include more omega-3s polyunsaturated fats in the diet
while keeping trans fats to a minimum.
Sources of dietary fats include:
Saturated: Butter, cheese, meat, meat products (sau-
sages, hamburgers), whole milk and yoghurt, pies,
pastries, lard, dripping, hard margarines and baking
fats, coconut and palm oil.
Monounsaturated: Olives, rapeseed, nuts (pistachio,
almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia, cashew, pecan),
peanuts, avocados, and their oils.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated: Salmon, mackerel, her-
ring, trout (particularly rich in the long chain
omega-3 fatty acids EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid
and DHA or docosahexaenoic acid), walnuts, rape-
seed, soybean flax seed, and their oils.
Omega-6 polyunsaturated: Sunflower seeds, wheat
germ, sesame, walnuts, soybean, corn and their oils.
Certain margarines
Trans fatty acids: Some frying and baking fats
(hydrogenated vegetable oils) used in biscuits, cakes
and pastries, dairy products, fatty meat from beef
and sheep.PrecautionsThe main potential adverse effect associated with
macronutrients is that if they are not consumed in the
required amounts, a nutritional deficiency disorder
may result, affecting body function more or less
severely. Some precautions are also advisable concern-
ing the excessive consumption of specific macronu-
trients. For example, foods containing sugars or
starch are broken down by enzymes and bacteria in
the mouth that produce acid, which attacks the enamel
of the teeth. Saliva normally provides a natural repair
process that rebuilds the enamel. But when carbohy-
drate-containing foods are consumed too frequently,
the repair process is too challenged and tooth decay
occurs. As for fats, their excessive consumption leads
to overweight and obesity. Excess fat is not only
stored subcutaneously but also in blood vessels and
organs, where it blocks blood flow and damages
organs such as the heart. Precautions are also required
for people who avoid all foods of animal origin as they
may have difficulty meeting their protein requirements.InteractionsAdequate intakes of protein, fat and carbohydrate
are essential to normal growth, development and body
maintenance but unlike micronutrients (vitaminsand
minerals) where a specific deficiency or excess can berelated to a specific disease, the relationships between
macronutrients and nutritional disease is much more
difficult to understand. This is partly because macro-
nutrients interact with each other and with substances
in the body in a way that is very hard to describe
accurately. They can also inter-convert, while all con-
tribute to energy intake. Most people enjoy a wide
variety of foods with no problems. But for some peo-
ple however, the interactions of specific foods or their
components with the body may cause adverse reac-
tions ranging from a slight rash to a severe allergy.Aftercare
In the case of allergic reaction, the only way to
treat sensitive individuals is to eliminate the food or
food component from the diet. In the case of food
intolerance, limiting the food to smaller servings may
be sufficient to avoid symptoms. The number of calo-
ries required to correct or maintain weight depends on
several factors, including age and activity level. This is
why conditions such as nutritional deficiencies and
obesity require professional care, that should be super-
vised by a physician working with a dietician.Complications
A common complication of unbalanced intake of
macronutrients is diabetes, a metabolic disorder
whereby the body cannot regulate blood glucose levels
properly. There is no evidence that sugar consumption
is linked to the development of any type of diabetes.
However there is now good evidence that obesity and
physical inactivity increase the likelihood of develop-
ing non-insulin dependent diabetes, which usually
occurs in middle age. Weight reduction is usually nec-
essary and is the primary dietary aim for people with
non-insulin dependent diabetes. Consuming a wide
range of carbohydrate foods is an acceptable part of
the diet of all diabetics, and the inclusion of low gly-
caemic index foods is beneficial as they help regulate
blood glucose control.Parental concerns
Today’s lifestyles are vastly different from those
of the past. The fast pace of modern lifestyles and the
increase of households where both parents work have
lead to marked changes in food preparation and con-
sumption habits. A positive consequence has been the
emergence of convenient foods and important advan-
ces in food technology that help ensure the safety and
wholesomeness of the food supply. However, a nega-
tive consequence has also been a significant increase
in ready-to-eat foods of low nutritional value (junkMacronutrients