A STUDY ON THE AWARENESS OF BALANCED DIET IN WARD-13 OF KALADY GRAMA PANCHYAT IN ERNAKULAM DISTRICT

SALIMA K
Adi Sankara Training College Kalady, Ernakulam

ABSTRACT:A balanced diet is one that provides the body with all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals required to maintain cells, tissues, and organs as well as to function correctly. A diet that is lacking in nutrients can lead to many different health problems ranging from tiredness and lack of energy to serious problems with the function of vital organs and lack of growth and development. This project aims to understand the level of knowledge and promote awareness of the  balanced diet for overall health and well-being. The study was accessed by preparing a survey on awareness of balanced diet. The results shows that most of the people do not have enough awareness about nutrition and balanced diet. The results concludes to the need to make effective programs and policies to public providing proper nutritional education.

INTRODUCTION

Diet is necessary for appropriate growth, development, and activity from the beginning of life. Food intake, which is strongly influenced by production, distribution, cultural and social beliefs, impacts the population’s health and nutritional condition. Foods provide a variety of additional components (non-nutrient phytochemicals) that have a good impact on health in addition to providing nutrients . Because people eat, it’s important to promote nutrition in terms of nutrient rather than foods.

Balanced diet contains variety of foods in adequate amounts, which are incorporated in correct proportion to meet our daily requirements for all vital nutrients such as macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein and fats, Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Balanced diet helps us to nurture health and also protects us from life style disorders. It also provides safety margin and reserves of nutrients to withstand short duration of deprivation when they are deficient in diet.

Composition of balanced diet

The composition of balanced diet varies according to age, sex, physical condition of the body social cultural habits and locally available food. Micronutrients like carbohydrate, fat and protein always needed in large amount (in gm). Micronutrients like vitamins and minerals are required in less amounts (in mg and mcg). Our body needed these vital nutrients in a proper amount so that it can be utilized properly to maintain our health and protect our body from different diseases. In a proper balanced diet 50-60% of total calories should come from carbohydrates, mostly from complex carbohydrates, 10-15% from proteins, and 20-30% calorie from both visible and invisible fat. The cereal-legume-dairy composition of the diet for moderately active man has to be 3:1:2.5 to meet daily protein requirements (RDA 2020). A well-balanced diet should also include micronutrients, functional foods such Phytochemicals, prebiotics, antioxidants and fibres which are also beneficial to one’s health. Vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, riboflavin, and selenium are antioxidants that protect the human body from free radical damage. Besides adding certain food items, balanced diet should also exclude certain food items which are not good for our health like: refined grains, alcohol, processed food items, trans fat and refined sugars etc 

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was accessed by preparing a survey on awareness  of balanced diet. A qualitative data questions were formulated for the need of the steady. The study was focused. on residants of Ward 13 of kalady Garama Panchayat in Ernakulam District. The survey questionnaire consist of 25 questions and was designed to obtain, informaron about awareness of balanced diet from the residants of Ward 13 of kalady Grama Panchayat. The questionnaire goes through knowledge about balanced diet, its components ,portion control) method, importance of exercise and balanced diet, People's consuming rate of meat, fruit and vegitably and fast-rfoods. It also inludes questions about awareness of problems of Imbalanced diet, importance of maintain a balanced diet, factors and challenges while trying to incorporating balanced diet, sources of information on nutrition etc.30 peoples from different areas of the ward-13. More than survey, another sources of informations are the research articly, Journals, thesis, research writings, news from famous newspapers.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Level of Knowledge about Balanced Diet

Level of knowledge about necessity of exercise

 

Level of knowledge of imbalanced diet causes health problems

Importance to Maintain Balanced Diet

Consuming Rate of Food items in a typical week

People following Balanced Diet

Factors influences Balanced Diet

Sources for Nutritional information

Influences by social media/ influencers in diet

Additional Resources to help in Awareness of Balanced Diet in Community

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RESULTS

More than half of the people of ward 13 do not have average knowledge about balanced diet. Most of the people of ward 13 aren't conscious about recommended daily-intake of key nutrients .But half of the people of ward is the partially aware of importance of exercise to  maintain health. Only 40% of people one partially aware of that imbalanced diet causes health problems. Most of the people are aware about imbalanced diet causes obesity, high BP, and Diabetes, and heart diseases. But they are unaware of that imbalanced diet leads to depression, anxiety and skin problems. Most of the people believes that maintaining the balanced diet is for to keep healthy and avoid of diseases, But they are unaware of balanced diet can helps to boost-immunity, mental health, healthy aging. Most of the people of ward 13 of Kalady Grama panchayat consumes cooked meals every day. But they are also avoiding meat and, fruits and vegetables and greatly is include fast food. More than half of the people of this ward doesn’t consider that their food to be balanced, Moreover they do not check labels for nutritional information . 36.67% of the people of ward 13 doesn’t engage in physical exercise.73.4% of the people of ward 13 doesn't follow a balanced diet and 83.37. of the people never participated in a structured diet plan or programe. Availability of the food, price of the food taste of the food, Advertisement of fast food etc. greatly influence food choices of people of ward 13 when trying to maintain a balanced diet. Price of the food, taste of the food, Availability of food are the greatest challenges faced by people of ward 13 in incorporating various food groups into diet. Lack of time due to busy schedule is a challenge to prepare balanced diet food. People of ward 13 greatly follow social media for the information about nutrition. Social media and influencers greatly impact the diet of people a ward 13 by adding different cultural cuisines, adopting their recipes and including promoted bod products into their diet. And very less people follow their dietary plan. People of ward 13 are mostly (73.3%) are lacking awareness about government campaign to improve nutrition.93.3% of people says that there isn’t enough awareness about balanced diet. The people mostly suggest the service localized nutritional guide, nutritional classes, community cooking classes.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this study delves into the awareness of a balanced diet among the surveyed population, shedding light on crucial insights into nutritional knowledge and habits. The findings suggest a noteworthy gap in understanding the significance of a balanced diet, as a substantial portion of respondents displayed limited awareness of the diverse nutrients essential for optimal health. This underscores the need for targeted educational initiatives to enhance public awareness and promote healthier dietary choices. As we navigate an era marked by lifestyle-related health challenges, addressing this awareness deficit becomes imperative for fostering a healthier society and preventing nutrition-related health issues in the long run. The study not only emphasizes the existing gaps but also serves as a catalyst for future interventions aimed at improving nutritional literacy and encouraging the adoption of balanced dietary practices.

SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

• Develop and launch awareness campaigns focusing on the importance of a balanced diet.
• Collaborate with health authorities, schools, and community organizations for widespread reach.
• Incorporate comprehensive nutrition education in school curricula to establish a foundation of knowledge from an early age.
• Extend educational programs to workplaces through wellness initiatives.
• Encourage healthcare professionals to actively promote nutritional literacy during patient consultations.
• Provide resources for personalized dietary guidance based on individual health needs.
• Develop easily accessible resources such as pamphlets, online content, and workshops.
• Ensure information is clear, concise, and tailored to various demographics.
• Leverage digital channels for awareness campaigns, reaching a broader audience.
• Engage the public through interactive content, challenges, and collaborations with influencers in the health and wellness sector.
• Organize community events, workshops, and seminars to foster open discussions on balanced nutrition.
• Establish partnerships with local organizations to enhance community involvement.
• Implement regular assessments to measure the impact of awareness initiatives.

REFERENCES

Ø  https://www.maxhealthcare.in/blogs/what-is-a-balanced-diet

Ø  https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.987755/full

Ø  https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/eating-a-balanced-diet/

Ø  https://www.healthline.com/health/balanced-diet

Ø  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthy_diet