Dietary Analysis

 
 

Abstract

The analysis essay topic is the personal dietary analysis based on the records of meals taken during three consecutive days. The data were to be recorded through myplate.gov. The research covers the following questions: Analyze your Body Mass Index (BMI). Discuss the value and the application of the BMI, when it is useful and not. Analyze your level of nutritional health for the 3- day project. Explain the health effects associated with your consumption of carbohydrates, fats, protein, water, alcohol, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. What was normal, what was out of range? Look at your fat breakdown and analyze your consumption of fats. Discuss your caloric intake in comparison to your energy expenditure. Choose one day of the analysis. Make a copy of that day and add 45 minutes of brisk walking to the tracking activity. Run the new energy balance report. Compare it to the original and discuss how the increased activity affected your energy balance. Discuss your Food Pyramid Analysis. Are you meeting the recommended goals for each food group with your consumption of grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, protein, oils, and total calories? Describe how your nutrition and lifestyle choices impact your current health status. List future recommendations on the changes that you need to make or behaviors that you need to maintain to prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes. There was only one participant of the research who recorded the personal data. Research is based on the primary source, namely the participant, and supported by secondary sources such as journals and books. In conclusion, the research focuses on the eating habits of people and the diseases caused by poor nutrition. It provides a detailed study of each nutrient; hence, it can be used as a platform for developing a balanced diet.

Analysis

  • Analyze your Body Mass Index (BMI). Discuss the value and the application of the BMI, when it is useful and not.

A body mass index is a measurement tool that is used to compare a person’s height to his/her weight. According to the received figure, it concludes whether the person is overweight, underweight, or has the optimal weight. If, after calculations, the BMI is less than or equal to 18.5, a person is considered to be underweight. If it goes beyond 25 up to 29.9, a human is believed to be overweight. Furthermore, if the BMI is higher or equal to 30, a person suffers from obesity. The normal weight is when the BMI of a person is between 18.5 and 24.9.

  • My height is 5’3 while my weight is 122 lbs. After calculations, I received a BMI of 21.6. This figure is within the normal weight frames. It means that I have the right weight for my height.

Obesity is a major challenge for people who rarely engage in outdoor activities and are physically inactive. BMI is used for calculating the percentage of body fat by checking the weight to height ratio. Therefore, it is highly recommended by most physicians as a good tool for self-examination in case of any health issues such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, stroke, cholesterolosis of gallbladder, osteoarthritis, and many more. BMI scale is also used to follow the growth of a child since any child is expected to have a respective increase in height and weight with time (Bach-Faig, et al. 2011).

BMI is now used by most health insurance companies to select people with high BMI. As they are believed to face more health risks, they are charged more than the other people with a normal BMI. The index is also used by WHO in their statistical work and designing the best feeding practices for the affected individuals.

  • Analyze your level of nutritional health for the 3- day project.

After completing the project, which involved recording what I was eating in three consecutive days, I came up with a conclusion on my nutritional health. All foodstuffs were grouped into three major categories, which included nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. In the nutrients category, I calculated the total calories that I consumed; it was 1511 calories and was below my target. I had taken 99g of protein, 181g of carbohydrates, 16g of dietary fiber, 60g of sugar, 26% of fat, 7% of saturated fat, 6% of polyunsaturated fat, 10% of monounsaturated fat, 9g of linoleic acid, 110mg of omega 3- EPA, 132mg of Omega 3-DHA, and 404mg of cholesterol. For the minerals, I had consumed 880mg of calcium, 2182mg of potassium, 2458mg of sodium, 1627mg of copper, 15mg of iron, 410mg of magnesium, 1213mg of phosphorus, 160mg of selenium, and 11mg of zinc. Finally, the vitamins I had consumed included 1399mg of vitamin A, 3.0mg of vitamin B6, 4.9mg of vitamin B12, 49mg of vitamin C, 4mg of vitamin D, 14mg of vitamin E, 131mg of vitamin K, 320mg of folic acid, 1.4mg of thiamin, 1.6mg of riboflavin, 39mg of niacin, and 379mg of choline.

My level of nutrition was much lower than the recommended one in almost all groups.

  • Explain the health effects associated with your consumption of carbohydrates, fats, protein, water, alcohol, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. What was normal, what was out of range?

