A healthy diet is one that helps maintain or improve health At the time of the creation of the World Health Organization , in 1948, health was defined as being "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". It is important for the prevention of many chronic health risks such as: obesity Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Body mass index , a measurement which compares weight and height, defines people as overweight (pre-obese) when their BMI is between 25 kg/m2 and 30, heart disease Heart disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of different diseases affecting the heart. As of 2007, it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, killing one person every 34 seconds in the United States alone.[verification needed], diabetes Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes—is a condition in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of polyuria , polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (, and cancer Cancer /ˈkænsər/ (medical term: malignant neoplasm) is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood). These three malignant properties.^[1]

A healthy diet involves consuming appropriate amounts of all nutrients A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment. Nutrients are the substances that enrich the body. They build and repair tissues, give heat and energy, and regulate body processes. Methods for nutrient intake vary, with animals and, and an adequate amount of water Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. Its molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state, water vapor or steam. Nutrients can be obtained from many different foods, so there are a wide variety of diets that may be considered healthy diets.

Dietary recommendations

There are a number of diets and recommendations by numerous medical and governmental institutions that are designed to promote certain aspects of health.

World Health Organization

The World Health Organization The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health Organization, which had been an agency of the (WHO) makes the following 5 recommendations with respect to both populations and individuals:^[2]

• Achieve an energy balance and a healthy weight
• Limit energy intake from total fats and shift fat consumption away from saturated fats Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acid radicals. There are several kinds of naturally occurring saturated fatty acids, which differ by the number of carbon atoms, ranging from 3 carbons to 36 (Hexatriacontanoic acid). Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the carbon atoms of the fatty to unsaturated fats An unsaturated fat is a fat or fatty acid in which there are one or more double bonds in the fatty acid chain. A fat molecule is monounsaturated if it contains one double bond, and polyunsaturated if it contains more than one double bond. Where double bonds are formed, hydrogen atoms are eliminated. Thus, a saturated fat has no double bonds, has and towards the elimination of trans-fatty acids Trans fat is the common name for unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acid. Trans fats may be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated but never saturated
• Increase consumption of fruits The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state, such as apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, juniper berries and bananas, or the similar-looking structures in other and vegetables The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This usually means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant, legumes A legume in botanical writing is a plant in the family Fabaceae , or a fruit of these specific plants. A legume fruit is a simple dry fruit that develops from a simple carpel and usually dehisces (opens along a seam) on two sides. A common name for this type of fruit is a pod, although "pod" is also applied to a few other fruit types,, whole grains Whole grains are cereal grains that contain germ, endosperm, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Wholegrains can generally be sprouted while refined grains generally will not sprout. Wholemeal products are made from wholegrain flour and nuts Nut is a hard shelled fruit of some plants that has an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts. Nuts are an important source of nutrients for both humans and wildlife
• Limit the intake of simple sugar Sugar is an informal term for a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose characterized by a sweet flavor. In food, sugar almost exclusively refers to sucrose, which primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet. Other sugars are used in industrial food preparation, but are usually known by more specific
• Limit salt Salt is a mineral that is composed primarily of sodium chloride. It is essential for animal life in small quantities, but is harmful to animals and plants in excess. Salt flavor is one of the basic tastes, making salt one of the oldest, most ubiquitous food seasonings. Salting is an important method of food preservation / sodium Sodium is a metallic element with a symbol Na (from Latin natrium or Arabic ناترون natrun; perhaps ultimately from Egyptian netjerj) and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal and is a member of the alkali metals within "group 1" (formerly known as ‘group IA’). It has only one stable isotope, 23Na consumption from all sources and ensure that salt is iodized Iodised salt is table salt mixed with a minute amount of various iodine-containing salts. The ingestion of iodide prevents iodine deficiency. Worldwide, iodine deficiency affects about two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation. It also causes thyroid gland problems, including endemic goitre. In many countries,

Other recommendations include:

