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Importance of Good Nutrition

   Your food choices each day affect your health — how you feel today,
   tomorrow, and in the future.

   Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle.
   Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and
   maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases (like
   heart disease and cancer), and promote your overall health.

The Impact of Nutrition on Your Health

   Unhealthy eating habits have contributed to the obesity epidemic in the
   United States: about one-third of U.S. adults (33.8%) are obese and
   approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged
   2—19 years are obese.^1 Even for people at a healthy weight, a poor
   diet is associated with major health risks that can cause illness and
   even death. These include heart disease, hypertension (high blood
   pressure), type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer.
   By making smart food choices, you can help protect yourself from these
   health problems.

   The risk factors for adult chronic diseases, like hypertension and type
   2 diabetes, are increasingly seen in younger ages, often a result of
   unhealthy eating habits and increased weight gain. Dietary habits
   established in childhood often carry into adulthood, so teaching
   children how to eat healthy at a young age will help them stay healthy
   throughout their life.

   The link between good nutrition and healthy weight, reduced chronic
   disease risk, and overall health is too important to ignore. By taking
   steps to eat healthy, you'll be on your way to getting the nutrients
   your body needs to stay healthy, active, and strong. As with physical
   activity, making small changes in your diet can go a long way, and it's
   easier than you think!

Eat Healthy

   Now that you know the benefits, it's time to start eating healthy:
   start your PALA+ journey today and use these tips on ways to eating
   healthy and resources to earn it.
   _______________________

References

   To return to the page content, select the respective footnote number.
   ^1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Obesity Trends.
   2011. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/databases.html


#FitTip

   Come together as a family for meals. Spend time with the kids while
   modeling healthy eating.

   Your health journey is uniquely yours. Don’t compare—strive to be your
   best self & enjoy!

   For more healthy living tips, follow PCSFN on Twitter @FitnessGov

   Content created by President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition
   Content last reviewed on January 26, 2017

   President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition logo

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