Lentils and beans), nuts and whole grains (for example, unprocessed corn, millet, oats, wheat, and brown rice). The exact composition of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g., age, gender, lifestyle, and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods, and dietary habits. However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same. In the first 2 years of a child's life, optimal nutrition promotes healthy growth and improves cognitive development.
It also reduces the risk of being overweight or obese and of developing non-communicable diseases later in life. Eating at least 400 g, or five servings, of fruits and vegetables a day reduces the risk of non-communicable diseases (and helps ensure an adequate daily intake of dietary fiber). Reducing salt intake to the recommended level of less than 5 g per day could prevent 1.7 million deaths each year (1.People are often unaware of the amount of salt they consume). In many countries, most salt comes from processed foods (for example, ready meals; processed meats such as bacon, ham and salami; cheese; and savory snacks) or from foods that are often consumed in large quantities (for example, salt is also added to foods during cooking (for example, broth, bouillon cubes, soy sauce and fish sauce) or at the point of consumption (for example, some food manufacturers are reformulating recipes to reduce the sodium content of their products, and people should be encouraged to check nutrition labels to see how much sodium a product contains before buying it or consume it).
Potassium may mitigate the negative effects of high sodium intake on blood pressure. Potassium intake can be increased by consuming fresh fruits and vegetables. In both adults and children, the intake of free sugars should be reduced to less than 10% of total energy intake (2,. Reducing total energy intake to less than 5% would provide additional health benefits (.
Consuming free sugars increases the risk of tooth decay (tooth decay). Excess calories from foods and beverages high in free sugars also contribute to unhealthy weight gain, which can lead to overweight and obesity. Recent evidence also shows that free sugars influence blood pressure and serum lipids, and suggests that a reduction in the intake of free sugars reduces risk factors for cardiovascular disease (1). The diet evolves over time and is influenced by many social and economic factors that interact in complex ways to shape individual dietary patterns.
These factors include income, food prices (which will affect the availability and affordability of healthy foods), individual preferences and beliefs, cultural traditions, and geographical and environmental aspects (including climate change). Therefore, promoting a healthy food environment, including food systems that promote a diversified, balanced and healthy diet, requires the participation of multiple sectors and stakeholders, including government and the public and private sectors. The “WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health” (1) was adopted in 2004 by the Health Assembly. The strategy urged governments, WHO, international partners, the private sector and civil society to take action at the global, regional and local levels to support healthy diets and physical activity.
A healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition. Here is useful information, based on WHO recommendations, for following a healthy diet and the benefits of doing so. Eating a healthy diet isn't about strict limitations, staying slim unrealistically, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it's about feeling good, having more energy, improving your health and improving your mood.
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