Ingredients of Good Nutrition

Published: 16 October 2012

In this photo essay you'll see how scientists use nuclear techniques to understand food consumption and nutrition. (Photo: I. Karpischek) Poor diet can have devastating effects on human health, causing deficiency diseases in childhood and chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis later in life. (Photo: L. Potterton/IAEA) Many children in the developing world remain underweight or suffer from stunted growth because of inappropriate infant feeding and care practices, poor access to health services, or poor sanitation. (Photo: L. Potterton/IAEA) At the same time, some children are eating too much of the wrong thing. (Photo: I. Karpischek) Globally, nutrition habits are changing radically. Diets are shifting from plant-based, self-harvested, home-produced foods to processed meals that contain more fats, sugar and other sweeteners. (Photo: I. Karpischek) As a result, the number of overweight and obese children is rising rapidly, increasing the populations now facing a greater risk of nutrition-related chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. (Photo: S. Henriques/IAEA) Malnutrition thus confronts public health experts with a 'double burden' of risks resulting from underweight and overweight development. (Photo: S. Henriques/IAEA) The IAEA is one of a number of Organizations involved in researching nutrition and investigating the role it plays in human development and prospects for later life. (Photo: I. Karpischek) The IAEA's support for research, education and technical cooperation activities in human nutrition contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal to reduce by two-thirds the mortality rate among children younger than five years of age. (Photo: P. Pavlicek/IAEA) The Agency and its partners worldwide use stable isotope techniques to understand how the body is using the nutrients it's being given. This information helps health care providers and policymakers decide what interventions will be most effective to combat malnutrition. (Photo: I. Karpischek) With infant nutrition for example, stable isotope techniques have been used to measure human milk intake in breastfed infants, muscle mass in lactating mothers and bioavailability of iron in infants and young children. (Photo: S. Henriques/IAEA) Isotopic techniques can also be used to monitor micronutrients in the diet of vulnerable populations, to predict the onset of diabetes in adults, or to evaluate the bone health of the elderly. (Photo: I. Karpischek) Isotopic techniques are well-established tools for studying the metabolism of important nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins and minerals and, as such, can provide invaluable information on the effectiveness of intervention programmes and other measures to improve nutrition and health. (Photo: A. Jelincic) The Nutritional and Health-Related Environmental Studies Section directs and coordinates the IAEA's activities in nutrition worldwide. For more information, visit their Website: <em>http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nahu/NAHRES/about.html</em>. <br /><br /> The photos in this collection were taken by IAEA staff members while on vacation and on mission.