Meaning of a balanced diet

y A balanced diet is made up of food that has all the

nutrients in right quantity.

y A balanced diet is necessary for:
y Supplying the required energy y Balanced body growth y Maintaining the health of the body y Preventing deficiency diseases such as scurvy and

rickets.

Factors that affect a balanced diet

y Body size y An individual who has a bigger build needs more calories than an individual with a smaller build y Bigger body requires more energy for the various life processes. y Age y Young adults need more proteins than older adults:
y y

For body-building and growth Make new cells

y Gender y Women need less calories compared to men. y Metabolic rate of a woman is lower than a man y Climate y A person living in a cold country needs more calories than a person living in the desert. y Living in a cold country loses more heat to the surroundings, hence need more energy to maintain body temperature.

y Health y A healthy person requires less energy than a sick person. y Sick person need to overcome infections, maintain body temperature and to repair diseased body tissues. y Occupation/ Physical activity y An individual who is physically active needs more calories than an individual who is inactive.

Calorific value of food

y Carbohydrates , proteins and fats are the suppliers of

energy. y The quantity of energy in a food is measured in calorie or joule. y 1 cal = 4.2 J
Class of food Carbohydrates Proteins Fats Energy value (kJ g-1) 17 18 39