The illustration below shows you the amounts of each type of food you should be eating:
The recommended balance of the five major food groups
To have a balanced and healthy diet, you should eat be eating the following foods:
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Socio-economic—i.e. income.
People with higher incomes tend to enjoy better health and access to better health care, whereas people with lower incomes tend to have shorter lives and more health problems.
Income affects every aspect of our lives, such as where we live, what we eat, what we wear, etc. Lack of income means having an awkward life and having to do everything the hard way, i.e. hauling groceries or laundry on the bus, using pay phones instead of having a phone at home, etc. Health hazards for people with low incomes include:
- Poor housing with mould, poor air quality, inadequate heat or hot water etc.
- Inadequate clothing for cold weather and winter, leading to a higher risk of getting the flu, and therefore leading to the inability to work and provide for your family.
- Restricted access to supermarkets, and therefore limited access to nutritious food such as fresh fruits, vegetables or fresh milk.
- Restricted access to non-insured health care such as medications.
- Restricted access to communication (such as phone or Internet).
- Restricted access to education leading to low health literacy, fewer job prospects, etc.
- Social isolation.
- Increased levels of stress due to less leisure time and greater financial pressures.
- Housing location affects children’s access to education and/or leisure resources.
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Environmental—i.e. housing.
People who live in inadequate housing, can experience a whole range of problems. Housing can affect social status, money issues (i.e. bills, etc), and therefore stress levels. However, the main problems with inadequate housing usually results in health issues. These may occur through overcrowding, or the following conditions:
Damp
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Penetrating Damp is caused when rain water gets into the fabric of the home through walls, unsealed joints, roof leaks, chimney stacks, etc. One common cause is blockage of gutters, resulting in rainwater running down the walls.
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Plumbing Defects, i.e. even a very minor leak in pipe-work can cause a significant damp patch.
Health impacts of dampness include:
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Range of other respiratory problems
- Arthritis and Rheumatism
- Mental health e.g. depression
Condensation and Mould Growth
Condensation occurs when warm, moist air meets a cold surface. This may result in patches of black or green mould growth. Condensation is usually caused by an excess of water vapour in the air, cold surfaces (i.e. poorly insulated walls), or inadequate heating. The health impacts of condensation are similar to those of dampness. Mould and fungi can also be allergenic.
Cold Homes
For every degree that the temperature falls below the winter average there are approximately 8,000 extra deaths. Cold homes are caused by inadequate heating systems or poor insulation.
Health impacts if cold homes include:
- Respiratory illness
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Hypothermia
- Increased risk of accidents and falls
- Mental health (depression/isolation)
- Rheumatism and arthritis
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Biological and Genetic—biological factors are those that involve the body, e.g. Foetal alcohol syndrome, infections, teratogens. Biological factors can sometimes include genetic factors. Genetics is what contains ‘instructions’ needed to make living organisms and sometimes genetic patterns carried by parents can cause specific illnesses or conditions that are inherited by children, e.g. Down’s syndrome, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anaemia.
I have included a table which describes examples of how biological and genetic factors influence the development of individuals. The table explains how individuals suffering from 4 diseases (Down’s syndrome, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anaemia and foetal alcohol syndrome) are affected and how they have to adapt and lead their lives differently.
