Ask Dr Nerenberg | Health and Fitness

Nutrition for Good Health

Malnutrition is a word often associated with famine and hunger, especially in developing countries. However, another form of malnutrition or poor nutrition is common in countries like the United States and Canada, and in areas with a similar diet. This is malnutrition caused by poor food choices and overeating.

A better understanding of nutritional problems representative of the industrialized nations, Awake! I talked to the nutritionist Nilda Tirado, New York coordinator for the Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program, administered by the University Cornell Cooperative Extension. Cooperative Extension programs in the United States provide free information and assistance to the public in the selection and proper use of food to maintain good health. The following are answers to questions Nilda Tirado of Awake! representative.

What are the main health problems related to nutrition in industrialized countries?

The most common nutrition-related problem is tooth decay, or tooth decay, affecting all age groups. Being obese or overweight, would be next, and iron deficiency anemia, which is still common in women, adolescents and children. However, of concern are chronic diseases and various conditions such as high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and gastrointestinal problems that are directly related to excessive consumption of foods high in calories, fat and salt, and fiber intake is insufficient. These conditions are related the many changes in our lifestyle and our way of eating patterns and food preparation.

You have mentioned the problem of too much food. Is this really a major concern?

Obesity is a major public health problem in all age groups in many industrialized countries. Changes in lifestyle and increased availability of foods contribute to it. In children of school age, we see especially in grades first to third and, particularly in urban areas where opportunities for exercise are often limited. When a person has more than 20 percent above normal body weight, which is said to be obese. A baby supercharged can easily become an obese child, and then if nothing is done to correct dietary habits, the obese child becomes an obese adult at risk having high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

What problems do you encounter child nutrition?

We often find that many mothers wean their babies too soon and introduce solid foods too soon. They also tend to give more food than they really needed for child health. Many mothers pressured by family and friends often try to remove the babies of three months. Since the language of babies are conditioned to aspire to push fluids and solid food for swallowing properly, the baby often spit out most of the food. Frustrated by this, mothers invent a kind of baby food smoothie by diluting the food in the formula. Is then fed through a bottle baby after the enlargement of the nipple hole. Besides the risk of choking the baby, this kind of power increases the tendency to an overweight baby and has also been associated with an increased incidence of ear infection.

When is a good time to wean the baby?

Most babies do not need solids until they are about six months old, and yet should not be introduced to foods rich in protein immediately. Your system tract often can not handle the protein, which may be a slight bleeding in the intestines, the mother will not notice. This can manifest as anemia. You may also can be a problem with the development of allergies and skin problems. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that when weaning a baby, something easy to digest, such as rice cereal, occurs during the first two or three days. And every time a new child is introduced to cereal, it is suggested that only grain that is taken for three days to determine if an allergy to it.

Do you recommend breast-feeding?

Absolutely. By all means. Breast milk contains nutrients, not only in quantities suitable for children, but also antibodies that prevent many common childhood infections. Fed breastfed rarely become obese and generally have fewer allergies and gastrointestinal disorders. Unfortunately there is still a misconception among some women, possibly if you can afford it, baby formula is better. Although the formula is nutritionally adequate, does not exist in the antibodies and the perfect balance of nutrients is in breast milk.

What about older children?

We see a double problem with the children. First, they are often overfed, and, secondly, it is not taught to eat a variety of foods.

Babies require numerous feedings throughout the day, and sometimes mothers maintain this routine that the child grows. But children do not need more food per pound of body weight as infants do, and should not be forced to eat all the time.

In addition, young children often go through food jags, preferring one or two foods all the time. This can create problems if not handled properly. Children may have trouble taking a well balanced diet, later. For example, much of the nutrients incorporated in school lunch programs are thrown because the children have never been exposed to some of these foods before they start school. It is therefore important to encourage children to be open to new foods. Encouraging children to select, prepare, and even grow food are ways to make food interesting and fun. Parents should also serve as role models here. Some children are given the opportunity to feed themselves. In order to shorten their time to eat, or because mothers feel it is their paper, children are often spoon-fed instead of letting them learn to feed themselves.

Do adults have nutritional problems in particular?

