High Risk Behaviors Nutrition And Childbearing

High-Risk Behaviors Nutrition and Childbearing
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High-Risk Behaviors Nutrition and Childbearing
Introduction The diversity of global cultures closely influences the variety of foods consumed, frequency, and other elements. These aspects translate to grounded healthy behavior that significantly impacts specific groups’ overall health in such communities. As a result, Szczebyło et al. (2022) acknowledge that different cultures’ food preparation and consumption approaches could give rise to high-risk nutritional behaviors. While some are general and commonplace across the population, others emerge in particular groups, including pregnant and lactating women, girls, men, or teenagers. Many high-risk practices exist in diverse cultures, including high meat consumption among the polish millennials, increased caloric intake in Mexican-American Women, and carbohydrates intake taboos in Tajikistan. Healthcare workers should have a deep awareness of these practices to ensure they tailor health education and other nutritional approaches to evert adverse health outcomes in such individuals. Thus, this paper explores three high-risk practices in three different cultures and investigates their influencing belief systems and historical perspectives to inform the caring process by healthcare providers. High-Risk Nutritional Behaviors in Polish, Mexican-American, and Tajikistan Cultures             Excessive meat consumption has consistently drawn the attention of healthcare experts due to the risks that consumers face. Concerns have been rising among polish cultures due to the normalized food consumption patterns constituting high meats. According to Szczebyło et al. (2022), individuals aged 25 to 40 have a surprisingly strong attachment to these meals. Despite the increasing linkage of meat intake to diverse cardiovascular illnesses and cancers, evidence from a study by Szczebyło et al. (2022) reveals that a significant proportion of this population, over 75%, showed no willingness to minimize their meat intake volumes. In the same context, the revised dietary guidelines in Poland specify that an individual should consume 500g of meat weekly. This figure is higher than the standards for the United Kingdom at 490g and those by EAT-Lancet Commission at 300g every week (Szczebyło et al., 2022). However, the resistance among polish people remains high because findings in 2020 reveal that the consumption was at 1169g per week without factoring in out-of-home consumed foods (Szczebyło et al., 2022). These consumption levels demonstrate that the polish culture has a normalized routine meat intake as a fundamental component of their meals. Such high intake levels expose people to diverse lifestyles and long-term chronic conditions.             Mexican-American culture is widely associated with increased consumption of foods rich in high sugars. Benitez et al. (2017) indicate that this is a high-risk nutritional behavior because of the associated health complications. For instance, the authors underscore that progressive exposure to such a diet closely correlates to the increasing rates of obesity and overweight in this community. Other findings add that the practice also increases persons’ vulnerability to elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and a wide range of cardiovascular conditions. As a result, it explains why Mexican-American women dominate the obesity charts with approximately 75% compared to the non-Hispanic white females with 58% (Benitez et al., 2017). Evidence indicates that Mexican-Americans purchase sugar-rich foods, including candies, sweets, and SSB. They also rely on fast foods for everyday meals, consume cookies regularly, and frequently add sugars in a significant proportion of homemade meals, including Agia Frescas and Piloncillo (Benitez et al., 2017). Further evidence illustrates that this population consumes sweetened beverages in higher volumes, as noted by Benitez et al. (2017). These unregulated and unconscious intakes of high-sugar levels increase their risk of diverse diseases.             Carbohydrate limitation is a high-risk nutritional behavior common in Tajikistan culture among pregnant women. McNamara and Wood (2019) reveal that women significantly avoid consuming energy-giving food items, including osh and mantou, representing rice and dumplings, respectively. Further exploration reveals that they also desist from consuming bread, noodles, various baked items. McNamara and Wood (2019) indicate that this practice is risky because it leads to a reduced supply of critical energy to support prenatal health. It also risks compromising fetal development due to poor nutrition of the pregnant mothers during the critical window where the fetus experiences rapid cell growth. As a result. McNamara and Wood (2019) warn that this cultural practice, which emerges as a taboo, can interfere with appropriate organ development and fetus’ survival. An adequate energy supply for the mother and the unborn child during this period is critical. However, the practice in Tajik homes compromises it. Historical Perspectives and Belief Systems             Consumption of meat in polish culture has a historical inclination. Moreover, the Polish belief system has created a notion that encourages people to depend on this food item routinely. Arguments presented by Szczebyło et al. (2022) indicate that polish people have ...