How easy is it for someone with a dietary need to eat appropriate foods?
How easy is it for someone with a dietary need to eat appropriate foods?
Section A: Task 1: Planning and Information
Factors Involved
How easy exactly is it for someone with a dietary need to eat appropriate foods? What exactly is a dietary need? I know that it can't be the easiest thing in the world to have a dietary need and eating all the appropriate foods needed is the simplest task. A dietary need is basically when a person's body does not function as an average one. An example of this is a popular dysfunction in the body when it can not produce a hormone called insulin, which is responsible for the absorption of glucose into cells. So this means the diabetic has to firstly inject this hormone and maintain a diet with not too much or too little glucose, it has to be exactly balanced. Another example of a dietary need is Crohn's Disease, which is when an inflammation occurs in the digestive system. Coronary Heart Disease, another dietary need is the narrowing of the coronary arteries feeding the heart. I am going to particularly focus on Diabetes that is the most common of the selected dietary needs I have selected. I am going to investigate what it is like to self motivate you as well e.g. a diabetic can not just go and eat several chocolate bars, this could cause severe problems even death. So I am going to see just how hard it is to self motivate yourself if you did have a dietary need.
To find out exactly what this must be like, I am going to create a survey and question some Diabetics at the local Diabetic Clinic. I am also going to pretend to be a Diabetic for a weekend.
Asking Questions
What is Diabetes?
It has been estimated that 1 million people in the UK have diabetes. Diabetes Mellitus, its full name is a disease caused by defective carbohydrate metabolism making abnormally large amounts of sugar in the blood and urine. Diabetes Mellitus can eventually damage the eyes, kidneys, heart and limbs, and can endanger pregnancy.
There are two types of Diabetes Mellitus - type 1, or insulin-dependant diabetes mellitus (IDDM), formally called juvenile-onset diabetes, which occurs in children and young adults, had been implicated as one of the auto immune diseases. Type II, or non-insulin dependant diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), formally called adult-onset diabetes, is usually found in persons over 40 years old and progresses slowly.
With adequate treatment, most diabetics maintain blood-sugar levels within a normal or nearly normal range. This means they can lead normal lives and prevent long term consequences of the disease. However, how easy is it for someone with dietary needs like diabetes to eat appropriate food. The Diet requires distributing meals and snacks throughout the day so that the insulin supply is not overwhelmed and eating food that contains polysaccharides rather than simple sugars. (Polysaccharides must first be broken down in the stomach, therefore producing a much slower rise in sugar). For type II diabetics, most of whom are at least moderately overweight, the basics of therapy are diet control, weight reduction, and exercise.
What is Crohn's disease?
Crohn's disease causes inflammation in the small intestine. Crohn's disease usually occurs in the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum, but it can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the anus. The inflammation extends deep into the lining of the affected organ. The inflammation can cause pain and can make the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhoea.
Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines.
Crohn's disease affects men and women equally and can be genetic. About 20 percent of people with Crohn's disease have a blood relative with some form of IBD, most often a brother or sister and sometimes a parent or child.
Crohn's disease may also be called ileitis or enteritis.
What is Coronary heart disease?
Narrowing of the coronary arteries that feed the heart causes heart disease. Like any muscle, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, which are carried to it by the blood in the coronary arteries. When the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged by cholesterol and fat deposits a process called atherosclerosis and cannot supply enough blood to the heart, the result is coronary heart disease (CHD). If not enough oxygen-carrying blood reaches the heart, a chest pain called angina develops. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by total blockage of a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack. This is usually happens due to a sudden closure from a blood clot forming on top of a previous narrowing.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body and that your body needs to function normally. It is present in cell walls or membranes everywhere in the body, including the brain, skin, muscle, nerves, liver, intestines, and heart. Your body uses cholesterol to produce many hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that help to digest fat. It takes only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet these needs. If you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream, the excess is deposited in arteries, including the coronary arteries, where it contributes to the narrowing and blockages that cause the signs and symptoms of heart disease.