Studies have shown that adults in all income groups consume too much fat and sodium (salt) and not enough fiber. Excessive intake of fat is often reflected in an overweight condition or atherosclerosis in some people. Preference for a high consumption of meat, which is also high in fat, and eating foods rich in empty calories contribute to these conditions, like lack of adequate exercise. Sodium intake is high due to heavy reliance on processed foods, which for today's lifestyle, people find it very convenient to use. Fiber intake, however, is lower because people eat less of foods in which it operates, including legumes (beans, peas, lentils), fruits, vegetables, and whole grain breads and cereals.

Especially Americans eat larger portions the meat is really necessary. To meet the daily needs of the body of the protein, only two to three ounces (57 to 85 g) of meat is necessary. However, it is common see people consume six to eight ounces (170 to 230 g) of meat at dinner only. This adds to the protein in your breakfast of ham, bacon or sausage and hot dog or hamburger for lunch and protein found in all other foods they can eat. The guy that sits and consumes half a chicken, for example, is actually getting four times the amount of protein needed for that day and many more calories than necessary. Increasing protein sources of food of animal origin, also increase the intake of fat, since most are high in fat and cholesterol. The more animal products consumed more calories and fat. Sometimes people who want to lose weight and eat other foods to cut meat only, not realizing that the meat has more calories does pasta or rice.

Change nutritional needs with age?

Yes and no. We all need the same nutrients that whatever our age, but in different amounts. As we age, requiring fewer calories. This is because the energy needed to keep the body decreases with age, although the activity and health may remain constant. If a person becomes less active, then even fewer calories are required. So the elders need to eat fewer calories and exercising more or become overweight. Sugars, fats, oils and alcohol should be limited, as are high in calories and lack of essential nutrients.

Our needs Nutrition also change during growth periods of childhood, adolescence and pregnancy and after illness or surgery. At present, we have increase the availability of nutrients to our body by eating more foods that provide calories and nutrients.

The most common nutritional problem in women remains that iron deficiency. The trend among many women is to reduce calories, which can be a good thing for your weight, but since iron is difficult to obtain in food, and because it occurs only in certain foods and in limited quantities, the amount of available iron is further reduced. Iron supplements are often recommended as a security measure.

Another growing problem, especially in older women, osteoporosis is caused by a loss of calcium from the bones. About 40 percent of all women who reach age 80 have this condition. This calcium loss is actually a normal part of aging, but since women not usually have a good supply of calcium in their bodies, due to a diet low in calcium and decreased activity throughout life, what would be normal is rather a problem serious. As calcium leaves the bones become less dense, and often the person will be reduced, appearing much shorter. Curvature of the spine is common along bone fractures of the hip and spine. It is for this reason that calcium-rich foods should be part of the diet throughout life.

What recommendations gives housewives for a healthy diet?

In addition to that already mentioned, we encourage people to eat a variety of foods to ensure they receive all the nutrients they need. Furthermore, since there seems to be a pattern of today's opening of packages and cans, and eating frozen TV meals, we urge people to look around and choose from the wide variety of fresh foods available in the market and then learn how to prepare these foods for the nutrients, flavor and color are preserved. Skip, steaming, and cooking are cooking methods that help to do this and are preferable to boiling and frying. It's amazing how many people have not learned to cook just do not feel well or have the time to do so.

We try to help people see that they can better control what they eat to make their own food. Instead of fall back on, such as frozen chicken is coated preparation has additives and extra fat, a housewife can buy fresh chicken or frozen chicken parts, preparation, adding the ingredients to enjoy his family and serve attractive for everyone to enjoy.

We also encourage housewives to limit use of commercially prepared mixtures, such as dried soups, meat assistants, and cake mixes. They often contain high amounts of salt and other ingredients that can not be good for our health. A housewife can prepare some of these mixtures of itself and store them for later use. This will save time and money and allows for creativity the cook. Thus, the housewife can also control what happens in the food you feed your family, and may limit fat and salt if desired. This is almost impossible if used to make mixes.

We urge also that the housewives get to know what nutrients are needed for good health and become consumers informed by searching for ingredients listed on product labels before buying. Since there are new food products and nutritional information in the media communication every day, housewives should also get advice from reliable sources of nutrition information. Such sources include reliable health professionals in government agencies, hospitals and local health agencies and Cooperative Extension naturally operating nutrition programs in all states in the United States.

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