The Transformation Of Nutrition For Well-Being In Costa Rica

(MENAFN- Costa Rica News) Modern living conditions and human quality of life are better than ever today. However, neither physically nor psychosocially have we made this adjustment, and we are paying a high price for it in terms of health.

Studies in this field allow us to reconstruct the food supply, lifestyles, and eating habits: from the first anthropoids through the Paleolithic hunter-gatherers, to the industrial era and the present with the rise of ultra-processed foods. Our recent lifestyle and diet are essentially determined by our culture and“trendy” diets, rather than by our millions of years of evolution.

In public health through the promotion of healthy habits by educating, both publicly and privately, individuals about the importance of a healthy diet, helping them understand how their food choices impact their long-term health. This includes the prevention of chronic diseases associated with overweight, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and triglycerides. These are diseases where proper nutritional counseling has a significant impact on their control. Additionally, the nutrition professional in this area is vital in the Education and Nutrition Centers and Comprehensive Child Care Centers of the Ministry of Health, which provide comprehensive care for girls and boys while their parents and caregivers are at work. They also participate in the formulation of policies, plans, and dietary guidelines that promote healthy eatin , working in collaboration with governmental entities and health organizations.

In clinical and dietary nutrition, nutritionists create individualized meal plans based on factors such as age, gender, physical activity, and preferences, not only for adults but also for girls and boys with special needs. At the public sector level, in social security, there is a significant gap between the number of hospitalized patients and the number of nutritionists in each ward, which makes it difficult to provide individualized care, despite efforts made by the National Nutrition Coordination. In this area, there are colleagues specialized in the management of pediatric patients, and there is already a duly recognized association of professionals. Additionally, in the field of clinical nutrition, there are colleagues specializing in kidney disease, diabetes educators, among others.

In food services, the professional trained to oversee everything related to the operation of a public and private food service. In the curriculum of the various programs offered by universities, there are numerous courses where one learns about the preparation of healthy, regular, and gourmet menus, the types of foods and how to acquire them, how to store them, and maintain them in the appropriate storage conditions so that the final result of the production is delicious, healthy, and safe dishes for the user. There are colleagues who complement this branch of nutrition with studies in food safety, food and beverages, among others.

In sports nutrition, the nutrition professional is vital for the elite athlete who wishes to improve their performance. There are colleagues with extensive experience in the field who have been part of important teams, but the impact of the nutrition professional in this area can extend to many other disciplines that still do not recognize the importance of individualized nutritional advice to optimize their sports performance.

In the food industry, participation involves the design and development of new food products, ensuring they meet nutritional standards, analyzing the nutrients of existing products to determine their nutritional value, and offering recommendations on how to improve their nutritional profile, such as reducing sugars, saturated fats, or sodium. It also emphasizes the creation of product labels that are clear and precise, ensuring that the nutritional information is understandable for the consumer. Additionally, it can conduct studies on consumption trends and consumer preferences, helping companies adapt their products and marketing strategies to the needs and demands of the market. They offer training to employees and industry executives on the importance of nutrition and health, promoting a culture of responsibility towards food.

Also within this field is the medical visit, which consists of advising healthcare professionals on the products designated by the company, ranging from nutritional supplements to products in the food industry with functional nutrients (these are ingredients or foods that have health benefits beyond their normal nutritional value). In this field, although progress has been made, there is still a lack of recognition by companies of the importance of the nutritionist as an advisor on their products, as well as the impact of the nutrition professional on increasing their sales.

In the area of research, the nutrition professional participates in the design of studies on food and health, defining objectives, methodologies, and evaluation criteria, collecting data on dietary habits, nutritional status, and health indicator outcomes, as well as their statistical analysis to determine trends, evaluate the effectiveness of programs and nutritional intervention strategies, through the contribution of their specialized knowledge on food and nutrition as part of multidisciplinary teams that include doctors, scientists, psychologists, and public health expert .

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