Chapter TWO: Eating for Health
- Explain obesity and its related health risks
- Describe the effects of excessive intake of sugar, cholesterol and salt
- Describe the effects of insufficient intake of dietary fibre, water, iron and calcium
- Assess how an unhealthy diet can lead to certain cancers
- Discuss two eating disorders - anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa


Obesity: Excessive accumulation of fats in body
- Occurs when...
-- Excessive intake of high-calorie food that have a high amount of fats and sugar
-- Lifestyle with little or no physical exercise
-- Excessive calories that the body does not need are stored in the body as fats, thus leading to obesity

Obese people have a greater risk of developing diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases (Disease that affects the heart and blood vessels) such as coronary heart disease, hypertension and stroke (A condition in which the brain loses some or all of its functions when the flow of blood to it is blocked).

:: Effects of excessive intake of sugar, cholesterol and salt ::
Coronary Heart Disease ~
Cholesterol: A waxy substance found in food from animal sources (E.g. Egg Yolk)
- Too much cholesterol in our diet can lead to coronary heart disease, which then lead to heart attack
Here is a video to let you understand better:

As you can see, the excess cholesterol in blood causes a build-up of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries. These fatty deposits block the blood flow to the heart muscles and damage them.
- Damaged muscles CANNOT be repaired
- Eventually, the damaged heart muscles may stop pumping and cause a heart attack

Hypertension ~
- Caused by excessive intake of salt / sodium
- Also can cause high blood pressure
Here are some examples of food high in sodium:

Salt or sodium is usually 'hidden', or masked by other flavours. Most processed or preserved food contain a lot of 'hidden' salt or sodium. Be aware of food with 'hidden' salt. You should avoid or eat less of them.

Diabetes ~
- Usually said to have 'sugar in the urine' or 'sweet urine'.
- Insulin is usually absent or not used properly by the body in a diabetic person
- Hence, glucose cannot be converted into energy properly and remains in the blood
- Too much glucose in the lood causes frequent urination, blurred vision, weight loss and tiredness
- Some excess glucose is passed out of the body through urination

- Lower the risk of getting diabetes by maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet
- And adequate exercise
- Consume lesser food that is high in sugar

Tooth Decay and Gum Disease ~
- Caused by excessive intake of sugary food
- Sweet and sticky food combine with bacteria in the mouth to form an invisible layer called plaque on our teeth ...
- Tooth Decay ::
-- Cavities formed on a tooth can cause pain and infection
-- Left untreated, the tooth may need to be extracted
- Gum Disease ::
-- Bacteria present in plaque infect gums, making them sore and swollen
-- Infected gums are painful and bleed easily
-- Left untreated, the teeth may even become lose and fall out

:: Effects of insufficient intake of dietary fibre, water, iron and calcium ::

Constipation ~
- Insufficient intake of dietary fibre and water results in dry and hard faeces
- Move very slowly through large intestine and require a lot of effort to be expelled from the body, causing constipation
- Here are the steps that lead to constipation:
#001 Waste products enter the large intestines from the small intestines
#002 Water is extracted from the waste products for use by the body
#003 More water is extracted as the waste products move through the larget intestines
#004 Normal faeces are soft and semi-moist. These are easily expelled from the body.
#005 Constipation occurs when there is insufficient fluids and dietary fibre in the diet and the faeces are hard and dry. Difficult to pass out from the body.
- Prevent constipation by drinking more water and eating more fruits and vegetables (High in dietary fibre)

Anaemia ~
- Lack of iron, resulting in fewer red blood cells being produced and less oxygen being carried around the body
- Anaemic person would often feel weak and tired
- Prevent anaemia by eating food rich in iron such as liver, red meat, egg yolk and dark green vegetables

Osteoporosis ~
- Calcium builds strong bones and teeth
- Insufficient intake of calcium over a long period of time
- People who suffers from osteoporosis have bones who lose density and become brittle
- More common in elderly than young people
- Reduce risk of osteoporosis by consuming iron-rich food, like tofu, ikan bilis, milk and other diary products

This is a picture of a comparison of a normal bone and an osteoporotic bone.

:: Cancer ::
- A general term for diseases in which abnormal cells in the body multiply out of control
- Affects the proper functioning of organs in the body
- Many chemicals used to make processed food are thought to be carcinogenic/cancer-causing
(E.g. Smoked meat, ham, luncheon meat, salted fish and pickled vegetables)
- Some cancers are linked to certain diets..
-- Stomach canter: Diet high in preserved and smoked food
-- Colorectal cancer: Diet high in saturated fat, meat and alcohol, and low in dietary fibre

:: Eating Disorders ::
- An unnatural obsession with food, weight and body image
- Often thought to occur only amongst females, but males can have them too

Anorexia Nervosa ~
- Often called the 'slimming disease'
- Have an unbalanced self-image of themselves and low self-esteem
- May think they are overweight despite being dangerously thin
- May starve themselves and exercise excessively
- Warning signs include::
-- Extreme Weight Loss
-- Menstruation stops
-- Depressed and irrtable
-- Problems coping with stress
- If left untreated, can cause lasting damage to organs such as kidneys and reproductive organs
- That anorexic person may eventualy starve to death

An anorexic Model.

Bulimia nervosa ~
- Have low self-exteem, linked to their body image
- Bulimics binge or eat large amounts of food in a short period of time, then they get rid of the food they eat by purging
- Bulimics purge by making themselves vomit or by using laxatives (Medicines to get rid of the waste from our body more easily)
- May repeatedly binge, purge and over-exercise
- Warning signs of bulimia nervosa..
-- Frequent trips to the bathroom, especially after meals
-- Teary eyes and swollen cheeks
-- Scraped knuckles from stikcing fingers down the throat to induce vomiting
-- Stained teeth
- May lead to tooth decay due to stomach acids being brought up during frequent vomiting
- Somach weakened by repeated binging and excessive vomiting
- May lead to heart failure, dehydration or even death

If you have any queries or comments or questions, email me at merlion0512@hotmail.com
Thankyou!

Weishi.
P.S. I am unable to finish all the chapters of Home Economics, so hopefully you can study on your own, I sincerely apologise!

Labels: Home Economics