A healthy balanced diet is one that provides all the energy and nourishment that we need to survive. We should all try to eat the correct amount and types of food to provide our body with all the resources and fuels we need to stay healthy. A balanced diet is particularly important for children, to provide the resources their bodies need to grow and develop, and for pregnant women who need to consume a diet that will provide for their unborn baby.

A simple way to help you achieve the balance of good health is to try to eat foods from the following five groups in the proportions shown.

Whom Does This Apply To?
These recommendations apply to almost everyone, except children under two years of age. Where possible, babies should just have breast milk until they are at least four months old, and preferably, until they are six months old. Breast milk provides babies with all the nutrients they need. After weaning, babies should have full fat milk (from one year of age) and dairy products, rather than low fat varieties. From two to five years of age, children should make a gradual transition towards eating a wide variety of family foods in the proportions recommended here.

Some people may have special dietary needs that have to be taken into account. Others may have food allergies or intolerances and others may choose not to eat certain foods (e.g. meat and animal products). These people need to take extra care to ensure their diet still contains all the nutrients they need.

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An unbalanced diet can lead to deficiencies in nutrients that are required for essential functions. Our bodies cannot make minerals and vitamins, so it is important that they are included in our diet.

Vitamins, Minerals and Trace Elements
Key Fact:
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. Symptoms include tiredness, dizziness, breathlessness and headaches. Vitamins are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly. There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are found mainly in fatty foods such as animal fats (including butter and lard), vegetable oils, dairy foods, liver and oily fish. Your body needs fat-soluble vitamins every day but you don't need to eat foods containing them every day.

Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, so you need to have them more frequently. Water-soluble vitamins are found in fruit, vegetables and grains. But unlike fat-soluble vitamins, they can be destroyed by heat or exposure to air. They can also be lost in the water used for cooking.

Our bodies also need minerals in small amounts and we need them in the form they are found in food. Minerals are found in a variety of foods such as meat, cereals (including cereal products such as bread), fish, milk and dairy foods, vegetables, fruit (especially dried fruit) and nuts. Minerals are essential for building strong bones and teeth, controlling body fluids inside and outside cells, and turning the food we eat into energy.

Trace elements are also essential nutrients that your body needs to work properly, but in much smaller amounts than vitamins and minerals. Trace elements are found in small amounts in a variety of foods such as meat, fish, cereals, milk and dairy foods, vegetables and nuts.

Fluids
As well as eating foods from each food group, it is important to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to prevent dehydration. We need water for all of our body functions. Even slight dehydration can affect how we feel and how well our bodies work. About 70% of our body is water. To maintain this, adults should drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. Children need slightly less.

Preferably you should limit drinks containing caffeine (tea, coffee and cola) to two to three cups a day. Alcohol intake should also be restricted. Men should not drink more than three to four units of alcohol and women, no more than two to three units per day. A unit means half a pint of beer, one measure of spirits or a small glass of wine.

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Key Fact:
Poor diets in children are associated with frequent infections, poor weight gain and delays in child development. Eating for good health means eating the right foods in the right proportions. Plan ahead so that you eat three nutritionally-balanced meals each day. Eat a variety of foods from each food group—taking care to eat at least five portions of fruits and vegetables daily. Other healthy eating tips include:

• Eat plenty of foods that are high in fibre. Lack of fibre can cause constipation and may increase the risk of bowel cancer.
• Avoid eating too many fatty foods. Choose low fat varieties where possible.
• Grill or bake food instead of frying it in oil/fat.
• Drink plenty of water.

Obesity
In the UK, more than half of women and two thirds of men are overweight or obese. Body weight increases when energy intake (or calories eaten) exceeds energy expended. This spare energy is stored as fat. Our lifestyles and lack of physical activity play a big role in obesity. Being overweight can contribute to a wide range of medical problems including:

• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Gallstones
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Indigestion
• Arthritis
• Respiratory illness

Eating Too Little
Although eating too much can have serious health implications, the same is true for eating too little. Young girls in particular often feel pressured to stay slim and many start dieting at an early age. The consequences of eating too little include:

• Poor growth and development
• Susceptibility to infections
• Lethargy
• Inability to concentrate
• Feeling cold

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Eating food should be an enjoyable as well as a nutritious experience. Children's attitudes to food and their body weight form at home, so it is important to encourage a healthy attitude to food and provide a good role model for them. Encourage your family to eat a healthy, balanced diet but do not label food as 'good' or 'bad'. All food is 'good' when eaten in the right proportions.

Making time to relax while eating, and time to eat with family and friends can play an important part in enjoying meals. Family meals should be something to look forward to and provide an opportunity to talk. Children should associate eating with pleasant social activity. Children imitate their elders, so practicing proper table manners yourself is the first step to teaching your children to do so. Ensure that they have mastered essential skills such as using knives and forks before they start school.

