INTRODUCTION
1.1 Human health
Health is the complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being. A number of
factors are known to influence the health status of individuals, including their background,
lifestyle, economic and social conditions, and spirituality which are referred to as
"determinants of health". Achieving and maintaining health is an ongoing process, shaped
by both the evolution of health care knowledge and practices as well as personal
strategies and organized interventions for staying healthy. An unhealthy diet is a major
risk factor for a number of chronic diseases including high blood pressure, diabetes,
abnormal blood lipids, overweight/obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. The World
Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2.7 million deaths are attributable to a diet low in
fruits and vegetables every year. Globally it is estimated to cause about 19% of
gastrointestinal cancer, 31% of ischaemic heart disease, and 11% of strokes, thus making
it one of the
leading preventable causes of death worldwide (Lopez et al., 2006).
