The
early pioneers in nutrition as illustrated focused on chemical investigation in
the air, studies on respiration, the importance of food as fuel to children and
adults’ good health, classification of 11 foods, identification of protein in
foods and discovery of glycogen (animal starch).
Focus
of Nutrition Research in the First Half of 20th Century
This era witnessed researches in human
nutrition that focused on the role of essential nutrients, especially vitamins
in human deficiency diseases. It was after the Second World War that research
in nutrition in industrial countries began to focus on the role of diet in non-communicable
diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The
century has witnessed a plethora of information on diet and its implication
with non- communicable diseases but such information is devoid of guidance on
methods of differentiating facts from fallacy.
Focus of Nutrition Research in 20th Century till Present
This century has witnessed a significant
shift in the direction of nutrition research from nutrient deficiency diseases
as the major causes of morbidity and mortality to investigating the role of
diet in the maintenance of health and reduction of the risk of non-communicable
diseases (NCCDs). Presently, the research challenges of identifying dietary
factors that predispose man to specific NCCD and to explain such connection of
the diseases dietary habits. In fact, researches on the effects of
supplementary antioxidants (vitamin A, C, and D, Selenium) and other
phytochemicals in the management and prevention of non-communicable diseases,
such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes mellitus are the
current focus of nutrition research.
The
Usefulness of Nutrition Research
It is important to understand the usefulness
of research in nutrition for the following reasons: It
• Helps to understand the important
nutrients in food that prevent deficiencies.
• Assists to pinpoint the major nutrients
that may be involved in the aetiology of obesity, cancer and cardiovascular
diseases.
• Provides guidelines aimed at reducing the
risk of one or more non communicable diseases (NCCDs).
• Gives an insight as to the role of diet in
NCCDs.
• Helps to develop step by step evaluation
of scientific evidence relating to dietary composition of foods, food groups
and dietary patterns to maintenance of health.
• Helps to investigate the role of diet in
the maintenance of health and the reduction of the risk of NCCDs.
• Helps to identify dietary factors that
influence specific diseases and explains the mechanisms.
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