• Sufficient essential amino acids Amino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and a side chain that varies between different amino acids. These molecules contain the key elements of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. These molecules are particularly important in biochemistry, where this term refers to alpha-amino acids with the general formula ("complete protein") to provide cellular replenishment and transport proteins. All essential amino acids are present in animals. A select few plants (such as soy and hemp) give all the essential acids. A combination of other plants may also provide all essential amino acids. Fruits such as avocado and pumpkin seeds also have all the essential amino acids.^[3][4]
• Essential micronutrients such as vitamins A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. In other words, an organic chemical compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is conditional both on the circumstances and the particular organism. For and certain minerals.
• Avoiding directly poisonous (e.g. heavy metals) and carcinogenic (e.g. benzene Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. It is sometimes abbreviated Ph–H. Benzene is a colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell and a relatively high melting point. Because it is a known carcinogen, its use as an additive in gasoline is now limited, but it is an important industrial solvent and) substances;
• Avoiding foods contaminated by human pathogens A pathogen, (from Greek πάθος pathos "suffering, passion", and γἰγνομαι gignomai (gen-) "I give birth to") an infectious agent, or more commonly germ, is a biological agent that causes disease to its host. There are several substrates and pathways whereby pathogens can invade a host; the principal pathways have (e.g. E. coli Escherichia coli is a Gram negative rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms (endotherms). Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some, such as serotype O157:H7, can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls. The harmless strains are part of the, tapeworm Cestoda is the name given to a class of parasitic flatworms, commonly called tapeworms, of the phylum Platyhelminthes. Its members live in the digestive tract of vertebrates as adults, and often in the bodies of various animals as juveniles. Over a thousand species have been described, and all vertebrate species can be parasitised by at least one eggs).

DASH diet

Composition

A healthy diet needs to have a balance of macronutrients / energy ( fats, proteins, and carbohydrates ) and micronutrients to meet the needs of the individual without inducing toxicity from excessive amounts.

Unhealthy diets

An unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases including: high blood pressure Hypertension or high blood pressure is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated. It is classified as either primary (essential) or secondary. About 90-95% of cases are termed "primary hypertension", which refers to high blood pressure for which no medical cause can be found. The remaining 5-10%, diabetes Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes—is a condition in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of polyuria , polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (, abnormal blood lipids, overweight Overweight is generally defined as having more body fat than is optimally healthy. Being overweight is a common condition, especially where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary. As much as 64% of the United States adult population is considered either overweight or obese, and this percentage has increased over the last four/obesity Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Body mass index , a measurement which compares weight and height, defines people as overweight (pre-obese) when their BMI is between 25 kg/m2 and 30, cardiovascular diseases Heart disease or cardiovascular diseases is the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system (as used in MeSH C14), it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis (arterial disease). These conditions have similar causes,, and cancer Cancer /ˈkænsər/ (medical term: malignant neoplasm) is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood). These three malignant properties.^[5]

The WHO estimates that 2.7 million deaths are attributable to a diet low in fruit and vegetable every year.^[5] Globally it is estimated to cause about 19% of gastrointestinal cancer Gastrointestinal cancer refers to malignant conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach, liver, biliary system, pancreas, bowels, and anus, 31% of ischaemic heart disease Ischaemic or ischemic heart disease , or myocardial ischaemia, is a disease characterized by ischaemia (reduced blood supply) to the heart muscle, usually due to coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries). Its risk increases with age, smoking, hypercholesterolaemia (high cholesterol levels), diabetes, hypertension (high, and 11% of strokes,^[1] thus making it one of the leading preventable causes of death The World Health Organization traditionally classified death by either disease or injury. It however may also be classified in terms of preventable risk factors which then lead to the traditional classification of disease states worldwide.^[6]

Food additive controversy

Some^[who?] claim that food additives, such as artificial sweeteners A sugar substitute is a food additive that duplicates the effect of sugar in taste, usually with less food energy. Some sugar substitutes are natural and some are synthetic. Those that are not natural are, in general, referred to as artificial sweeteners, colorants, preserving agents, and flavorings may cause health problems such as increasing the risk of cancer or ADHD Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder. It is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone" and symptoms starting before seven years of age.^[7]

Fast food

Examples of fast food critics include Jamie Oliver James Trevor "Jamie" Oliver MBE , sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is a British chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his role in campaigning against the use of processed foods in national schools, and his campaign to change unhealthy diets and poor cooking, Morgan Spurlock Morgan Valentine Spurlock is an American documentary filmmaker, television producer and screenwriter, best known for the documentary film Super Size Me, in which he demonstrated negative health effects of McDonald's food by eating nothing but meals from McDonald's three times a day, every day, for 30 days. Spurlock was the executive producer and and Eric Schlosser Eric Schlosser is an American journalist and author known for investigative or muckraking journalism, such as in his books Fast Food Nation, Reefer Madness and Chew On This. A number of critics have compared his work to the books and essays of Upton Sinclair.