Hypotheses
* I think that those with Dietary needs would like to make their disadvantage as easy as possible
* I think they would like to see a larger range of foods for their specific dietary need which identifies that it is suitable for them to eat
* I think they would like to be able to identify whether it is suitable for them to drink on alcohol bottles as well
* I think they would like more superstores to be more understanding with their disadvantage
* I think they feel they are ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
Hypotheses
* I think that those with Dietary needs would like to make their disadvantage as easy as possible
* I think they would like to see a larger range of foods for their specific dietary need which identifies that it is suitable for them to eat
* I think they would like to be able to identify whether it is suitable for them to drink on alcohol bottles as well
* I think they would like more superstores to be more understanding with their disadvantage
* I think they feel they are limited very much and would like to not feel so awkward when explaining they have a dietary need and cannot eat certain foods at i.e. a dinner parties.
Further Research
As I am limited to investigating further if a person was to investigate further these ket questions could help them do this.
* How would a family member with a dietary need of a typical family be a problem?
* How would going for a meal to a restaurant be a problem if you had a dietary need?
* How would going to a dinner party that didn't know about your dietary need be an awkward problem?
Section B: Task 2
Investigative/Research Techniques
Preparing for Investigation
Techniques I could use to research the task
- Carrying out a survey and visiting a local diabetic clinic
- Becoming a Diabetic for a week and find out what the limits are
- Cook some foods some designed for diabetics, some not and ask people to try them and see which they prefer, or if they can tell which is which
- Compare specialist diabetic products with similar non-diabetic products (cost, value, value for money, sensory characteristics, nutritional value etc)
Dietary needs are extremely common all over the world. They sometimes can be very fatal and others just an incurable problem. My aim is throughout this investigation is to talk about a few selected dietary needs and how they can eat appropriately but appetising foods and let those dietary needs to not be "an incurable problem", but just a part of life. I am also going to find out exactly what people with these needs want and how I can help them. So firstly I am going to go to the local diabetics clinic and ask some patients for their time to fill out a survey asking exactly how they feel about having a dietary need and what they would like to see in improvement in the near future. I am also going to become a diabetic for a weekend to fully understand what it is like to be limited. And most importantly of all find out exactly how easy it is for a person with a dietary need to eat appropriate foods!
I have decided to concentrate on going to the local Diabetic clinic and asking them to fill out a simple questionnaire. This is a copy of one:
. Sex: F M
2. Age: 18 & under
19-30
31-40
41-50
51+
3. When were you first diagnosed with Diabetes?
4. What Diabetes do you suffer from.
Type 1- Insulin Dependent Diabetes
Type 2- Non-Insulin Dependant Diabetes
5.Do you have to a) Inject or b)Take tablets?
6.How often do you inject a day?
7.Do you find you are limited to the amounts of foods you eat? If yes, why?
8. What is your usual daily meal pattern? Could you please enter a pacific evening meal?
9. Do you have a specific intake? If so, how much?
0. Do you find it hard to purchase ready to eat foods because of their particular ingredients?
If yes, why?
If no, why?
1. In activities like sport do you have to alter your diet or insulin intake? If so how?
2. When you socialise with alcohol consumption do you have to alter your diet or calorie intake? If so how much?
3. What do you find the hardest about being Diabetic?
4. Would you like to see a larger range of foods, particularly desserts for specifically diabetics in the supermarkets?
5. Any further comments?
Thank you very much for your time. It is much appreciated.
Carrying Out the Investigation
I asked 22 people in total, 12 females and 10 males. Here are tables of results and graphs illustrating these to the different questions I asked.
Age of people with Diabetes
Number of People
8 & under
7
9-30
2
31-40
4
41-50
3
51+
6
Type of Diabetes
Number of People
Type 1
9
Type 2
3
Method of Medication for Condition
Number of People
Inject
7
Take Tablets
3
Both
Number of Times Diabetics Inject a Day or method
Number of People
None
3
Twice
6
Three
Four
9
Five
2
Insulin Pump
Do you find you are limited to the foods you eat?
