Meaning Of Nutrition

Nutrition is a scientific discipline with food as the major focus of interest. Nutrition also deals with several other related aspects as the following definitions will illustrate.

The simplest definition of nutrition can be expressed thus: "the study of what happens to food once it enters the mouth and there after." However, a more detailed definition would be : "the science of  foods, the nutrients and other substances there in; their action, interaction and balance in relationship to health and disease, the processes by which the organism ingests, digests, absorbs, transports and utilizes  nutrients and disposes of their end products. In addition, nutrition must be concerned with the social, economic, cultural and psychological implications of  food  and eating." We will now consider .each aspect in some detail.

Nutrients: Action, Interaction and Balance

Food, as you know, contains nutrients as well as substances which are non-nutrients. The body needs each nutrient in specific amounts. Some are needed in relatively larger amounts (the micro nutrients) and some in smaller amounts (the micro nutrients). But they are all equally essential for our health. Each nutrient plays a significant role in the body. The mineral, calcium, for example, helps build strong bones and teeth. This is the action of calcium. Similarly, other nutrients have their own specific functions as depicted in Figure below. To return to the earlier example, bones and teeth.also contain another mineral, phosphorus. Both calcium and phosphorus must be supplied to the body in the required amounts and proportions to ensure the normal growth of hones and teeth. This means that normal growth of bones and teeth and maintenance of their normal structure and function requires an interaction between these two nutrients. 

The concept of balance can also be explained by taking the example of calcium and phosphorus. If the diet contains too much phosphorus, it prevents the body from taking in enough of calcium. This creates an imbalance between calcium and phosphorus and affects the bones and teeth. This imbalance can be corrected by consuming foods that supply the two nutrients in the correct proportions.

In the larger context, the term balance means that the nutrients needed by the body should be provided in the right amount and proportions. This will, of course, ensure good health. 

Handling of Food and Nutrients by the Body

How docs the body handle food? We take in food through our mouth where it is chewed and then swallowed. It then passes down into the stomach and thereafter into a long, coiled. tube-like structure called the intestine. Since our body cannot' utilize food as such, it alters its nature and converts it into utilizable forms by many specific actions. This process is called digestion.

Once digestion is completed. several nutrients are available to the body in a form in which the body can use them further. The process by which nutrients move from the intestine into the blood is referred to as absorption. The blood then transports them to all the cells of the body where they are utilized for different functions.

Defination of nutrition

All the substances in the food which the body cannot absorb are thrown out in faces. The processing and handling by the body of absorbed nutrients results in the formation of certain other substances or by-products. Some of these are harmful and need to be thrown out of the body. This is achieved by transferring them from the blood to the urine. The latter is then thrown out of the body.

Social, Psychological and Economic Aspects of Nutrition

Social and psychological factors determine the acceptability of a particular dietary pattern and the foods included. We might suggest a nutritious diet for a person but  it might not be acceptable to him because of socio-cultural reasons, for example. This is the reason why a person's social background and reactions to particular food items have to be carefully considered. Further, economic considerations determine whether foods arc available and affordable. Let us now look at each of these aspects in detail. 

Social and cultural aspects of eating: Food his a special meaning in the social and cultural context, as you know. Our ancient Vedic tradition emphasizes food as the life-giver. It further attributes specific qualities to specific foods. It is said that satiric foods, for example, increase intellectual capacity and creativity, energy and cheerfulness. Milk and milk products are regarded as the prominent sottvic foods. The rajasic foods (foods that stimulate passion) are stated to include fish, eggs and meat while pork and beef are put in the category of tamsic foods (stale, reheated, tasteless and impure foods). Contrast this view of food and eating with our modern views, we no longer believe that certain foods or categories of foods (when part of a usual diet) can influence our behavior to any significant extent. At restaurants and hotels, customers frequently eat reheated food which in the Vedic tradition has the lowest status. Many people, even though they may be vegetarian, do not mind  sharing food with non-vegetarian friends. The former, of course, would not consume meat and meat products but may still accept vegetarian foods prepared in kitchens where meat is also cooked. This is a desirable trend. Tolerance and adaptability to varied eating habits is a healthy sign of progress.

You must have now realized why nutrition concerns itself not only with the body's handling of nutrients and other food components, but also with food acceptance. We cannot-expect members of a community to immediately accept a food just because it is rich in nutrients. We have to consider any food from their point of view. Is it a food rejected by their culture? Is it a food considered to be a "prestige" food in that community? (Here, of course, we mean foods which are accorded a high status because they are expensive or because they are consumed by people of higher status in society). Are all population groups belonging-to that community allowed to consume the food item or is it forbidden in the case of pregnant women or infant, this shows us how important it is to keep a person's socio-cultural background in mind whenever we talk of,improving or modifying food-related practices.

The psychology of eating: How does a person react to food? What psychological factors influence our eating patterns? Consider examples A to C. Example A: Minnie is a housewife. She gives her whole family vitamin tablets because she thinks this will keep them healthy arid full of energy. Her friend tells her that she needs no vitamin tablets because the same vitamins can be supplied by the ordinary foods consumed. Minnie does not agree; for her the vitamin tablet is an answer to all ills.

Example B: Raju, a five-year-old boy, loves to watch television. He sees the numerous advertisements for foods like instant noodles, soft drinks, toffees and chocolate every single day. His mother frequently gets annoyed because he wants her to purchase the foods he sees on television even though she tries to convince him that they are not good for health.

Example C: Sarla has just given birth to a baby boy. Her mother-in-law insists that she consume till laddoos, panjiri and ghee to stimulate the flow of breast milk. (Till laddoos are sweet balls made of jaggery and sesame (til) seeds, panjiri is made of whole wheat flour, sugar, nuts and far) Sarla does as her mother-in-law advises. 

Have you gone through the three examples carefully? You must have noticed the importance of peoples attitudes to food in determining the type of foods they select and the quantities they eat. Many factors influence our choice of foods such as advertisements and the attitudes of other people around us. Our reactions to these influences often determine both what we eat and how much we eat. One example is  the child who seeks to overcome a feeling of insecurity or inferiority by eating more. Another child may seek to overcome the same feelings by eating less. Thus our individual reactions to food and to the people around us can have a significant psychological influence on our eating pattern.

The economics of food: Food costs money. It must be within the reach of people and it must be equitably distributed to all sections of the population. The availability of food and its proper distribution are of great importance. You may have heard of people dying of starvation even when plenty of food was available. In India, for example, agricultural production has consistently increased. However, the problem of distributing our food surplus still remains. As a result large sections of our population do not get enough food. These are only some of the larger economic issues of interest to everyone. Our ultimate aim should be to ensure the good health of all individuals.