Diet - RISK

Diet

Risks

There are many health risks associated with not eating a balanced diet. Many of the vitamins and minerals which are found in fruit and vegetables are particularly important, and not getting enough can lead to malnutrition and eating disorders. The risks associated with vitamin and mineral deficiencies (a lack of what is needed) are detailed below.

• Vitamin A/retinol - found in liver, cheese, eggs, oily fish. Deficiency can lead to weakening of your immune system which can mean you become ill more easily. However, too much vitamin A can lead to weakened bones in later life. Liver is a very rich source of vitamin A, but try not to eat it more than once a week. Pregnant women should avoid taking vitamin A.
  
  
• Vitamin B6/pyridoxine - found in poultry, whole cereals (oatmeal, wheat germ), peanuts. Deficiency can lead to depression and irritability.
  
  
• Vitamin B12 - found in meat, salmon, cheese, eggs. Deficiency can lead to anaemia, a condition in which not enough oxygen is carried in the blood due to a lack of red blood cells. Anaemia can make you tired, faint and breathless.
  
  
• Vitamin C/ascorbic acid - found in oranges, peppers, broccoli, cabbage. Deficiency can lead to tiredness, bleeding gums, aching joints and loosening of teeth. Severe cases of vitamin C are known as scurvy.
  
  
• Vitamin D - found in oily fish, eggs. Deficiency can lead to muscle weakness, and aching and weakened bones. Sunlight is also a rich source of vitamin D.
  
  
• Calcium - found in milk, cheese, broccoli, cabbage. Deficiency can lead to bone and tooth decay.
  
  
• Folic acid/ folate - found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peas, brown rice. As folic acid works together with vitamin B12, deficiency can lead to anaemia. It can also reduce the risk of birth defects in unborn babies, so it is particularly important for pregnant women.
  
  
• Iron - found in meat, beans, whole grains, watercress, and curly kale. Deficiency can lead to anaemia.
  
  
• Magnesium - found in spinach, nuts, bread. Deficiency can lead to tiredness and bone and tooth decay.
  
  
• Niacin/vitamin B3 - found in beef, pork, eggs, milk. Deficiency can lead to skin problems, dizziness, swelling of the tongue and vomiting.
  
  
• Potassium - found in bananas, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Deficiency can lead to an irregular heartbeat, irritability, nausea, and diarrhoea.
  
  
• Riboflavin/vitamin B2 - found in mushrooms, rice, eggs, and milk. Deficiency can lead to dry and cracked skin, sensitivity to light, dizziness and difficulty sleeping.
  
  
• Thiamin /vitamin B1 - found in peas and other vegetables, pork, milk, and cheese. Deficiency can lead to headaches and tiredness.
  
  
• Zinc - found in meat, shellfish, milk, cheese, and wheat germ. Deficiency can lead to hair loss, skin problems, diarrhoea and poor wound healing.

As well as eating enough of certain food types, a balanced diet also means not eating too much of others. The risks associated with overeating certain foods are detailed below.

• Fats - a daily diet containing too much saturated, and unsaturated, fat may lead to obesity. Obesity is an excessive amount of fat, or body weight, and can lead to poor health including heart disease and heart attack. There is some evidence to suggest that obesity and a fatty diet may also increase your risk of cancers, such colorectal (bowel) cancer. In the UK, colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in women, and the third most common cancer in men.
  
  
• Sugar - a daily diet containing too much sugar may lead to tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when holes (cavities) form in the outer layer of your tooth (enamel). These holes can spread into the centre of your tooth where the nerves and blood vessels are and can cause infection, which can be extremely painful. In severe cases, your teeth can rot to the point where they must be removed altogether.
  
  
• Salt - a daily diet containing too much salt may lead to a rise in blood pressure. This is dangerous because people with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke than those who do not.