UNIT II Our life is centred around food. Food is more than a biological necessity. It contributes to our cultural identity, is a part of social and religious practices. Food also enables us to realise our creativity, is a symbol of hospitality, status and power, among many other things.
Our food choices have far reaching effects. Food nourishes the body, promotes growth, enables it to function and builds resistance to infection. If we eat nutritious and wholesome food, our bodies can function optimally. Thus knowledge about food and nutrition is essential.
Food and Nutrition / Food Science and Nutrition is a broad domain consisting of several sciences that are distinct yet interrelated. As you know, nutrition influences our health, well being and quality of life. Are you aware that nutrition plays a significant role even before birth and that it affects the health of an individual throughout life? Have you ever thought of yourself as a biological being, that your body is made up of carefully arranged atoms, molecules, cells, tissues and organs?
Every cell is regularly and continually replaced, some after a few days, some after months and some after years, although your external appearance may be relatively unchanged. For all these internal and external processes, nutrients are required and food is the source of these nutrients. However, many people do not have the correct knowledge; some do not get adequate food to eat, some overeat, others have wrong food choices because of various reasons, thus leading to malnutrition. In India, the proportion of undernourished persons has been high, but in recent years, prevalence of overnutrition is gradually increasing and many people are now suffering from health problems such as obesity, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes.
Infectious diseases still continue to take their toll. Nutrition is the cornerstone for promotion of health as well as prevention and management of numerous disease conditions. Trained dietitians/ medical nutrition therapists are required to give advice about diet and nutrition to the individual as well as the community. Trained public health nutritionists are required to tackle public nutrition and health problems at regional,