Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 1
Nutrition and Diet in Health
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Nutrition and Diet in Health
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Subject: Physical Education Health Elective
Class: SHS 1
Term: 1st Term
Week: 9
Grade code: 1.1.2.LI.3
Strand code: 1
Sub-strand code: 2
Content standard code: 1.1.2.CS.1
Indicator code: 1.1.2.LI.3
Theme: Health Education
Subtheme: Nutrition and Diet in Health
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This lesson explores the critical relationship between what we eat (our diet) and how we live (our health). In Ghana, our foods are rich and diverse, from the energy-giving *fufu* and *banku* to the nutrient-packed *kontomire* stew. Understanding how to combine these foods correctly is not just for athletes; it's essential for every student who wants to have enough energy to learn in class, stay strong, avoid sickness, and grow well. This topic will empower you to make informed food choices for yourself and your family, promoting a lifetime of good health.
2.1 Foundational Definitions Nutrition: The process by which the body takes in and uses food for growth, energy, repair, and maintaining health. It is the science of food and its relationship to health. Diet: This simply refers to the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats. Your diet is what you eat every day. It can be healthy or unhealthy. Balanced Diet: A diet that contains the correct proportions of all the essential food nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water) and energy required for an individual's daily needs. It is not about eating expensive food, but about eating the *right combination* of available foods. Malnutrition: A condition that results from eating a diet in which one or more nutrients are either not enough or are too much, such that the diet causes health problems. It is a "bad" or "improper" nutrition. Undernutrition: The result of not getting enough of a nutrient. This leads to deficiency diseases. Overnutrition: The result of getting too much of a nutrient, especially fats, sugar, and total calories. This leads to conditions like obesity. 2.2 The Role and Benefits of a Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is the cornerstone of healthy living. Its role is multifaceted: Provides Energy for Daily Activities: Source: Carbohydrates (e.g., yam, cassava, rice, banku, plantain) and Fats (e.g., palm oil, groundnut oil, avocado). Function: Just like a car needs fuel, our bodies need energy to walk, run, think in class, and even sleep. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source. A lack of these leads to tiredness and poor concentration. Promotes Growth and Repairs Body Tissues: Source: Proteins (e.g., beans, fish, eggs, meat, groundnuts, soya beans). Function: Proteins are the "building blocks" of the body. They are essential for growing taller, building muscles, repairing a cut or wound, and making new cells. Children and adolescents need a lot of protein for growth. Protects the Body from Diseases (Immunity): Source: Vitamins and Minerals (found in fruits and vegetables like oranges, mangoes, tomatoes, onions, kontomire, garden eggs). Function: These are "protective nutrients." They help our immune system fight off infections like colds and malaria. For example, Vitamin C helps in healing wounds, and Vitamin A is crucial for good eyesight. Maintains a Healthy Body Weight: Eating a balanced diet helps you consume the right amount of calories. Overeating, especially fatty and sugary foods, leads to weight gain and obesity, while under-eating leads to being underweight. Enhances Mental and Emotional Well-being: Good nutrition is linked to better brain function, improved mood, and higher concentration levels. A student who eats a good breakfast is more likely to understand lessons in class than one who is hungry. 2.3 Malnutrition: The Ghanaian Context
A. Undernutrition and Deficiency Diseases
These occur when the body lacks specific essential nutrients. Kwashiorkor (Protein Deficiency): Cause: Severe lack of protein in the diet, even if the person is getting enough calories (energy) from starchy foods like gari or cassava. It is common in weaned infants who are fed mainly starchy porridges. Symptoms: Swollen abdomen and legs (oedema), changes in skin and hair colour (to a rusty orange), misery, and loss of appetite. Local Context: A family might feed a child plenty of *koko* (porridge) without adding protein sources like milk, groundnut paste, or egg. Anaemia (Iron Deficiency): Cause: Lack of iron in the diet. Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen. Symptoms: General weakness and fatigue (getting tired easily), pale skin, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Local Context: Very common in Ghana, especially among adolescent girls and pregnant women. Good local sources of iron include *kontomire* (spinach), garden eggs, turkey berries (*abedru*), and meat. Goitre (Iodine Deficiency): Cause: Lack of iodine, a mineral needed by the thyroid gland in the neck. Symptoms: A large, visible swelling in the neck. Local Context: This was once common in parts of Ghana but has been largely controlled by the promotion of iodized salt. It is a public health success story.