Healthful Eating
You make many daily choices about eating. Will you eat a snack after school? What will your snack be? Will you eat before going to bed at night? Your choices play a part in how you function physically, mentally, and socially.
Eating is not a purely physical reaction to hunger. People eat for psychological reasons as well. They may turn to food when they are lonely, depressed, anxious, bored, or under stress. Food gives them temporary comfort.
People also eat because something suggests the idea to them. They may,
for example, have a dish of ice cream after watching an appealing commercial
on TV. Some people associate eating with certain activities. They may,
for example, have developed a habit of eating while reading or listening to music.
Eating is also a way of socializing. Lavish meals are often prepared for family
gatherings and parties.
Many people are not satisfied with their weight. Most think they are too fat
or too thin. A large percentage of those who think they have weight problems are
actually the correct weight for their height and frame. For some, however, their
weight is, indeed, a problem.
There’s no mystery about the primary cause of overweight. If you eat more
calories than your body can use, it stores the excess calories as fat. However, why
do some people eat more than they need? The underlying causes of overweight
are not well understood. Research into a number of factors associated with
overweight continues.
Some research suggests that overweight people are more likely to turn to
food for psychological reasons than people of normal weight are. In other words,
they eat to fill needs other than hunger. Another research suggests that speed of
eating also may be linked to overeating. People who eat too fast may overeat
regularly. A control mechanism in the brain, called the hypothalamus, regulates
the appetite. However, by the time the hypothalamus signals fast eaters to stop
eating, they may have already eaten too much. Over time, rapid eating may even
cancel the control mechanism completely.
There are various theories about the causes of underweight, too. Like obesity, underweight tends to run in families: thin parents may have thin children. Some people are underweight because they skip meals, either because they are too busy or because they don’t care about food; others can’t afford to eat properly. A few people develop serious emotional disorders that cause them to lose weight.
Being overweight or underweight can have serious health effects. According
to government studies, diet is linked to six of the ten leading causes of death:
heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, and diabetes.
You can help prevent premature disease by being careful about your diet.
A healthful diet means good nutrition. To make wise decisions, you need to
know about nutrition and nutrients.
Nutrition is the relationship of the food you eat to your health and well-being. Nutrition involves the study of foods and the major nutrients. A healthful diet gives you energy to enjoy your favourite activities. It enables you to grow and
develop and have a healthful appearance. A healthful diet and regular exercise
help you maintain your ideal weight. Your physical health improves and you
feel good about yourself. Therefore, a healthful diet promotes optimum health
for your future.
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