Discuss the importance of nutrition for health. It is the academic controversy surrounding what nutrients in the diet cause obesity and the consequences thereof on the adult population of the United Kingdom (UK) that will be focused on here in more depth

Authors Avatar

Nutrition is a multifaceted field of study which plays an integral role in determining a person’s health. Arguably, it is nigh impossible to cover everything that falls under its umbrella. Therefore, it is perhaps only practical to focus on an individual topic, in this case obesity. In order to understand obesity we must first understand nutrition. Black’s Medical Dictionary (2005) states that nutrition is the absorption of food in order to produce energy. This food comes in the form of six nutrients, protein, fats, carbohydrates, fibres, vitamins and minerals, and water (Johnson, 2008). What and how much we eat impacts heavily upon our bodies and lifestyles. Too little and we become malnourished and in extreme cases vulnerable to cardiac arrest and hypokalemia (Garner et al, 1985). Too much and we risk coronary heart disease and cancer (Webb, 2008). The causes of obesity are varied and controversial. They include genetics, psychological factors, lifestyle, lack of exercise and diet. Although genetic factors are certainly prevalent, obesity is, according to Caterson (2004), strongly linked to the over consumption of food and moreover certain types of food. It is the academic controversy surrounding what nutrients in the diet cause obesity and the consequences thereof on the adult population of the United Kingdom (UK) that will be focused on here in more depth.

Defining obesity is not straightforward. As Webb (2008) infers body fat is troublesome to measure accurately. It is for this reason, he claims, that the Body Mass Index (BMI) is the most accepted determiner of obesity. The BMI takes into account not only a person’s weight but also their height. Williams (2001) states that obesity in the medical sense is a clinical term for excess fat accumulation commonly applied to persons who are at least 20% above a desired weight for their stature. The World Health Organisation (WHO) goes on to define the clinical obese as having a BMI of 30 kg/m2 and over (Webb, 2008). Williams (2001) points out that obesity is not simply a matter of being overweight but instead is far more specific and refers to the degree of body mass pertaining to an individual. It takes its name from the Latin root obdere, meaning to devour. It is therefore by no means a new phenomenon peculiar only to the 21st century. It does however remains a contemporary condition with far reaching consequences for our health today.

Join now!

If defining obesity is somewhat difficult then determining which nutrients cause obesity and thus are detrimental to our health is equally problematic. Indeed, it is the cause of much heated debate within medical circles. Ostensibly, argument arises not from micronutrient intake (vitamins and minerals) but from our macronutrient intake. Namely, the debate arises from whether it is carbohydrates or fats that are the main instigators of weight gain and obesity. Astrup et al (2008) fall into the latter school of thought believing a high fat diet to be the main determiner of the obese. They point to the ever ...

This is a preview of the whole essay