{"id":173,"date":"2019-06-17T18:14:55","date_gmt":"2019-06-17T22:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/053humanbiology\/chapter\/3-13-case-study-conclusion-diet-dilemma\/"},"modified":"2025-08-25T17:37:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T21:37:34","slug":"3-13-case-study-conclusion-diet-dilemma","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/053humanbiology\/chapter\/3-13-case-study-conclusion-diet-dilemma\/","title":{"raw":"3.13\u00a0Case Study Conclusion: Diet Dilemma","rendered":"3.13\u00a0Case Study Conclusion: Diet Dilemma"},"content":{"raw":"Created by:\u00a0CK-12\/Adapted by Christine Miller\n\nAfter reading this chapter, you should be able to see numerous connections between chemistry, human life, and health. In Joseph\u2019s situation, chemistry is involved in the reasons why his father has diabetes, why his personal risk of getting diabetes is high, and why the dietary changes he is considering could be effective.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_172\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"504\"]\"Diagram Figure 3.13.1. Prevalence of diabetes by per cent of country population.<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nType 2 diabetes affects populations worldwide and is caused\u00a0primarily\u00a0by a lack of response in the body to the hormone insulin, which causes problems in the regulation of blood sugar, or glucose. Insulin is a peptide hormone, and as you have learned, peptides are chains of amino acids. Therefore, insulin is in the class of biochemical compounds called proteins. Joseph is at increased risk of diabetes partly because there is a genetic component to the disease. DNA, which is a type of chemical compound called a nucleic acid, is passed down from parents to their offspring, and carries the instructions for the production of proteins in units called genes. If there is a problem in a gene (or genes) that contributes to the development of a disease, such as type 2 diabetes, this can get passed down to the offspring and may raise that child\u2019s risk of getting the disease.\n\nBut genetics is only part of the reason why Joseph is at an increased risk of diabetes. Obesity itself is a risk factor, and one that can be shared in families due to shared lifestyle factors (such as poor diet and lack of exercise), as well as\u00a0genetics. Consumption of too many refined carbohydrates (like white bread and soda) may also contribute to obesity and the development of diabetes. As you probably now know, these simple carbohydrates are more easily and quickly broken down in the digestive system into glucose than larger complex carbohydrate molecules, such as those found in vegetables and whole grains. This can lead to dramatic spikes in blood sugar levels, which is particularly problematic for people with diabetes because they have trouble maintaining their blood sugar at a safe level. You can understand why Joseph\u2019s father limits his consumption of refined carbohydrates, and in fact, some scientific studies have shown that avoiding refined carbohydrates may actually help reduce the risk of getting diabetes in the first place.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_172\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"305\"]\"Image Figure 3.13.2. A diet high in vegetables and lean meats can help reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nJoseph\u2019s friend recommended eating a low fat, high carbohydrate diet to lose weight, but you can see that\u00a0the\u00a0type<\/em> of carbohydrate \u2014 simple or complex \u2014 is an important consideration. Eating a large amount of white bread and rice may not help Joseph reduce his risk of diabetes, but a healthy diet that helps him lose weight may lower his risk of diabetes, since obesity itself is a factor. Which specific diet will work best to help him lose weight probably depends on a variety of factors, including his biology, lifestyle, and food preferences. Joseph should consult with his doctor about his diet and exercise plan, so that his specific situation can be taken into account and monitored by a medical professional.\n\nDrinking enough water is usually good advice for everyone, especially if it replaces sugary drinks like soda. You now know that water is important for many of the chemical reactions that take place in the body. But you can have too much of a good thing \u2014 as in the case of marathon runners who can make themselves sick from drinking too much water! As you can see, proper balance, or homeostasis, is very important to the health of living organisms.\n\nFinally, you probably now realize that \u201cchemicals\u201d do not have to be scary, toxic substances. All matter consists of chemicals, including water, your body, and healthy fresh fruits and vegetables, like the ones pictured in Figure 3.12.2. When people advocate \u201cclean eating\u201d and avoiding \u201cchemicals\u201d in food, they are usually referring to avoiding synthetic \u2014 or man-made \u2014 chemical additives, such as preservatives. This can be a healthy way to eat because it involves eating a variety of whole, fresh, unprocessed foods. But there is no reason to be scared of chemicals in general \u2014 they are simply molecules and how they react depends on what they are, what other molecules are present, and the environmental conditions surrounding them.\n
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Chapter 3 Summary<\/h1>\n<\/header>\n
\n\nBy now, you should have a good understanding of the basics of the chemistry of life. Specifically, you have learned:\n