Healthy Food, Healthy Life

Posted by srcegledy on

Health issues related to food in today’s society:

(Framingham SOURCE, 2020)

Two health related issues in today’s society that direct relate to food are obesity and child hunger. Obesity is  important because it reduces a person’s quality of life and increases mortality rate since it is associated with so many diseases (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer). Since obesity is a comorbidity for diseases, it often drives the cost of healthcare up. Child hunger is important because it also reduces the quality of these children’s lives and does not give them the proper nutrition to grow strong, healthy bodies.

How does food impact these health related issues?

Overconsumption of high calories foods can help drive weight up (obesity) whereas in child hunger there is a lack of access to nutritious and healthful food.

Key components to a healthy diet:

  • Depends on lifestyle- activity level (athlete vs sedentary), age, gender, etc.

  • Meeting macro and micronutrient requirements

  • Fruit and vegetable intake

  • Quality proteins

  • Avoiding saturated fats and high amounts of sodium

  • Good water intake

Good vs. Bad Foods:

Heavily processed foods and those that do not have a high nutritional benefit are “bad” foods. “Bad” foods also include any foods that have a lot of ingredients we have never heard of or that we cannot pronounce (random additives and chemicals). Good foods are whole foods with relatively few ingredients that have not been processed as much and have high nutritional value.

Food advertisement examples:

Whole Foods Market- https://youtu.be/Asqdy71l0EE

CoreLife Eatery- https://www.corelifeeatery.com/

Do these advertisements effectively address the health issues mentioned?

The video from whole food acknowledges that healthy foods should not be heavily processed and relies on promoting the simplicity and nutritional benefits of their foods. However, it fails to acknowledge the costs associated with shopping there and may not be accessible to everyone. Another example is CoreLife Eatery, a restaurant that serves healthful “power” foods that help improve your nutrient intake. However, it is also expensive and may not be accessible to everyone.

Framingham SOURCE. (2020). [Untitled illustration of Whole Foods Market].