Number of People
Yes
2
No
0
How Diabetics feel about and how hard they find purchasing ready to eat foods
Number Of People
Yes
9
No
9
Do not purchase them
4
How many Diabetics have to alter their diet or calorie intake when consuming alcohol
Number Of People
Yes
7
No
6
Too Young/Don't Drink
9
Diabetics that would like to see a larger range of foods specifically desserts
Number of People
Yes
6
No
6
So my results showed that a vast majority of those with diabetes are ages 18 and under or 51+. So this means during my investigation I should focus mainly on these ages. And over three-quarters of these people had type 1, insulin dependant diabetes. I also discovered that just over half of the diabetics I questioned felt they were limited to the foods they ate. This also will be useful throughout my investigation, as I can look into ways that will make diabetics feel less limited. It was fairly equal on the amount of diabetics that found it easy to buy ready to eat foods, half found it easy, half found it difficult. I found that rather interesting as I assumed all diabetics would find it easy to purchase ready-to-eat foods because of the high amount of carbohydrates. I also discovered that those who did drink most had to alter their calorie intake if consuming alcohol, which is another aspect, I could look into. And the main aspect I will look into and the most varied response was that 73% of the diabetics I interviewed wanted to see a larger range of foods specifically for diabetics, especially in desserts.
So I have come up with some general tips to help obtain a healthy diet:
The "diabetic diet" is not a special diet in any way: it is in fact a healthy way of eating which is recommended for everyone:
. Avoid being overweight
2. Eat regular meals
3. Eat more high carbohydrate, high fibre foods: for example wholemeal bread, potatoes, beans.
4. Eat less sugar, e.g. sweetened soft drinks, cakes, sweets, chocolates.
5. Cut down on fat
6. Watch your salt intake
7. Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum
Here is what Diabetics can do to also maintain a healthy diet:
Calories
* Diabetics should try to keep their calorie intake constant from day to day (their body can confirm they are doing this by not having a varied weight). Large fluctuations can have a significant effect on the control of diabetes so they should try to eat regular meals.
* They should also watch their whole food intake. Fried foods, dairy products, sugar food and drink, fatty meat are all-high in calories and can cause deterioration in control.
Carbohydrate
* At least half of their calories ideally come from starchy carbohydrate foods, such as bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals, beans and lentils. Instead, they could choose high fibre varieties i.e. jacket potatoes, whole grain cereals, wholemeal bread, and brown rice. Lentils, oats, citrus fruits, beans have all been shown to progress slowly, steady rises in blood glucose, so all these should be consumer regularly.
* The rapidly absorbed carbohydrate foods like sweet drinks, sweet and chocolates are best saved for emergencies (hypoglycaemia or illness), special occasions or a snack before continuous exercise involvement.
Fat
* Reducing a diabetic's fat intake may lessen the risk of developing heart disease.
* Diabetics shall eat less fatty red meat and meat products and eat more fish and poultry.
* They should try to eat fewer dairy products e.g. cheeses, butter, cream.
* Use a low fat spread instead of butter or margarine.
* Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of using whole milk. Skimmed milk has fewer calories, but some people find that semi skimmed tastes better. They could try to use skimmed milk for cooking, but avoid those brands with added oil or vegetable fat.
Salt
* A high salt intake can be connected to raised pressure. Therefore diabetics should try and lessen their salt intake consumption by:
-Eating fewer salty foods such as pre-cooked meats, smoked fish, cheese.
-Cutting down on salt added at the table
Adding less salt during cooking.
Alcohol
* It is highly recommend that diabetics, after checking with their doctor, that men consume a maximum of three standard drinks a day, and women a maximum of two. It is also better; however, to drink less, and if they are overweight, limiting their consumption to one drink daily is very advisable.
standard drink = 1/2 pint of ordinary = a single measure of = A glass of wine = A
beer or larger spirits (whisky, gin (dry) measure of
barcardi, vodka etc) Vermouth
or A'peritif
* Avoid low carbohydrate beers and larger: these are high in calories and in alcohol
* Alcohol lowers the blood sugar, so it is vital not to drink on an empty stomach and is essential not to replace meals or snacks with alcohol.
A common question Diabetics ask is "Do I need specific special diabetic foods?"
The answer is "No!"
Special diabetic products are usually no lower in fat or calories than ordinary comparable foods and are often low in fibre too. It is not compulsory Diabetics have to rely on them. Some chocolate or a small piece of ordinary cake on the special occasion, better eaten at the end of a high fibre meal, is not likely to be damaging.
Foods lower in energy (calories) content than their equivalents such as low calorie squashes, diet yoghurts, diet fizzy drinks, fruit tinned in natural juice and intense sweeteners (such as saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium) can be helpful.
