• Question: Do you think that a balanced diet is important in our daily life? Why?

    Asked by carmeen.06 to Stephanie, Andrew, Dan, Emilia, Helen, Katy, LauraAnne on 13 Nov 2016. This question was also asked by Inés Pérez.
    • Photo: LauraAnne Furlong

      LauraAnne Furlong answered on 13 Nov 2016:

      Yes! We recommend a little bit of everything and not too much of anything to eat. A balanced diet is essential to ensure you get all the necessary vitamins and minerals your body needs to repair and grow, and for you to grow into a healthy adult. It’s essential for an athlete so they have enough energy to train and compete, and to be able to concentrate on what they are doing.

      If you eat too much of one thing and not of another (e.g. eat lots of high fat, greasy foods or sugary sweet food, and no fruit or vegetables), your body won’t be able to work at its best. You may feel tired and sluggish, and your muscles and skin won’t feel or look good. An unbalanced diet may cause problems for you such as not having enough energy to do the tasks you need to, or lead to problems in the long-term such heart disease or diabetes. It is fine to have an occasional sweet treat or fatty food, but it is unhealthy to have them all the time and rely on them for energy.

    • Photo: Katy Griggs

      Katy Griggs answered on 13 Nov 2016:

      In addition to balancing energy in (food you consume) with energy out (using energy through moving/exercise) you need to ensure you are getting the right nutrients, so everything in moderation is key. Even if you aren’t putting on weight, eating a poor diet can cause visceral (fat around organs) fat to build up, potentially causing long term health conditions.

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