The Importance of Nutrition: An Annotated Bibliography

Berkowits S, A., Basu, S., Meigs J & Seligman H (2018). Food Insecurity and Health Care Expenditures in the United States, 2011-2013. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5980147/

Medical researchers studied the financial burden on US healthcare systems related to inadequate food to maintain proper nutrition. The study was conducted from the years 2011 to 2013 on 16,663 individuals in the US population. Nutrition was compared to hospital expenditures when food insecurity was high. 14% of the population studied reported food insecurity. The findings revealed that food insecurity had greatly influenced an increase in healthcare expenditure per year. The three years when food insecurity has been high recorded an increase in health expenditure of $1,863 per year. The study failed to recognize the different reasons why the participants could not have access to adequate food. The study could have specified the situations that led to the food insecurity and the exact number of times that the participants went to seek health care services. However, the article considered the various health problems related to poor nutrition, which increases hospital expenditure. The study had positive results with adequate data sources, samples, measures, and statistical analysis.  

Chen, Y., Michalak, M., & Agellon L (2018). Importance of Nutrients and Nutrient Metabolism on Human Health: Nutrition and Food Science 95-103. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6020734/  

The study focused on the benefits of nutrients on human health. The article focused on a literature review from other sources on the importance of nutrients. There were more than a hundred studies, all containing the topic of nutrients. All the studies have similar findings on the importance of nutrition to an individual's health. They considered the factors contributing to human health concerning nutrition. The single-nutrient solution was found to be effective in treating nutrient deficiencies. The study included the benefits of nutrients to the health and well-being of human beings. The review lacked numerical data supporting the information and findings presented on the subject. Some of the studies reviewed in the article were over ten years old. However, the study had a positive correlation between nutrition and health status and a decrease in decreased syndromes. However, the review fails to specify the population used for the study, and further studies must be conducted in specific populations.

Reflection

Healthy Nurse and Healthy Nation encourage nutrition as part of their health and wellness initiatives. They encourage nutrition for the wellness of nurses and their neighborhoods. The two research articles present information encouraging us to maintain proper nutrition. There are various health benefits related to proper dieting, including developing a robust immune system that reduces the financial burden of health expenditures. Poor nutrition is related to obesity, poor mental health, and chronic diseases. They describe the critical areas of intervention to deliver the population from food insecurity. Participants recorded that maintaining a proper diet had health benefits that improved their general wellness. The study reveals the impacts of nutrition transition caused by global changes. Food components are included in the discussion to identify the necessary types of food substances that we should eat to maintain a balanced diet necessary for our health. The research informs us about the necessity of a balanced diet to improve health. It should help me realize the benefits of nutrition and the importance of taking a balanced diet as part of nurses' self-care.