User:Tyrcles/Preventive nutrition

Preventive Nutrition is a branch of nutrition science with the goal of preventing, delaying, and/or reducing the impacts of disease and disease-related complications. It is concerned with a high level of personal well-being, disease prevention, and diagnosis of recurring health problems or symptoms of discomfort which are often precursors to health issues. Preventive nutrition may assist in prolonging the onset of non-communicable diseases (such as Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease) and may allow adults to experience more "healthy living years" later in life. The need for preventive nutrition continues to grow as the overweight and obese population numbers steadily rise within the childhood to adult populous, as the numbers have increased over the last 40 years. To educate the public about preventive nutrition, each social structure has its own way of communicating what preventive nutrition is within its own society, this is done through either a public health forum, government programs and policies or nutritional education. In the United States, preventive nutrition is taught to the public through the use of the food pyramid or MyPlate initiatives.

History
The idea of using preventive nutrition as a medical treatment is not a new idea, as philosopher Hippocrates (460-377 BC) states that the best way to diminish diseases or ailments was to "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food". Since the understanding for preventive nutrition was needed, the Mediterranean Diet model was the standard reference guide. As the Mediterranean diet was initially recognized to fight against the onset of heart disease.

Since the early 1980s food trends have gradually begun to change, with the introduction and fast popularization of processed prepackaged convenience foods. With this popularization these type of foods also increased the digestions of high amounts of refined-sugar, sodium and high fatty foods which lack micro-nutrients and favorable macro-profiles which lead to a lower nutrient-density value that can have great adverse effects on health.

During the commercialization and industrialization of food a higher demand for processed, prepackaged, convenience food such as beef in your fast food burger, farmers began to industrially farm livestock to produce more meat to meet the food industry's demand. To meet the demands farmers began to feed livestock corn, soy, and grain. Corn is the most used animal feed in the United States. Compared to grass-fed beef, grain-fed beef was higher in saturated fatty acids along with a less favorable omega fatty acids profile, highlighting the imbalance of nutrients in these kinds of foods.

A lack of Preventive Nutrition
Every day, the consequences of inadequate preventive nutrition become increasingly apparent. The lack of awareness regarding both nutritional and physical well-being is taking a toll on the health of numerous individuals. A survey conducted in China among the hypertensive population highlights that obesity emerges as a prominent factor contributing to hypertension. . According to Wei, Junyang's article addressing hypertension as a significant health concern in China, a survey of 3,579 participants revealed that 55.5% were aware of their diagnosis. Among that percentage, only 20.3% had their hypertension under control. The article also highlighted a correlation between poor control and obesity. In their conclusion, the authors asserted that awareness and control of hypertension were low in China. It could be suggested that preventative nutrition could be employed as a method for raising awareness through preventative measures and providing control for these kinds of chronic non-communicable diseases. It is necessary to prevent people from becoming overweight or out of shape before they fall victim to the side effects of obesity, injury, or other chronic non-communicable diseases.

How to implement Preventive Nutrition
Preventive nutrition extends beyond mere dietary choices; it encompasses heightened nutritional and physical awareness as well as corresponding practices. Nonetheless, for certain individuals, diets can serve as excellent tools in restoring the body to a state of health. As an example, the Ketogenic diet has been scientifically validated for its effectiveness in enhancing glycemic control among individuals with Type 2 diabetes and those who are at risk of developing the condition. This dietary approach serves as an excellent tool for individuals grappling with insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control challenges. Nevertheless, it's crucial to emphasize that diets should be viewed as tools rather than permanent solutions. This is because extreme diets, such as the ketogenic diet, may potentially have adverse effects, or we may lack sufficient data on their long-term impacts.

An alternative to diets or a complement to dietary approaches, and a practice that can persist beyond specific diet plans, is cultivating nutritional awareness and making proactive food choices. This approach is the most sustainable method for maintaining good health and forms the essence of Preventive Nutrition. A simple way to begin is by familiarizing yourself with nutritional labels. Reading these labels provides insight into what you're consuming, including quantities and other macro nutrients. In a four-week randomized, controlled trial assessing the impact of three types of nutrition labels on consumer food purchases, the results indicated that "Products for which participants viewed the label and subsequently purchased the product during the same shopping episode were significantly healthier than products where labels were viewed but the product was not subsequently purchased."

The objective of Preventive Nutrition is to continually enhance one's awareness of food quantities, ingredients, and how specific foods interact with and impact the body. It's essential to progressively expand knowledge of nutrition to thwart chronic diseases and obesity, promoting a lifestyle that facilitates optimal health and vitality.