High-Risk Nutritional Practices

High-Risk Nutritional Practices

Introduction

The world has been experiencing drastic changes in nutritional practices. Several factors can be directly attributed to these changes. Culture and nutrition are strongly correlated. Nutrition is one of the most significant components of every culture. Different cultures identify themselves with the kind of foods they consume. However, the nutritional preference of a given culture ultimately affects the quality of health of people belonging to that culture. While some cultures have dietary practices that promote health, other cultures have nutritional practices that are considered to be risky to their health. Some nutritional practices are also associated with various cultural elements, for example, cultural beliefs and historical viewpoints. It is, therefore, essential to understanding the high-risk nutritional practices related to different cultures across the globe. This paper will specifically discuss different high-risk nutritional practices associated with diverse cultures across the globe, as well as the historical perspectives, belief systems, and other elements that affect the nutritional behaviors of a culture.

Chinese Culture

The Zhou, Qin, Han and Jin Dynasties are important historical events that shaped the dietary compositions of the Chinese. The meal patterns changed from one dynasty to another. However, the modern nutritional revolution began in the 19th century when natural science such as microbiology, food industry, and chemistry were extended to china. The formation of the People’s Republic of China allowed for the research and training activities to be carried out in the field of nutrition. The Chinese scientist worked around the clock to solve the problem of diet depending on the needs of the people. However, gaps are still existing, nutritional imbalance and consumption of highly risky foods are still prevalent in China.

Chinese culture is also associated with several nutritional practices that negatively impact their health. Such practices are due to several factors. The traditional Chinese dish was mainly comprised of grains, vegetables, fish, and seafood. The one-child policy which was enacted in china was the starting point for the consumption of some unhealthy foodstuffs. The families started consuming the tastes and preferences of their children, the western foods, which had negligible nutritional value. The immigrants from America have a distinct and unhealthy culture which many Chinese nationals have adopted. The current Chinese descendants have abandoned the healthy Chinese diet due to influence from the western culture. Subsequently, they have adopted high-risk nutrition, which is dangerous to their health. The Chinese culture lacked consumption of certain things such the alcohol, smoking, and junk foods. The third generation has neglected their original culture, which advocated for a safe and healthy diet.

Most of them lack any religious affiliation, which can guide them on what to eat and what they should not eat. Due to this, the Chinese consume many foodstuffs, which are prohibited in almost all the other religious groups. The Chinese pagans are also vulnerable to influence from the other religions meaning that they might be lured into consuming a risky diet. The Chinese are known to consume foods containing high quantities of glycemic load or index. The white rice, which is common in many of the Chinese foodstuffs, is known to contain a glycemic index, which is a type 2 diabetes vulnerability (Wong, 2019). Brown rice is regarded to be healthier; however, many Chinese do not consume it, claiming that rougher and it lacks taste. Consumption of excess salt has been one of the significant healthy malpractices among Chinese culture. The average Chinese consumes almost 4600 mg of salt, whereas the body needs only 230-460 mg. The most significant sources of sodium in diet are said to be soy sauce and salt added at home at the table or while cooking. They also rely on salt for food preservation, which leads to excessive salt intake. Taking salt in excess is associated with the high prevalence of lower blood pressure among the Chinese.

The consumption of sugary foods is another problem among the Chinese. There is an influx of sugary western drinks into the Chinese markets. The Chinese are being influenced by western culture significantly, such that they have started consuming junk food, which they never did before. There current cultural practices also advocate for the consumption of a variety of teas, which includes the bubble or the chai tea that is associate with excessive calories and grams of sugar. This is the opposite of their traditional drinks and desserts, which were not heavily sweetened but instead emphasized natural flavors from vegetables, herbs, and fruits. The incorporation of unhealthy oils such as those containing animal and Trans fat into cooking has led as led to the occurrence of various diseases. High fat intake has been associated with insulin resistance, obesity, and increased cardiovascular risk. Other common foods among the Chinese include Red meat, processed meat, fried foods, and refined carbohydrates. Such foods are risk factors for abnormal insulin levels, increased blood glucose, and type 2 diabetes.

