What is the connection between nutrition and chronic diseases & malnutrition?

What is the connection between nutrition and disease: malnutrition, chronic diseases and other leading causes of death?     

          Proper & sound nutrition affects our body’s at the most cellular level. You must have heard at some point that “you are what you eat”, and though you don’t actually become an apple if you eat one, it is pretty much an accurate statement. What you consume today will affect you in one way or another. “Nutrients interact with body tissues, adding little or subtracting a little, day by day, and this changes the very foundation upon which the health of the body is built on” (Sizer, 2011). The six foundational aspects of nutrition are water, fat, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals. These nutrients ultimately support the growth, maintenance and repair of our bodies. A healthy, balanced diet will then properly care for our bodies and the everyday needs that it requires. Every day we consume things that will affect our body’s either negatively or positively in the future. A lifetime of unhealthy choices can lead to malnutrition or chronic diseases when you get older, or a lifetime of healthy choices can aid in the prevention of chronic diseases. “As people age, their bodies accumulate the effects of a lifetime of choices, and in the later years these impacts can make the difference between a life of health, or one of chronic disability” (Sizer, 2011). But, this does not mean that just because one aspect of sound nutrition is beneficial for our bodies to only eat or partake of that item. For example, iron is vital mineral in our everyday diet, but in small quantities. Too much iron can be toxic and detrimental to our health if consumed in excess. In addition to poor eating habits other disease risk factors include genetics, behavioral choices, environmental surroundings and activities, and social aspects.

 

          One of the leading causes of death in America is cardiovascular disease (CVD), with cancer coming in close behind. Both of these are largely caused by poor diet, but are also correlated with other poor lifestyle choices (such as not exercising, smoking and drinking in excess). Other chronic diseases, largely caused by poor nutritional choices, include diabetes mellitus, obesity, aids, hypertension and stroke (WHO, 2003). As mentioned early, poor lifestyle choices build upon each other that lend to poor health in the future. Likewise, “these diseases cannot be prevented by a good diet alone; they are to some extent determined by a person’s genetic constitution, activities, and lifestyles” (Sizer, 2011). In addition to contributing to chronic diseases, and even premature death, an unhealthy diet can also lead to malnutrition, which can cause a whole slew of physical issues and defects. Malnutrition develops when the body does not receive enough of the appropriate nutrients (PubMed Health, 2011). This may occur when not enough healthy foods are available, an imbalanced diet, problems with digestion, or even certain medical conditions. Malnutrition can develop even if a single vitamin is lacking in the diet. The six vital nutrients all interact and rely upon each other in one way or another to properly feed all of the body’s functions. An imbalance in even one thing can begin to affect the absorption or function of other nutrients. A properly balanced diet of fat, carbs, protein, water, vitamins and minerals is imperative for proper functioning, health promotion and disease prevention.

Resources

Sizer, F., & Whitney, E. (2011). Nutrition concepts and controversies (12^th ed.). Belmont, CA:            Wadsworth learning.

PubMed Health (2011). Malnutrition. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from             http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001441/

WHO (2003). Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. World Health Organization.    Retrieved from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/who_trs_916.pdf