Healthy Eating tips for Diabetics
? Eat more wholemeal bread or high fibre white bread, wholemeal pasta, fruit, vegetables, wholegrain breakfast cereals.
? Try to include more peas, beans and lentils in your diet. In many meals, you can replace some of the meat with beans: this is cheaper and very nutritious.
? Use wholemeal or whole-wheat flour for baking, or try half-wholemeal and half-white flour.
? Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of whole milk in cooking, on cereals and in drinks.
? Use low fat spread or no spread instead of butter or margarine. Polyunsaturated margarine is better than butter (which contains saturated fats) but it has exactly the same calorie value.
? Use skimmed milk cheese or other low-fat soft cheese instead of cream cheese.
? Try saving cream for your special occasions and use low fat yoghurt as a routine.
? Choose fish, poultry (remove the skin) and lean cuts of meat.
? Try to avoid pies, cakes and pastries, as they tend to be high in fat.
? Choose low calorie soft drinks e.g. low-calorie squash.
? Buy fruit tinned in natural juice rather than syrup.
? Try halving the sugar you use in recipes
? Rather than sprinkling sugar into drinks or cereals, use an intense sweetener e.g. saccharin, acesulfame potassium or aspartame.
? Use reduced sugar or pure fruit spreads marmalades and jams.
? Diet yoghurts have a lower sugar content than normal low fat yoghurts.
? Reduce the amount of salt you use in cooking.
? Do not put salt on the table.
? Cut down on snacks and convenience foods with a high salt content.
? Cut down on highly salted crisps and nibbles.
? Cut down on salted meats and fish e.g. gammon mackerel and bacon.
? Use less tined and packet soups.
Breakfast Ideas
Typical Meal
Changes to be made to help you make healthier choices
Sweetened fruit juice
Unsweetened fruit juice, water
bowl of sugary cereal
1 bowl of wholegrain cereal such as Fruit and Fibre, Weetabix, All-Bran, porridge, fruit.
Full fat milk
Semi-skimmed or skimmed milk
Sugar
(artificial sweetener if desired)
White toast
Wholemeal or granary toast
Butter
Monounsaturated or polyunsaturated margarine or low fat spread
Jam or marmalade
Reduced sugar marmalade or jam
Fried Egg and bacon, fried bread, fried tomatoes
Grilled bacon or scrambled egg, wholemeal or granary toast, grilled tomatoes
Light Snack Meal
Typical Snack Meal
Changes to be made to help you make healthier Choices
Cheddar cheese and pickle sandwich
White Bread
Butter
Cottage Cheese or reduced fat cheese sandwich Granary/wholemeal bread
Monounsaturated or polyunsaturated margarine or low fat spread
Chocolate wafer, crisps
Low fat fruit yoghurt, fruit
Jacket Potato
Butter
Jacket potato
Monounsaturated or polyunsaturated margarine or low fat spread
Cheddar Cheese
Sweetcorn/ baked beans/salad
Yoghurt
Fruit/diet yoghurt
Cola
Diet cola
Main Meal Ideas
Typical Meal
Changes to be made to help make healthier choices
Roast chicken
Roast Chicken, skin removed
Roast Potatoes
Boiled/jacket potatoes
Vegetables
Butter
Vegetables
Tinned fruit in syrup and cream
Fresh fruit salad or tinned fruit in natural juice/low fat fromage frais or ice cream
Shepherds Pie
Carrots
Shepherds Pie made with lean mince, cooked without fat
Sweetcorn, carrots
Fruit Crumble
Custard
Stewed/baked fruit with artificial sweetener
Custard made with low fat milk and sweetener
Or fill up on more bread and potatoes with you main course and skip dessert
Crohn's Disease
It is recommend that nutritional supplements are taken, especially for children whose growth has been slowed. Special high-calorie liquid formulas are efficient. A small number of patients may need periods of feeding by vein. This can help patients who need extra nutrition temporarily, those whose intestines need to rest, or those whose intestines cannot absorb enough nutrition from food.