Nutritional practices are some of the most crucial aspects that considerably affect the health of people. Different cultures have different diet preferences, and perhaps, this can be directly correlated with various health problems faced by different cultural groups. A certain plant or animal may be considered to be edible in a certain society, but eating it could be illegal in another society. Nutritional practices are some of the oldest cultural aspects. These practices are so essential to their respective cultures such that it becomes difficult to change them. Food has got ceremonial and social roles in many cultures. The health care providers, therefore, face the challenge of addressing high-risk nutritional practices because they find it difficult to convince people to stop consuming them. Nevertheless, it is evident that some dietary practices to human health, and as far as they are not controlled, the prevalence of certain diseases will continue.

The nurses can play a crucial role in improving the health of the Chinese. The dietary compositions of this group determine their health status; hence health professionals should encourage them to eat heart-healthy foods. This includes foods containing healthy fats such as the pureed almonds and the cashew nuts. The Chinese should be encouraged to avoid unhealthy foods such the fried meat and excess sugary drinks from the western countries. They should also limit starch intake because this increases the level of fats in the body. They should also choose chicken and fish cooked from the tandoor and start eating roasted papadam with mint chutney. Such health care interventions will help reduce the risk associated with some nutrition among the Chinese.

Indian Asians Culture

Historically, Asian Indians are known for their habits of chewing paan masala. This foodstuff is known to cause a condition called Oral Submucous Fibrosis, which hinders the ability of a person to eat and taste traditional hot and spicy foods. Paan is a mixture of several species, which include betel leaves, Areca catechu, menthol, and optionally chewing tobacco. The areca contains a substance known as the alkaloid arecoline, which causes the staining of the teeth. Among the Asian Indian culture, chewing paan is a social activity which as symbolic and ceremonial importance. Chewing of paan has been associated with the juxta epithelial inflammatory, which subsequently leads to Oral Submucous Fibrosis, which is a pre-cancerous condition. Therefore, paan is one of the significant causes of cancer among Asian Indians.

Their culture is mostly affected by their Hindu religion, which is mainly related to the type of food they consume. The Hindus comprise almost 9 percent of the Indian population, while the Muslims form about 14 percent of the total population. However, Hindu is the most dominant religion in the Asian Hindu culture. The Hindus do not consume any animal products because they believe in reincarnation. However, their cultural practices are associated with consumption of high-risk nutritional practices such as excessive consumption of fat, tobacco, and use of betel. They believe that consuming tobacco and betel has several benefits to their health (Cook & Tseng, 2019). Besides, they like consuming a vegetarian diet, which is deficient in protein and protein and rich in fats leading to several health complications such as nutritional deficiency, obesity, and osteoporosis.

Most of the Hindus believe that Ghee strengthens the body and enhances good health. Due to this, the consumption of Ghee or butter is common among Asian Indians. Butter is classified as cancer-causing food and therefore consuming it as lead to increased cases of cancer among the Asian Indians. The Indian Asians have been exposed to the culture and adopted some components of it. The urbanization has also affected their lifestyle. Due to this, they are engaged in inadequate physical activities and various inappropriate dietary practices, including other susceptibility factors. These factors, coupled with high-risk nutritional practices, have led to an increment of certain diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus, coronary heart diseases, and non-insulin-dependent diabetes.

Health care can play an important role in enhancing the nutrition of the Indian Asians. To achieve this, nurses should identify the barriers to the appropriate nutrition among Indian Asians. Nurses should encourage them to eat whole grains and replace white rice with brown rice. Health care professionals should promote the consumption of plant-based proteins, for example, the use of tofu instead of paneer and also the use of Lentils. The Asian Indians should start consuming healthy fats, such the canola and olive oil. By doing this, the nurses will have enlightened the Indian Asians on the best foods for their lifestyle hence reducing the prevalence of certain diseases.