Fad diets

Public health

Fears of high cholesterol Cholesterol is a waxy steroid metabolite found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes, where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. In addition, cholesterol is an important component for the manufacture of bile were frequently voiced up until the mid-1990s. However, more recent research has shown that the distinction between high- and low-density lipoprotein A lipoprotein is a biochemical assembly that contains both proteins and lipids whose function is to transport water-insoluble lipids in the water-based bloodstream. The lipids or their derivatives may be covalently or non-covalently bound to the proteins. Many enzymes, transporters, structural proteins, antigens, adhesins and toxins are ('good' and 'bad' cholesterol, respectively) must be addressed when speaking of the potential ill effects of cholesterol. Different types of dietary fat have different effects on blood levels of cholesterol. For example, polyunsaturated fats tend to decrease both types of cholesterol; monounsaturated fats tend to lower LDL and raise HDL; saturated fats tend to either raise HDL^{[citation needed]}, or raise both HDL and LDL; and trans fat tend to raise LDL and lower HDL. Dietary cholesterol itself is only found in animal products such as meat, eggs, and dairy, but studies have shown that even large amounts of dietary cholesterol only have negligible effects on blood cholesterol.

Media coverage of mass-produced, processed, "snack" or "sweet" products directly marketed at children has worked to undermine policy efforts to improve eating habits. The main problem with such advertisements for foods is that alcohol In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl functional group (-O and fast food Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out/take-away. The term " are portrayed as offering excitement, escape and instant gratification Deferred gratification or delayed gratification is the ability to wait in order to obtain something that one wants. This attribute is known by many names, including impulse control, will power, and self control. In formal terms of accounting, an individual should calculate net present value of future rewards and defer near-term rewards of lesser.

Particularly within the last five years government agencies have attempted to combat the amount and method of media coverage lavished upon "junk" foods. Governments also put pressure on businesses to promote healthful food options, consider limiting the availability of junk food in state-run schools, and tax foods that are high in fat. Most recently, the United Kingdom removed the rights for McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is one of the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily to advertise its products, as the majority of the foods that were seen have low nutrient values were aimed at children under the guise of the "Happy Meal". The British Heart Foundation The British Heart Foundation is a charity organisation in the United Kingdom that funds research, education, care and awareness campaigns aimed to prevent heart diseases in humans released its own government-funded advertisements, labeled "Food4Thought", which were targeted at children and adults displaying the gory nature of how fast food is generally constituted.

Cultural and psychological factors

From a psychological perspective, a new healthy diet may be difficult to achieve for a person with poor eating habits. This may be due to tastes acquired in early adolescence and preferences for fatty foods. It may be easier for such a person to transition to a healthy diet if treats such as chocolate are allowed; sweets may act as mood stabilizers, which could help reinforce correct nutrient intake.

It is known that the experiences we have in childhood relating to consumption of food affect our perspective on food consumption in later life. From this, we are able to determine ourselves our limits of how much we will eat, as well as foods we will not eat - which can develop into eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, or orthorexia This is also true with how we perceive the sizes of the meals or amounts of food we consume daily; people have different interpretations of small and large meals based on upbringing.

While plants, vegetables, and fruits are known to help reduce the incidence of chronic disease,^{[citation needed]} the benefits on health posed by plant-based foods, as well as the percentage of which a diet needs to be plant based in order to have health benefits is unknown. Nevertheless, plant-based food diets in society and between nutritionist circles are linked to health and longevity, as well as contributing to lowering cholesterol, weight loss, and in some cases, stress reduction.^{[citation needed]}

Indeed, ideas of what counts as "healthy eating" have varied in different times and places, according to scientific advances in the field of nutrition, cultural fashions, religious proscriptions, or personal considerations.

See also

• Diet and cancer
• Diet and heart disease
• Food Balance Wheel
• Health food
• Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
• Health promotion
• List of diets
• Nutrigenomics
• Nutritional genomics
• Standard American Diet
• Raw foodism
• CRON-diet a diet intended to increase lifespan by about 30%
• Nutritional gatekeeper
• Online weight loss plans

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "WHO | Promoting fruit and vegetable consumption around the world". WHO. http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/fruit/en/index.html.
2. ^ "WHO | Diet". WHO. http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/diet/en/index.html.
3. ^ [1]
4. ^ [2]
5. ^ ^{a b} "WHO | Diet and physical activity: a public health priority". http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/en/.
6. ^ Lopez AD, Mathers CD, Ezzati M, Jamison DT, Murray CJ (May 2006). "Global and regional burden of disease and risk factors, 2001: systematic analysis of population health data". Lancet 367 (9524): 1747–57. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68770-9. PMID 16731270.
7. ^ Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.. "ADHD diet: Do food additives cause hyperactivity?". http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/adhd/AN01721.

External links

• Diet, Nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, by a Joint WHO/FAO Expert consultation (2003)
• Foods for Healthy Diet - A searchable collection of nutritional data on thousands of foods for healthy diet. Based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture database for standard reference SR22.

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