Diet and Nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Diet and Nutrition - Essay Example This essay focuses on the role of health policies in Australia and how they are going about working towards achieving a healthier way of life for the community and what measures have been taken with regard to this particular health issue. What are the changes brought about in the general attitudes of the people Is the impact positive, negative or neutral What more can be done to make the system more efficient and universal These are a few questions this essay attempts to answer. The faced pace of life coupled with a sedentary lifestyle has brought along with it a myriad of diseases and health problems which were unknown to humankind a till a century ago. On one hand medical science has emerged victorious in fighting the battle against plague, small pox and to an extent polio as well but on the other hand humankind today has become more susceptible to diseases like diabetes, hypertension, obesity strokes, cancers and AIDS. The prevalence of these ailments is more in developed nations, which is a major cause of concern as they greatly affect a nations health care budget. It is of common knowledge that most of these diseases stem from poor dietary habits, lack of physical exercise although they are confounded by various other hereditary and psycho- social factors. Since it is a very vast area, the intensity and impact of is difficult to assess and control. It thus continues to eat into our society like an invisible malignancy. The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organization states that: 'health is not just the physical well-being of an individual, but the social, emotional, and cultural well-being of the whole community in which each individual is able to achieve their full potential as a human being thereby bringing about the total well-being of their community'1 Keeping this statement in mind we shall discuss the negative impact and repercussions of improper diet and nutrition, which is currently a national health priority with the Australian Health Care System. Today's "yuppie lifestyle" has bred the demand of "instant and readymade". People do not have the time to assess their nutritional requirements and the exhaustive timings in the corporate world leave them with no energy for physical exercise. There is no fixed pattern for meals, meals are skipped many a times and whatever food is available is consumed without second thoughts. The easiest solution in this solution seems to be fast food or processed food, which is available off the racks. This results in excessive consumption of salt, trans- fats and sugars, which are all anti - health agents. Health status of an individual primarily depends upon the quantity and quality of the food consumed-the right type and amount of food is important in meeting the nutritional needs of the body and fighting chronic