American Culture

The American culture is one of the most significant ones as far as the high-risk nutritional practices are concerned. Historically, many Americans believe that smoking and drinking alcohol relives them excessive thinking; hence they do so to reduce stress. This ideology was shaped by massive industrialization, which occurred in the 20th century, making it easier for alcohol, cigarettes, and other foodstuffs to be easily produced. The science of nutrition significantly impacted the food which the Americans ate, and therefore, their bodies changed dramatically. The U.S involvement in the Second World War fundamentally changed their thinking on a diet. As a result, their food production has witnessed a significant change from food banking, canning, brewing, and cheese making to vegetable gardening to animal husbandry.

American adults are also associated with a range of high-risk nutritional practices. Some of these practices include smoking, overeating, and drinking alcohol. The primary reason behind these practices is their lifestyle. A portion of American adults smokes and drink alcohol excessively due to depression and stressful lifestyle. It is also believed that Americans are also influenced by some historical perceptions (Reddy & Anitha, 2015). The availability of food in America mainly causes overeating. Due to this availability, a significant population of Americans eats due to several reasons, such as passing the time and enjoying time with friends and relatives. Due to this, they end up eating excessive food. This behavior of eating food excessively has been associated with several health complications, such as obesity.

. In recent years, junk food consumption among children in America has risen considerably. According to recent research, the consumption of junk food has been influenced by several factors. Family roles, education, advertisements, and several other factors have been blamed as the primary reason behind the rise of high-risk nutritional practices in America. The career and educational schedules of many American youths are too tight, and due to this, many of them resort to eating junk foods, which are readily available to save time. However, these junk foods have been associated with rampant cases of obesity, diabetes among American youths.

The American Somalis is another group known to practice several high-risk nutritional practices. Their religion plays a vital role as far as nutrition and food consumption is concerned. Many Islamic beliefs mainly dominate their culture because it is their immediate religion. The postulates of the Islamic faith have subsequently shaped their breastfeeding and diet habits. The American population is comprised of a significant number of Somali Immigrants. These Immigrants classify their foods as either haram or halal. The “halal foods” are the ones they are allowed to consume according to their religion, and the haram are the ones they are prohibited from eating by their religion. These immigrants consume excessive sugary foods, a bulk of carbohydrates, and deep-fried meat, which are all considered to be high-risk foods (Long et al., 2017). Many of these Somalis believe that being fat is healthy. Due to such beliefs, the cases and obesity and overweight have subsequently been a rise among these communities. This negatively affected the health status of Somali immigrants living in America.

Healthcare providers can also help Americans to cope with high-risk behaviors through several strategies. The best thing to note in this scenario is that the Americans are majorly affected by their lifestyle. The health care provider should explain to them the health risks attached to eating junk foods. The nurses should encourage Americans to start cooking their meals because it is healthier. Most Americans consume junk foods due to a lack of time to cook their food. Therefore, they should be encouraged to engage themselves in physical activities for at least 150 minutes a week. By doing this, they will shed off the unnecessary weight and remain healthy.

References

Cook, W. K., & Tseng, W. (2019). Associations of Asian Ethnicity and Parental Education with Overweight in Asian American Children and Adolescents: An Analysis of 2011–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Maternal and child health journal, 23(4), 504-511.

Long, E., Ponder, M., & Bernard, S. (2017). Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to hypertension and hyperlipidemia self-management among African-American men living in the southeastern United States. Patient education and counseling, 100(5), 1000-1006.

Reddy, S., & Anitha, M. (2015). Culture and its influence on nutrition and oral health. Biomedical & Pharmacology Journal, 8(SpecialOct), 613.

Wong, W. M. (2019). Chinese Immigrants with Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus: Nutritional Self-Management Approach.