Georgia Virtual School (GAVS) Health Exam

What is the main purpose of a balanced diet?

1. To gain weight

2. To maintain current health

3. To promote overall health and prevent disease

4. To improve dietary habits only

The correct answer is: To promote overall health and prevent disease

A balanced diet is designed to promote overall health and prevent disease. The concept of a balanced diet emphasizes the importance of consuming a variety of foods to obtain the necessary nutrients. This includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals in the right proportions, which are essential for the body's optimal functioning. When you focus on a balanced diet, you are not only providing your body with the nutrients it needs for energy and growth, but you are also reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. This preventive aspect is crucial as it helps maintain your body's immune system and overall well-being. The other options highlight narrower aspects of diet. Gaining weight can be a goal for some individuals but does not reflect a balanced approach for everyone. Maintaining current health is important, yet it does not fully encompass the preventive measures that a balanced diet aims to achieve. Similarly, while improving dietary habits is beneficial, it does not address the comprehensive goal of promoting health and preventing disease that a balanced diet aims to achieve. Thus, the main purpose of a balanced diet centers on supporting overall health and disease prevention.