139: Diets
Introduction
Diets that are rich in carbohydrates and fats are common in humans especially with the average American citizen. This diet has subsequently been associated with reduced fertility. In my opinion, human diet varies with the culture, economic state, and religious beliefs of a given place. For example, in the African culture, most foods taken are herbs which are also important in treating diseases and maintaining a person’s health. On the other hand, the economic state of a country may also play a key role in the diet of the people in that if the economy is not stable, there is bound to be lack of enough food supply for every person. For this reason, people start eating anything available which may not be healthy ( Diet and Health, 2010).
Religious beliefs in some places play a key role in the diets of people who follow the beliefs. For example, in places where animals are believed to be sacred people are prohibited to eat meat. While a bigger percentage of people in America mostly enjoy fast foods, this diet is not healthy and has paused a health risk for many Americans. The different sources of fat can also determine the growth and development in children and so it is recommended that parents need to watch what their children eat. Americans embrace a wider range of foods from all parts of the world but they eat a lot of fast foods which are readily available such as pizza, hamburgers, and fried chicken (Diet and Health, 2010)
Eating habits have changed for people in America in the past two decades as they have become more health conscious. Even though there are different healthy foods from other cultures, most Americans still continue to eat red meat as well as chicken. Americans consume large amounts of ice cream and chocolates which are also animal fat products. The American preffered diet is not as a result of insufficient healthy foods because the country imports food products such as fresh vegetables from other countries. As compared to the diet in other places such as Haiti, which has a poor economy, it is by individual choice that the Americans eat unhealthy diets depending on their backgrounds (Food Cartoon, 2011).
The Haitians on the hand, are driven by the poverty in their country to eat unhealthy diets because the only means of survival is eating what is available such as mud and worms. Even though, the mud is a source of calcium for many, it is not healthy because it causes stomach pains. The mud contains deadly parasites which may have health effects such as malnutrition, but on the other hand strengthen the immune system of pregnant women. Unlike the Amercans, Haitians have a poor economy, meaning they do not have enough food supply to enable them to have a healthy diet (NBC News, 2011).
For this reason, they choose to eat what is readily available not considering the health risks involved. This may cause disease outbreak which affects both individuals and the community at large. For example, dirty water and mud may cause cholera which spreads fast causing the death of many people. Local public health systems can help reduce the risk to their communities by encouraging health hazards maong the people such use of toilets to avoid polution. Water sources can be made for the people such as boreholes and tanks to avoid intake and use of infected water (NBC News, 2011).
In conclusion, diets rich in saturated fats and starch may have nehative effects on the growth and development of children and also pause a health risk for adults especially the elderly people. Changing the sources of fat to polyunsaturated may help eliminate the negative effects. This is also because the different sources of fat intake may affect the proper growth of the zygote. For this reason, pregnant women are strictly adviced to eat healthy proper diets. This will sustain the ability of the zygote to develop further.
References
Diet and Health. (2010). Retrieved From; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23244973
Food Cartoon, (2011). Retrieved From; https://edge.apus.edu/access/content/group/7dd6bcda-3c0d-4479-a190-06b4a8ea93f8/Photos/foodcartoon.jpg
NBC News, (2011). Retrieved From; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22902512/ns/world_news-americas/t/haitis-poor-resort-eating-mud-prices-rise/#.UPYuY3nug3w
