Patient was educated on healthy and unhealthy fats as follows:
- Fats are derived from both vegetable and animal/meat sources, form one of the main elements of healthy diet, and act as a major source of energy during metabolism.
- Apart from being rich source of energy, fats function as structural building blocks of the body, cushions and protects vital organs, aid in absorption & transport of fat-soluble vitamins, help in synthesis of vitamin D, bile salts, & sex hormones, and contribute towards number of important biological functions including growth and development.
- Based on the contributions made to individual health, fats are majorly classified into healthy and unhealthy groups.
- Major part of dietary fats consists of triglycerides, which are made up of fatty acids and glycerol. While making choices for fatty foods, it is important to choose foods high in unsaturated fatty acids or good fats and limit or avoid foods high in saturated & trans fatty acids or bad fats.
- A small part of dietary fat also consists of cholesterol. While making choices for fatty foods, it is important to choose foods contributing to HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol and limit or avoid foods contributing to LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol.
- More unsaturated fats in diet are poor risk factors for HTN, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and stroke and so, are associated with good health.
- High amounts of saturated fats in diet are high risk factors for HTN, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and stroke and so, are associated with poor health.
