Diet and Health Basics

Diet and Health

• Food is essential for life, providing materials for growth, repair, and normal bodily function.
• The body is like a complex machine, prone to failure if not well-maintained.
• Malnutrition occurs when a person has an unbalanced intake of nutrients.
• Under-nutrition is an insufficient intake of nutrients.
• A balanced diet provides the correct amount of nutrients needed by the body.

Nutrition

• Nutrition is the study of nutrients and their relationship with living things.
• Most foods have multiple nutrients, but some only have one, which are not as useful to the body.
• A variety of foods is needed to provide all the necessary nutrients.
• Diet is the daily food intake of a person.
• Special diets (e.g., slimming) exist.

Metabolism

• The body is a complex structure, made of cells grouped into systems with different tissues.
• Chemical reactions constantly occur in the body to allow the body to function and grow.