Nutrition may be defined as the science of food and its relationship to health. It is one of the most important elements of health care. Now a day’s greater emphasis is laid on nutrition to provide better health to the families and communities.
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Undernourishment and malnutrition lead to so many diseases like tuberculosis, goitre, anaemia, beri-beri, night blindness and infections of skin, gastro-intestinal and respiratory tract.
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The dietary factors play a major role in non-communicable diseases like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, disorder of liver and gall bladder etc. Poverty, economic inability and illiteracy are the important causes of malnutrition. Therefore diseases are more common in poor people rather than economically better and educated people.
Through centuries food has been recognized as an important constituent for human beings in health and diseases and major time was devoted in production or search of food.
Until the turn of the century the science of nutrition had a limited range and greater emphasis was laid on carbohydrates, proteins and fats but the discovery of vitamins revolutionized the science of nutrition and gained recognition as a scientific discipline.
A food may be defined as any substance which when taken into the body can be utilized to provide heat or energy, to maintain and compensate wear and tear of tissues and to regulate body processes.
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The science of nutrition deals with food values, its digestion, absorption, metabolism in the body and transportation to the tissues for utilisation in growth, development and health promotion in an individual.
Nutrition has been established as one of the most important environmental factors affecting health of an individual, the family, the community, the society and the nation.
Functions of Food:
Important functions of food include:
(i) It provides energy in the form of heat, for mechanical work etc. Even while the body is at rest some energy is utilized on respiratory, circulatory and other body processes.
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(ii) It is essential for the growth of the body and for the repair of daily wear and tear of tissues. Even after the growth is stopped, the body continues to change throughout life and tissues are also changed.
(iii) It is essential for maintenance and regulation of tissue functions, and body temperature.
(iv) It provides the power to the body to build resistance against infections and diseases.
(v) It is essential to satisfy the hunger.