Our body stores chemical energy thanks to the nutrients contained in food.

Metabolism concerns all

the biochemical processes required by our organism to survive.  “Metabolism is either categorized
as catabolism, referring to all metabolic processes involved in molecule breakdown, or anabolism,
which includes all metabolic processes involved in building bigger molecules” (Zimmerman & Baum,
2012, p. 516). Energy is gradually released through metabolic pathways and the substrate is
transformed into a final product through enzymatic reactions. “Some of these are catabolic
pathways, like glycolysis (the splitting of glucose), β-oxidation (fatty-acid breakdown), and amino
acid catabolism” (Zimmerman & Baum, 2012, pp. 517-518). Glycolysis is an important metabolic
pathway through which glucose is converted into readily available energy. Controlling the amount of
sugar that we assume through food is important to prevent harmful fat deposits linked to the onset of
obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Pima Indians represent a crucial example of how
nutrition and lifestyle have a great impact on health thus influencing the quality. Indians were
hunters, farmers, and followed a balanced diet. Then they were forced to move from the territories
where they lived, radically changing their habits, and became sedentary. This translated into a  rapid
weight gain due to a high-fat diet. There was a large incidence of diabetes and obesity among the
population. However, the Pima Indians living in Mexico were in good health because they
maintained their original way of life. Therefore, the exposure to different lifestyles caused profound
metabolic changes even in the same population. Obesity is associated with an interaction between
the environment and genetics. The genetic component plays an important role in the development of
this condition. Geneticists argued that the thrifty gene was determinant in the history of evolution
because humans faced periods of famine.  According to this theory, the unlimited availability of food
in some countries caused excessive fat accumulation in individuals. A sedentary lifestyle and a diet
rich in fats have a great impact on obesity. Satiety and hunger are regulated by hormones that work
to stimulate appetite or communicate satiety. An imbalance between these mechanisms may cause
weight gain or loss. Personally, I believe that doing physical activity and following a healthy diet has
the priority and can always make a difference. We need to change our approach to food and
lifestyle. For example, move up or down the stairs as well as walking are important variations that
will result in a benefit for health.
 
References
Zimmerman, M., & Snow, B. (2012). 2.4 National Goals for Nutrition and Health: Healthy People   
2020. In An Introduction to Nutrition,                V1.0(p. 60-61). Unnamed Publisher.