NUTRITION

Diseases related to food: what are the most common?

Apart from regular physical activity and a good quality of sleep, a good diet is also one of the pillars of health. Some people even attest that food can be medicines as well as poisons that are harmful to health. Indeed, what you eat can cause a health problem just as it can help you maintain your health. In the following paragraphs, we will shed light on the main pathologies related to food.

The importance of nutrients

To function properly, the body gets the nutrients it needs from food. Whether it is of plant or animal origin, food is essential to maintain the body in good health. As such, eating a varied diet is the key to making sure that the body gets all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins it needs to function properly. In concrete terms, the nutrients in question may or may not be energetic.

Energy nutrients

Non-energy nutrients

This category of nutrient includes all the minerals, vitamins and trace elements that the diet provides. Although these nutrients do not provide energy, they are essential to health. In fact, they are primarily responsible for maintaining the acid-base balance. Among the minerals provided by the diet, you have calcium, phosphorus, iron or magnesium and potassium. For trace elements, there are zinc, copper and iodine. Finally, for vitamins, you have: those of the B group, vitamin A, C, E, D and K. All these non-energy nutrients cannot be produced by the body. It is therefore necessary that you consume them regularly through your diet.

The main food-related diseases

A lack or excess of nutrients can affect your health. That's why it's important to eat a balanced diet. Indeed, when your diet does not contribute to the proper functioning of your body, it can be the cause of various diseases. Below are the most common diet-related illnesses.

Anemia

This is one of the most common health problems. Anaemia is caused by an iron deficiency. Iron is believed to be responsible for the formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells. An iron deficiency is manifested by a lack of haemoglobin in the blood. Symptoms include unusual pallor, a permanent feeling of tiredness, increased heart rate, and increased shortness of breath during physical exertion.

Diabetes

Although the body needs sugar to function properly, too much carbohydrate can lead to diabetes. Too much sugar in the blood (hyperglycemia) can be harmful. In addition, the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin properly. Diabetes can be recognized by the frequent urge to drink and urinate, significant weight loss without loss of appetite and the difficulty of wounds to heal.

Obesity

Obesity is primarily due to an imbalance between fat and muscle. This imbalance then causes overweight. It is also one of the most common diet-related diseases in industrialised countries. This overweight can be the cause of various illnesses that can be very serious, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, certain cancers and even death. Obesity is defined by calculating the BMI or Body Mass Index. If the BMI is greater than 25, it is called overweight or obesity. This diet-related disease can manifest itself in the appearance of biliary lithiasis, arthritis or psychological disorders.

Bone diseases

Bone health is also affected by the quality of diet. In the elderly, for example, bone loss can be promoted by insufficient protein in the diet. On the contrary, too much protein of animal origin can lead to demineralisation of bone tissue. Another diet-induced bone disease is rickets. Specifically, it is due to a lack of vitamin D and manifests itself by the softening of the cranial vault and the existence of bulges on the ankles and wrists in children.

Food allergies

Finally, food allergies take first place when it comes to diet-related pathologies. This food hypersensitivity can manifest itself in itchy skin rashes or, in the wors