1.1 Introduction
Diet is a food usually consumed by a person or animal to maintain health and sustain life. In meal preparation foods are combined to obtain various diets. The right combination of different food nutrients to meet the body requirement is referred to adequate diet. An adequate diet can be achieved by eating variety of foods. Healthy eating habit therefore, implies regular consumption of adequate diets. Diet can be normal or therapeutic. Diets lacking in nutrient quality and sporadic eating patterns increases nutritional risk and unwanted weight gain (WHO, 2011). Poor diet and unhealthy lifestyle practices have been identified as the risk factors of cardiovascular and non-communicable disease. Feeding patterns are directly or indirectly associated with chronic diseases such as cancer where cells of a tissue undergo uncontrolled and often rapid proliferation. Diet quality is pivotal and instrumental to healthy diets and emphasizes adequacy, diversity, moderation, and safety. Adequacy refers to meeting energy, macro, and micronutrient needs. Diversity encompasses accessing diverse foods or food groups that provide the required nutrients, antioxidants, as well as taste and variety to meals (Alkerwi, 2014; Herforth , et al., 2014).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Health is a quality of physical, emotional and mental well- being that enables individuals to live effectively and efficiently. Health status shows the nutritional values of the diet patterns of the people and how these patterns increases / decrease their state of social, physical and mental wellbeing. Nutrition is among the most important environmental factors that affect brain development and therefore cognitive, academic performance and the health status and well-being of the individual (Ehinomen, 2017). According to National Institutes of Health (Waugh et al., 2010), Nutrition is the science that interprets the interaction of nutrients and other substances in food in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health and disease of an organism. It includes food intake, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism and excretion.
Ehinomen (2017) opines that the resultant effect of these unhealthy feedings practices includes malnutrition, obesity and increased susceptibility to chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart disease and fatigue. The World Health Organization (WHO) (2011) asserts that, when physical activity is combined with a healthy diet and other lifestyles practices, obesity and other chronic diseases can be reduced.
The growth of interest in the relationship between diet, food ingredients, and health has led to the development of functional foods. Healthy food can make a significant contribution to health and well-being, but busy consumers may not have time to access their optimum diet. Functional foods can provide ingredients that improve health in a convenient way (Functional Food Products and Sustainable Health, 2020). Increased affluence and urbanization are also linked to a lifestyle in which our daily routine requires less physical activity and greater access to energy-intensive food. We now face a real challenge to balance energy consumption and expenditure with more overweight. In 2008, 59% of adult men and 48% of adult women in 27 EU countries were either overweight or obese. Nutrition science has focused much of its history on the role of essential nutrients in the prevention of deficiencies. Nevertheless, unchanged levels of key nutrients or functional components must now be ensured in connection with decreasing energy expenditure (Culhane et al., 2015).
Consuming the right quantities of foods from different food groups could be defined as healthy eating. Ensuring that an individual’s body is properly nourished and capable of functioning is dependent on the lifestyle and activity levels of the individuals. Accepted health guidelines include eating fruit and vegetables per day, reducing levels of salt, sugar and ensuring little or no alcohol consumption (Ehinomen, 2017). These food choices are not necessarily the most nutritious options available. Behavioural changes may present various challenges to the health status and wellbeing of people. Nutrition influences the execution of other developmental tasks and processes. Hence, the nutritional health status and diet of people have profound influence on their functionality (execution of day-to-day activities), health and general well-being (Walsh & Nelson, 2010).
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