Diet is the sum of food consumed by us. Often the word diet is used regarding specific intake of nutrition for health for weight management reasons or nutrition Dietary habits and choices play a significant role in the quality of life, health, and longevity. Complete nutrition requires the ingestion and absorption of vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids from protein, and essential fatty acids from fat-containing food, also food energy in the form of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. A healthy diet may improve or maintain optimal health.
Health agencies recommend that people maintain a normal weight by limiting the consumption of energy-dense foods and sugary drinks, eating plant-based food, and limiting the consumption of red and processed meat.
Many choose to forgo food from animal sources to varying degrees for health reasons, issues surrounding morality, or to reduce their environmental impact.
A particular diet may be chosen to seek weight loss or weight gain. Changing a subject’s dietary intake, or “going on a diet”, can change the energy balance and increase or decrease the amount of fat stored by the body. The terms “healthy diet” and “diet for weight management” are often related, as the two promote healthy weight management.
An eating disorder is a mental disorder that interferes with normal food consumption. It is defined by abnormal eating habits and thoughts about food that may involve eating much more or much less than needed.