating different types of food belonging to different groups brings a greater selection of nutrients,
benefiting the whole organism. That's where the principle of moderation comes in, as we
shouldn't eat more or less than our body needs. In addition to being aware of the right amount,
the balance between quantity and quality is ideal, that is, “eat a little bit of everything”.

Lack of nutrients can result in malnutrition, which can lead to deficiency syndromes. Excessive
intake of macronutrients can cause obesity and related disorders; excessive intake of
micronutrients can be toxic. In addition, the balance of various types of nutrients, such as the
consumption of saturated and unsaturated fats, can influence the development of disorders.

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 4. References
Escola Estadual de Educação Profissioal-EEEP-(2006). Curso Técnico em Nutrição e
Dietética. Porto.

FAO/WHO-OMS/UNU, Expert Consultation Report (1985). Energy and Protein

Requirements. Technical Report Series 724. Ginebra: WHO/OMS.

PERES, E. (1994). Saber comer para melhor viver. 5ᵃ Ed. Biblioteca da Saúde, Editorial
Caminho, Lisboa.

World Health Organization (1946). Constitution of the World Health Organization. New
York.