NUTRITION RELATED DISEASE Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

NUTRITION RELATED DISEASE - Assignment Example The former, is mostly concerned with nutritional value of food and how dietary imbalance can lead to diseases, while the latter is concerned with the effects of ingesting contaminated food. While nutrition related diseases are caused by the inadequate or excessive uptake of nutrients, food borne illnesses are caused by consuming food contaminated by pathogens or poisonous substances (DeBruyne, Whitney & Pinna, 2008). The consumption of food and beverages contaminated by pathogens or harmful substances such as chemicals often leads to food borne illnesses. There are numerous types of food borne illnesses depending on the causative factors, and therefore, the symptoms of food borne infections vary. According to the CDC (2012) an estimated 48 million people in the United States are infected with food borne illnesses every year, with approximately 130, 000 being hospitalized and 3,000 dying. Raw foods, sea foods, animal products, fruits and vegetables are among the most likely foods to contain pathogens that can lead to food borne illnesses. Therefore, to reduce the risk of contaminants, individuals should clean their hands and surfaces before handling food, prevent cross-contamination, cook foods to the recommended temperatures, and chill cold food (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). According to Sizer & Whitney (2014) the possibility of food additives being carcinogenic is highly unlikely since the United States government does not approve such additives. Similarly, although accidental entry of contaminants in food is possible, such foods are monitored to ensure that such contaminants are not capable of risking the health of consumers, thus ensuring food safety. Food borne illnesses can be acquired from different sources, where pathogens have the opportunity to come into contact with food, thus causing contamination. The intestines of most animals contain harmful microbes and when these microbes