Nutrition is not to surpassing hunger emotion or eating and drinking whatever you want. Nutrition is taking consciously essential nutrients that body’s main requirement adequately and in balance for preventing health and improving quality of life.

Nutrition is taking required elements in body and using for person’s growth, development, healthy and productive long life.

It is determined by scientific researches that person should take adequate amount of almost 50 nutrients for healthy growth and development and healthy and productive longer life. When one of these nutrients are not taken or inadequately taken it has been proved scientifically that growth and development are impared and health deteriorated.

Taking adequately and using appropriately energy and all nutrients required for body’s growth, renewaland working is explained with statement “ADEQUATE AND BALANCED NUTRITION”. Adequate and balanced nutrition is basis for prevention of diseases and health

When nutrients are not taken in the level of body need,“INADEQUATE NUTRITION” case arises since adequate energy and renewal of tissues are not composed.

If person eat too much, he takes nutrients much more than needed. Since some nutrients that are taken too much, accumulates as fat, it is dangerous for health. This case is defined as “UNBALANCED NUTRITION”. Although people eat adequate food but not prefer appropriate choice, health may also deteriorate. This case is defined also as “UNBALANCED NUTRITION”.
 

Consequences of ınadequate and unbalanced nutrıtıon

Since inadequate and unbalanced nutrition causes impairement in body’s growth, development and maintaining its processes, we could say “adequate and balanced nutrition is basis of health”. Body of a man who nourishes inadequately and unbalanced, is not resistant to infections. Thus these people easily have disease.
In addition, in case of inadequate in take of any of a certain nutrient, body function is diminished and diseases are arisen. Unbalanced nutrition decreases persons’ working, planning and creation abilities. Economic development require strong and productive workers. Healthy person is productive person. The foundation of health is established by adequate and balanced nutrition.

View of persons who nourish adequately and balanced could be defined as follows;

- A strong appearance,
- Active and careful looks,
- Tidy, smooth, moist and pink skin,
- Glossy and bright hairs,
- Strong, normal muscles,
- Smooth, well grown arms and legs
- Personality that does not complain often headache, is willing working,
- Body weight is well proportional to height and age,
- Personality whose mental, physiological and social development is normal.
 

View of persons who nourish inadequately and unbalanced could be defined as follows;

- An inclined body whose movements are slow and reluctant,
- A swollen belly,
- Several hurts and roughness on skin,
- Complaints of headache,
- Personality that is, tired and reluctant, lack of appetite.
 

Mental slowness, imbalance in attitudes and activities are signs of inadequate nutrition. Besides, body weight is not well proportional to height and age ie, obesity is the general signs of unbalanced nutrition and is accepted as a disease.

Infant and children, youths, women in childbearing age, pregnant and lactating women, elderly and workers are the most effected groups by inadequate nutrition. Obesity and diseases related to obesity are among important public health problems among adults. When reasons of unbalanced nutrition are investigated, lack of knowledge related to nutrition comes first. Acquiring awareness of healthy nutrition with nutrition education is important in preventing unbalanced nutrition.

Reference: Dietary Guideline for Turkey, 2014