What defines a balanced diet?

Prepare for the IGCSE Physical Education Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready to excel!

Multiple Choice

What defines a balanced diet?

Explanation:
A balanced diet means giving the body the right mix of nutrients to fuel activity, support recovery, and maintain a healthy weight. It involves enough carbohydrates for energy, protein for tissue repair and growth, fats for long‑term energy and essential fatty acids, plus vitamins, minerals, fibre, and fluids to keep metabolism and hydration in check. Importantly, calories consumed should roughly match calories burned through activity, so energy in equals energy out. The best choice reflects this idea by mentioning an optimal nutrient mix for energy and recovery and tying it to an energy balance where calories in equal calories burned. This supports performance and health because it provides steady energy, enables repair after exercise, and avoids both under‑ and over‑fueling. Other ideas miss the balance: a diet high in fat and sugar can lead to excess calories and nutrient gaps; only eating fruit lacks essential protein, fats, and minerals; skipping meals for weight loss can cause energy dips and disrupt metabolism.

A balanced diet means giving the body the right mix of nutrients to fuel activity, support recovery, and maintain a healthy weight. It involves enough carbohydrates for energy, protein for tissue repair and growth, fats for long‑term energy and essential fatty acids, plus vitamins, minerals, fibre, and fluids to keep metabolism and hydration in check. Importantly, calories consumed should roughly match calories burned through activity, so energy in equals energy out.

The best choice reflects this idea by mentioning an optimal nutrient mix for energy and recovery and tying it to an energy balance where calories in equal calories burned. This supports performance and health because it provides steady energy, enables repair after exercise, and avoids both under‑ and over‑fueling.

Other ideas miss the balance: a diet high in fat and sugar can lead to excess calories and nutrient gaps; only eating fruit lacks essential protein, fats, and minerals; skipping meals for weight loss can cause energy dips and disrupt metabolism.

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