Adolescence is known for many profound changes. During that stage, the growth rate becomes very high. That is, all the organs of the body start functioning due to hormones at that time and healthy food becomes a must. Such years are the years when the requirement of nutrients in a child increases, peaks during adolescence, then decreases or even reduces when that adolescent grows up to become an adult. The saying 'you are what you eat' is proving to be absolutely true. We eat different types of food, whether it is dal, chapati, roti, rice, vegetables, milk, lassi and many such items. These various consumable items make us healthy and fit due to nutrition. We should know which foods to take or which to avoid so that we can stay fit. The science behind food and nutrients as well as their actions on our health is called nutrition.
That is to say, nutrition and health go together. Nutrition and health are inseparable. Health depends primarily on nutrition and nutrition depends on food intake. Therefore, food is the most important factor for health and fitness.
Let us define and describe about food, nutrition, health and fitness.
• Food: Food be it something that is solid or liquid in nature and is swallowed by the person eating the food and is digested in his body, it helps in nourishing the body and provides it with certain essential substances called nutrients and keeps it healthy. Food is the prerequisite of living life. It gives energy and keeps the organs as well as tissues of the body fit. Moreover, it protects the body from diseases and prevents disturbances in its functions.
• Nutrition: It is defined as the food, nutrients and other components present in them; as well as the effect those foods have on the human body with respect to functions such as ingestion, digestion, absorption, metabolism and excretion. Even though it best explains the physiological aspect, nutrition has a lot to do with social, psychological and economic matters.
• Nutrients: These are defined as those substances present within the food that the body needs to carry a certain amount. All of these include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, water and fiber. There are many nutrients present in our body through which we keep them fit and healthy. More than one nutrient is present in every food item. Milk contains proteins and fats etc. These nutrients can be divided into two categories based on the amount required on our daily basis: first, macronutrients, and second, micronutrients. The difference between macronutrients and micronutrients can be represented in the figure given below.
Balanced Diet
A balanced diet should contain the right mix of all the foods available in adequate quantity and the right amount of all the essential nutrients to meet the day to day needs. The components include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, water and fibre. This diet promotes and maintains healthy stores and builds up reserves of nutrients to resist periods of short deprivation when not supplied by the diet. Such a safety margin takes care of days when we fast, or there is a short-scale deficiency of certain nutrients in the daily diet. If the balanced diet is providing the RDA for an individual, the margin of safety is already introduced as the RDA is formulated with some additional allowances.
Recommended Dietary Allowances = Requirements + Margin of Safety
A balanced diet fulfils the following parameters.
1. It will contain a variety of foods
2. It will satisfy the RDA of all nutrients
3. It will contain nutrients in appropriate quantities
4. It acts somewhat like a shock absorber of nutrients
5. Keeps the body healthy
6. Body mass according to height.
Health and Wellness
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as: 'Health is a state of complete physical, emotional and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.' It has been that way since 1948. We all want positive health, that is, the right mix of physical, social and mental. We need to take in the necessary nutrients in the proper amount in the diet to maintain positive health. Probably, the most important is physical health. Thus, mental health can be defined as a state of emotional and psychological well-being when a person can apply his cognitive and emotional abilities in social life and maintain the normal requirements of life. Such a definition implies that the absence of an identified mental disorder does not mean a life free from mental illness at all. Good mental health can be measured by how well and effectively a person can perform at his work. He feels competent and capable, handles normal amounts of stress without significant psychological or physical upheaval, maintains pleasant personal relationships, leads an independent life, and can 'bounce back' or recover from adversity - all of which reflect good mental health.
Thus the term physical fitness can be defined as a good condition of the body, which is ultimately the result of exercising regularly with proper diet, nutrition and adequate rest for physical recovery. Two uses of the term physical fitness exist: general fitness, which represents a state of health and well-being; and specific fitness, which is a task-oriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations. Physical fitness is now defined as the ability of the heart, blood vessels, lungs and muscles to function at maximum effectiveness. But before this, an operational definition of fitness was the ability to perform daily tasks without feeling undue fatigue. Such a standard fell out of favor with automation, increased leisure time and lifestyle changes caused by the industrial revolution. Now, it is optimal efficiency. Definition of Fitness: Fitness is defined as the efficiency and effectiveness of the human body for functioning in sports, maintaining health, resisting diseases and overcoming emergencies. There are five other components of fitness, which include; aerobic fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition.
Staying fit prepares a person for mental and emotional struggles. If one is fit, he feels strong and energetic. Fitness can be described as the amount of energy that would allow a person to meet daily physical requirements with extra energy to deal with an unscheduled emergency like running to catch a bus. In this regard, health refers to an ideal state of complete mental, physical and social well-being. Fitness refers to the fact that a person is able to perform physical tasks as required. A nourished and fit person learns faster and reeks of energy, stamina and good self-esteem.