* Maintaining or achieving normal weight
Malnutrition is very common in Crohn's disease. In fact, Crohn's disease patients appear to burn fat calories at a higher rate than the general population and most patients are underweight. Some experts recommend that children with IBD increase their calorie and protein intake by 150% of the daily recommended allowance for their specific ages and heights. Studies indicate that nutritional support in children is as important as medications for achieving remission. People whose weights are normal or no less than 90% of normal do not need to add extra calories.
* Protein
Proteins are very important for growth in children and for repair of cells. Diarrhoea can cause protein deficiency and so IBD patients may need more protein than the general population. Patients might consider choosing soy and fish as primary protein sources. One study reported that a soy protein diet was particularly useful for patients who were intolerant to milk products. Oily fish, such as tuna and salmon, may be particularly helpful in Crohn's disease; their effects on ulcerative colitis are less clear. Other options are poultry and lean meats. Dried beans and legumes also provide protein.
* Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates found in whole grains, vegetables and fruits, should make up half of a patient's calories. Patients should select complex carbohydrates, which are also a good source of fibre. Fresh fruit (such as apples, blueberries, oranges, plums, grapefruit, strawberries and raspberries) might actually be specifically protective for IBD. (However, simple sugars can increase inflammation, so patients should avoid dried fruits and high-sugar fruits, such as grapes, watermelon, and pineapple.)
It should also be taken in to account that high-fibre foods can cause gas, bloating, and pain, particularly in IBD patients. Commercial products (e.g., Beano) are available that can reduce gas. Eating small, frequent meals can also help.
* Fluids (non-caffeinated)
Drinking plenty of water is particularly important. Caffeinated beverages should be avoided in general, although green tea has apparently had some benefits for Crohn's disease.
* Certain Oils
Omega-3 fatty acids are important compounds, particularly for Crohn's disease, found in fats. Sources include canola oil, soybeans, olive oil, flaxseed, and many nuts, seeds, and oily fish.
* Liquid Supplements
Over-the-counter liquid diets, such as Sustacal, Ensure, and others that meet full nutritional needs and are absorbed in the upper intestine may be helpful for some Crohn's disease patients, but no studies have determined this.
* Potassium-rich Foods
Examples are potatoes, bananas, and avocados.
So in relation to my hypotheses and key questions I posed:
* I think that those with Dietary needs would like to make their disadvantage as easy as possible
* I think they would like to see a larger range of foods for their specific dietary need which identifies that it is suitable for them to eat
* I think they would like to be able to identify whether it is suitable for them to drink on alcohol bottles as well
* I think they would like more superstores to be more understanding with their disadvantage
In my survey I proved that those with dietary needs, specifically diabetics would like their dietary need to be as easy as possible, and would love to see a larger range. Those who drink, a majority had to alter their calorie in-take, so maybe a law could be introduced that on a alcoholic beverages, it should say "suitable for diabetics" or show the carbohydrate value or hidden sugars etc clearly.
* How would a family member with a dietary need of a typical family be a problem?
* How would going for a meal to a restaurant be a problem if you had a dietary need?
How would going to a dinner party that didn't know about your dietary need be an awkward problem?
Evaluation
Evaluation of Investigative/Research Techniques
I think my techniques were good, but I could have improved in several ways. I talked about doing lots of things like:
- Carrying out a survey and visiting a local diabetic clinic
- Becoming a Diabetic for a week and find out what the limits are
- Cook some foods some designed for diabetics, some not and ask people to try them and see which they prefer, or if they can tell which is which
Compare specialist diabetic products with similar non-diabetic products (cost, value, and value for money, sensory characteristics, nutritional value etc)
However, I only actually managed to achieve one of them! I think, however if given more time these may have been achieved, but I have to say I wasn't exactly looking forward to becoming a diabetic for week!
My survey also could have included less irrelevant content, such as how many times do you inject a day etc.
I could have obtained time to do other techniques that I suggested if I hadn't asked and researched irrelevant questions on my survey.
Evidence To Support Overall Conclusion
Throughout my investigation I have gathered relevant information and I have discovered how easy it is for those with dietary needs to eat appropriate foods- the answer being not very! My predictions and hypotheses about how diabetics would like to see larger ranges of food specifically for diabetics and in desserts were proved. As my survey followed that. I also provided meal plans etc for those with dietary needs, again, specifically for diabetes. So I think I have at least answered the question posed for my investigation, maybe not in much depth but enough to certify a thorough answer.
