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Every living creature needs food in some form or another to survive. Plants, insects, reptiles, mammals and fish all need food. Some foods are liquid and some are solid, but they all contain nutrients. These are important chemical substances that work together and interact with body chemicals to perform important functions in the body.
Nutrition is the study of food. When we learn about nutrition we are learning about the different types of food, what makes up these foods, and how our body uses these foods to maximum advantage.
Wrong information about food and changes to our food supply have created a need for nutrition education in the whole community. Developing sound eating habits from an early age is a vital ingredient for good health and the prevention of disease. Unfortunately, many illnesses result from poor nutrition habits. The following facts highlight some nutritional problems in Australia:
 | 43 % of men and 35 % of women aged 25 to 64 years are overweight or obese. |
| 19 % of men and 21 % of women aged 25 to 64 years have elevated blood cholesterol levels. |
| There are significant levels of both overweight and underweight Australian children. |
| There is a problem with under-nutrition in some population groups. |
| 3 % of adults suffer from diabetes. |
Too much high-kilojoule food, too much fat (particularly saturated fat) and a lack of complex carbohydrates and fibre are the main dietary factors that lead to ill health in Australia. The following tables illustrate the problems associated with overeating and with the lack of certain foods.
Diseases associated with overeating
|
Disease |
Associated dietary factor |
| Cancers
Cardiovascular disease Disease of the liver Diabetes Diseases of the large intestine Gallstone disease Tooth decay |
overweight/obesity, excess dietary fat, excess beer, low
dietary fibre
excess fat (saturated), overweight/obesity, excess sodium (salt). alcohol abuse overweight/obesity low dietary fibre excess refined sugars, overweight/obesity excess sugars and refined starches, low fluoride. |
Diseases associated with under-nutrition
|
Disease |
Associated dietary factor |
| Anaemia (lack of red blood cells)
Anorexia nervosa (severe weight loss and lack of appetite) Osteoporosis (bone disease) Wernicke's encephalopathy (vitamin deficiency syndrome)
|
low iron, low folic acid
inadequate food intake low calcium, low fluoride low thiamine, excess alcohol
|