The carbohydrates, fats, proteins, water, alcohol, fiber, vitamins, and minerals are very crucial for the organism but each of them can have some negative health effects when taken in excess, On the other hand, when the human being experiences a lack of them or consumes them in extremely small amounts, the body suffers and some diseases develop. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates and fat can cause certain complications such as cancer and obesity. Casaer et al. (2011) state, “The recommended consumption of carbohydrates and fats in the United States is usually 300 grams and 65 grams respectively based on 2000 calorie diet” (p. 517). Research proves that, in the case of excessive consumption of proteins, the person develops an increased risk of kidney issues, osteoporosis, and even certain types of cancer. It is recommended to consume mineral water as it contains calcium and magnesium. Demineralized water hurts the intestinal mucous membrane, metabolism, and mineral homeostasis. Moreover, it can result in an increased intake of toxic metals. Excessive consumption of alcohol is known to cause several diseases to its abusers, including liver disease known as cirrhosis, anemia, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Fiber is very important for the human body. It normalizes the stool and softens it. It also helps to reduce the risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in the colon. All vitamins are divided into three major groups, which are vitamin A, E, and D. Vitamin A deals mostly with immune resistance, cellular communication, and reproduction. Consumption of a low amount of Vitamin A makes all those areas function poorly. Vitamin E is more concerned with the improvement of general health, as well as prevention and treatment of diseases. Lack or low consumption of Vitamin E can cause heart disease, cancer, eye disorders, and even cognitive decline. Vitamin D can be obtained naturally from the sun, and it influences the strength of bones. It assists in the absorption of calcium in the human body. Lee, Wang, and Hagras (2010) explain, “Commonly rickets disease is associated with lack of vitamin D” (p. 380). There are also various other types of vitamins, but they are not as common as the three abovementioned.

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My consumption of carbohydrates was 181g while the target was 130g. The consumption was normal since it was within the recommended frames. The consumption of fats had been set at 20 to 35% of total calories; I consumed fat for 26% calories; it was within a normal range. I consumed 99g of proteins while the target was 26g. This consumption seems to be out of recommended frames since the target was exceeded by far. The water consumption was also moderate and within the frames. Alcohol was not consumed at all. The fiber was under-consumed since the target was 25g while only 16g was consumed. The vitamins were generally consumed within the frames. The consumption of minerals was normal.

  • Look at your fat breakdown and analyze your consumption of fats.

The fats that I consumed were broken into four major groups, which are the total fats, saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. The total fats had a target of 20 to 35% of total calories, and I consumed 26%. For the saturated fats, the consumption target was less than 10% while I consumed 7%. For polyunsaturated fats, there was no set limit for the day but I consumed 6%. For monounsaturated fat, there was also no set target for the day and I consumed 10%. In general, it was a normal consumption of fats.

Discuss your caloric intake in comparison to your energy expenditure. Choose one day of the analysis. Make a copy of that day and add 45 minutes of brisk walking to the tracking activity. Run the new energy balance report. Compare it to the original and discuss how the increased activity affected your energy balance.

After the activity, I found out that the energy balance had decreased if compared to the original amount of energy. It happened because some energy was consumed during the activity. The number of calories in the body is also reduced as the physical activity burnt down some amount of energy (calories).

  • Discuss your Food Pyramid Analysis. Are you meeting the recommended goals for each food group with your consumption of grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, protein, oils, and total calories?

Meeting the recommended goal was a bit challenging. After the analyses that I had recorded, I found out that most of the time I consumed less than what had been set as the recommended goals. My consumption of grains was within the set standard since I hit and even exceeded the recommended goal. It was quite different with the vegetables, dairy, proteins, and oils categories, in which I found out that I had consumed much less than the suggested amount. For the fruits, I recorded nothing since there was no specified type and amount. The total calories were also within the set recommended goal.

  • Describe how your nutrition and lifestyle choices impact your current health status.

Nutrition and lifestyle have a great impact on the health status of any individual. It is because there are several diseases, which develop as a result of poor nutrition and an inactive lifestyle. For example, excessive consumption of carbohydrates and fats can cause heart diseases. Moreover, lack or less vitamin D makes the bones weak; hence, one can develop rickets and some other diseases. Therefore, one should be careful when having a meal because as we have seen, too much or too little amount can be dangerous to the person’s health. People who are used to healthy nutrition are mostly very healthy, and they rarely suffer from diseases.

  • List future recommendations on the changes that you need to make or behaviors that you need to maintain to prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetic

Cardiovascular disease is heart disease, and diabetes is known to contribute to the cause and development of this disease. The patients usually suffer from both and sometimes it is difficult to separate them; consequently, a big number report having a stroke. Improper nutrition can sometimes be blamed for these health issues. For example, excessive consumption of carbohydrates and fats is the major contributor to the development of such disease. Carbohydrates and fats should be consumed in a standard amount, according to which it is commonly defined as 300g for Carbohydrate, 65g for fats based on the 2000-calorie diet. Cholesterol is another contributor to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Recommendation

I would recommend adding more foodstuff rich in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into my diet. The omega-fish supplement can also be included in a balanced diet that is cholesterol-free. My consumption of carbohydrates and fatwas fine, and I wish to maintain my consumption.

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