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Key Fact:
The main sources of germs in our homes are people, pets, food and water. Simple hand washing is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of germs (see My Family & Germs for more information). It is important to wash your hands properly before handling or preparing any food, and immediately after handling raw food such as uncooked meat (especially poultry), fish, eggs and unwashed vegetables. You should also make sure that all your food preparation surfaces are hygienically clean before use and decontaminate them after contact with raw food. You can decontaminate small items such as crockery, pans and chopping boards by scrubbing them in hot water and detergent and then rinsing them thoroughly under clean water. Larger items (e.g. work surfaces, tables) that you cannot rinse properly need to be decontaminated using a hygienic cleaner or a disinfectant.

• Regularly disinfect any area that is often touched with hands, such as the fridge door, handles, taps and door knobs.
• Use a waste bin with a lid. Clean and disinfect it regularly.
• Avoid contact between raw foods and cooked foods and use separate chopping boards for them.
• Remove food debris from tables and high chairs, and then disinfect them before meals.
• Change hand towels and tea cloths regularly.
• Do not use tea towels to dry your hands.
• Never allow pets or other animals onto kitchen surfaces or near your food.

Kitchen Appliances
You need to clean all your kitchen appliances (e.g. ovens, grills, microwaves, dishwashers) regularly to prevent growth of germs and moulds and reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and maintaining kitchen appliances and equipment.
• Remove any food debris from appliances (including toasters and dishwashers) regularly.
• If appropriate, clean the surfaces of the appliance with hot water and detergent.
• Clean the outside of appliances such as dishwashers and microwaves, including door seals with an appropriate disinfectant.
• Pay particular attention to disinfecting the parts that are frequently touched with the hands (i.e. handles and controls).
• Regularly clean the inside of microwaves with a suitable disinfectant.

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Because you cannot see, taste or smell germs, correct food storage and preparation procedures are necessary to keep food safe. Raw foods naturally harbour germs. Cooking food destroys germs or reduces them to a level there they pose no risk, but you need to ensure that the food reaches at least 70°C. Cooking cannot destroy some toxins that may have built up in the food (e.g., during inappropriate storage) so it is important to take care at every step.

• Check use-by dates and avoid buying damaged food or packages. Discard any food that is out of date, obviously contaminated or has perished (e.g. mouldy fruit and bread, rancid milk).
• Keep foods cool between shop and home and make sure you re-chill frozen or chilled foods as soon as possible. Do not refreeze food once it has defrosted.
• Eat cooked foods immediately or cool them and refrigerate them within an hour. Do not reheat foods more than once.
• Do not sneeze or cough near food and avoid preparing food for others if you are ill. Keep cuts and sores on hands covered while preparing food.
• Do not drink unpasteurised milk.

• Not cooking food properly
• Preparing food too far in advance
• Storing food wrongly
• Cross-contamination in the kitchen
• Letting people already infected with food poisoning germs prepare food

Chilling and Freezing
Chilling food slows the growth of any germs on or in the food, while freezing prevents the growth of germs. However, chilling and freezing do not kill germs. Once the temperature rises again, the germs can quickly multiply.

• Keep your refrigerator between 0 and 5°C and your freezer at or below minus 18°C.
• To stop the temperature rising, allow hot foods to cool to room temperature before putting them in the fridge and avoid leaving the door open long.
• Prevent cross-contamination by storing washed salad items in the salad compartment, cooked and ready-to-eat food at the top and uncooked meats covered at the bottom.
• Regularly clean your fridge and freezer, inside and out including door seals and handles with a suitable disinfectant (check the manufacturer's advice first). Follow the manufacturer's advice on cleaning.

Cupboards
Some foods do not need to be chilled or frozen (e.g., sugar, flour). They can be stored safely in a clean, dry cupboard. All food does eventually decay so make sure you follow any storage instructions and check its freshness before use.

• Follow storage instructions carefully. Once opened, some foods need to go into the refrigerator.
• Keep food in air-tight containers to prevent germs and pests out of food.
• Put new supplies at the back and bring older items to the front of the cupboard to remind you to use them first.
• Clean up spilled food straight away.
• Regularly remove food debris from your cupboards and clean surfaces thoroughly.

Further information
The 'My Family and Germs' section of this website provides useful information on how germs spread and further information on home hygiene. You may also find the following links useful:

• www.foodstandards.gov.uk - UK Government information on food
• www.teachkidshealth.co.uk - An excellent resource for teachers
• www.ifh-homehygiene.org - Guidelines for home hygiene from the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene.