Balanced Diet — REET EVS Notes
This page covers balanced diet, nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals) and the diseases their deficiency causes, along with school-level nutrition schemes like the mid-day meal. Matching vitamins and minerals to their deficiency diseases is a pattern that comes up in REET EVS again and again.
- 1 question in REET 2024
- Class 1–5 level
- 6 min read
How this topic is asked in REET
REET 2024 asked which disease results from vitamin D deficiency — the correct answer was rickets, with night blindness (vitamin A), beriberi (vitamin B1) and scurvy (vitamin C) offered as distractors. This shows that memorising the exact 'vitamin/mineral ↔ deficiency disease' pairs is the single most important strategy for REET.
The Three Functional Food Groups
Primary-level EVS textbooks explain food in terms of what it does in the body, using three simple groups — energy-giving foods (like cereals, ghee and oil), body-building foods (like pulses, milk and eggs), and protective foods (like fruits and vegetables). This grouping gives young children a simple way to understand food by 'job' before they encounter the more technical vocabulary of carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins.
A balanced plate should include food from all three groups — for instance, roti/rice (energy-giving) with dal (body-building) and vegetables/fruit (protective). This same simple principle later becomes the foundation for the more scientific classification into carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins.
Key Nutrients and Their Sources
| Nutrient | Main function | Main sources |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | Provide energy to the body | Wheat, rice, potato, maize |
| Proteins | Growth and repair of the body (body-builder) | Pulses, milk, eggs, meat, soybean |
| Fats | A stored source of energy; builds cell membranes | Ghee, oil, butter, nuts |
| Vitamins and minerals | Immunity and regulatory functions (protective nutrients) | Fruits, vegetables, milk |
| Water and fibre | Water transport and temperature regulation; fibre keeps digestion smooth | Water; whole grains, peels of fruits and vegetables |
A balanced diet is one where all of the above nutrients are present in the right proportion, so the body's growth, energy and immunity are all sustained together.
Major Diseases Caused by Vitamin Deficiency
| Vitamin | Deficiency disease | Main source |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | Night blindness | Carrot, papaya, green leafy vegetables |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | Beriberi | Whole grains, pulses |
| Vitamin C | Scurvy | Lemon, amla (Indian gooseberry), orange |
| Vitamin D | Rickets (in children) / Osteomalacia (in adults) | Sunlight, milk, egg yolk |
| Vitamin K | Failure of blood to clot (bleeding-related problems) | Green leafy vegetables |
| Vitamin B12 | Pernicious anaemia, nerve-related problems | Meat, egg, milk, fish |
These pairs are the most frequently asked in REET — memorise each vitamin along with the one deficiency disease it causes.
Major Minerals and the Diseases Their Deficiency Causes
| Mineral | Deficiency disease/problem | Main source |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | Anaemia (low blood count) | Green leafy vegetables, jaggery, pomegranate |
| Calcium | Weak bones and teeth | Milk, curd, cheese |
| Iodine | Goitre, thyroid-related problems | Iodised salt, seafood |
| Zinc | Stunted growth, reduced immunity | Meat, pulses, nuts, whole grains |
Note the exception: an excess (not a deficiency) of fluoride causes 'fluorosis', which damages bones and teeth — excess fluoride in the groundwater of several Rajasthan districts is a well-known problem, which is why this fact matters from a state-specific angle in EVS too.
Malnutrition — Undernutrition and Overnutrition
Malnutrition doesn't just mean too little food — it means an imbalance of nutrients in the diet, and it can take the form of either undernutrition or overnutrition. Severe protein deficiency causes kwashiorkor in children (swelling and a bloated belly), while a combined deficiency of both energy and protein causes marasmus (extreme thinness).
On the other hand, eating too much fat- and sugar-heavy food causes obesity, a growing problem among children today too. So a balanced diet isn't just about 'enough food' — it's about the 'right nutrients in the right amount and proportion'.
The World Health Organization (WHO) uses two key indicators to measure nutritional status — stunting (low height for age, reflecting chronic/long-term malnutrition) and wasting (low weight for height, reflecting acute/recent malnutrition). Both terms come up repeatedly in surveys on child development and nutrition, so it's useful for REET to understand the difference clearly.
School Nutrition Schemes (Relevant for Teachers)
The Government of India's mid-day meal scheme was renamed 'PM POSHAN' in 2021, aimed at providing nutritious food to children in government and government-aided schools to improve enrolment, attendance and learning levels. This scheme is directly relevant for REET-qualified candidates who go on to become teachers, since implementing it at the school level is often a teacher's responsibility. The mid-day meal scheme itself began in 1995 as the 'National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education' (NP-NSPE), which was later renamed PM POSHAN in 2021.
In addition, Anganwadi centres under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme work to support the nutrition of children under 6 and of pregnant and lactating women — this connects to the EVS idea of 'nutrition in the early years'.
How to Teach This to Children
Classroom activity
Run a 'food plate' activity where children paste pictures of grains, pulses, vegetables, fruits and milk on a paper plate to build one day's balanced meal.
Teaching aids
Use examples of local, inexpensive foods (like bajra, chana, seasonal vegetables) so children understand a balanced diet doesn't have to be expensive.
Common misconception
Children often believe that 'eating more' is the key to staying healthy. Teachers should explain that it's not quantity but the right balance of nutrients that matters.
Assessment idea
Have children list what they ate the previous day and ask which nutrients were included — a simple self-reflection-based assessment.
Group discussion
Have children spot the energy-giving, body-building and protective foods in a typical mid-day meal (PM POSHAN) — this links the classroom principle to their everyday experience.
Memory trick
An easy way to remember vitamins — 'A night blindness, B1 beriberi, C scurvy, D rickets, K bleeding'. Repeating this link between each vitamin's letter (A, B, C, D, K) and its deficiency disease makes the sequence stick permanently.
REET 2024 Questions (Solved)
Question 147
Disease caused by the deficiency of Vitamin – D is
- Aरतौंधी
- Bबेरी-बेरी
- Cस्कर्वी
- Dरिकेट्स
Explanation
विटामिन D की कमी से बच्चों में रिकेट्स (Rickets) रोग होता है, जिसमें हड्डियाँ कमजोर और टेढ़ी हो जाती हैं। रतौंधी विटामिन A की, बेरी-बेरी विटामिन B1 (थायमिन) की और स्कर्वी विटामिन C की कमी से होती है।
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which disease is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin A?
- Aरिकेट्स
- Bरतौंधी
- Cस्कर्वी
- Dबेरी-बेरी
Explanation
Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness, in which it becomes difficult to see in dim light.
Question 2
Which nutrient is mainly responsible for the growth and repair of the body?
- Aकार्बोहाइड्रेट
- Bवसा
- Cप्रोटीन
- Dजल
Explanation
Protein is called the 'body-building nutrient' because it plays the leading role in growth and cell repair.
Question 3
Deficiency of which vitamin causes scurvy?
- Aविटामिन A
- Bविटामिन B1
- Cविटामिन C
- Dविटामिन D
Explanation
Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy; its main sources are lemon, amla and orange.
Question 4
Which disease occurs in children due to severe protein deficiency?
- Aमैरास्मस
- Bक्वाशियोरकर
- Cरिकेट्स
- Dबेरी-बेरी
Explanation
Kwashiorkor is a malnutrition disease caused by severe protein deficiency, which shows up as swelling and a bloated belly.
Question 5
Which nutrient provides the body with the quickest energy?
- Aकार्बोहाइड्रेट
- Bप्रोटीन
- Cविटामिन
- Dखनिज लवण
Explanation
Carbohydrates provide the body's fastest and main source of energy, obtained from grains like wheat and rice.
Question 6
What problem mainly results from a Vitamin K deficiency?
- Aरतौंधी
- Bरक्त का थक्का न जमना
- Cहड्डियाँ कमजोर होना
- Dमसूड़ों से खून आना केवल
Explanation
Vitamin K assists in the blood-clotting process; its deficiency causes bleeding-related problems.
Question 7
What is the most suitable definition of a balanced diet?
- Aजितना ज़्यादा खाना उतना बेहतर
- Bसभी आवश्यक पोषक तत्वों का सही अनुपात में सेवन
- Cकेवल प्रोटीन युक्त भोजन
- Dकेवल फल व सब्जियाँ खाना
Explanation
A balanced diet is one in which carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals are all present in the right proportion, not simply one where the quantity is high.
Question 8
Which is the most suitable activity for teaching Class 2 children about a balanced diet?
- Aपोषक तत्वों की रासायनिक संरचना पढ़ाना
- Bकागज़ की थाली पर खाद्य पदार्थों के चित्र चिपकाकर 'खाद्य थाली' बनवाना
- Cकेवल किताब से परिभाषा पढ़वाना
- Dपरीक्षा में निबंध लिखवाना
Explanation
Concrete, visual activities are more effective than abstract scientific concepts for younger classes.
Question 9
If a child believes that 'eating more is good for health,' what should the teacher explain?
- Aयह बिल्कुल सही सोच है
- Bमात्रा नहीं बल्कि पोषक तत्वों का सही संतुलन ज़रूरी है
- Cबच्चे को कुछ न बताना
- Dकेवल मीठा खाने की सलाह देना
Explanation
Overeating, especially foods high in fat and sugar, can cause problems like obesity — so a proper balance of nutrients matters more than quantity.
Question 10
Which of the following vitamins is also obtained from sunlight?
- Aविटामिन C
- Bविटामिन D
- Cविटामिन B1
- Dविटामिन K
Explanation
The skin produces vitamin D in the body when exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays, which is why it's also called the 'sunshine vitamin'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which nutrients should a balanced diet include?+
A balanced diet should include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and adequate water — all in the right proportion.
Which disease does vitamin D deficiency cause?+
Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children (weak, bent bones) and osteomalacia in adults.
What's the difference between kwashiorkor and marasmus?+
Kwashiorkor is caused by severe protein deficiency (swelling and a bloated belly), while marasmus is caused by a combined severe deficiency of energy and protein (extreme thinness).
What are the main sources of protein?+
Pulses, milk, eggs, meat and soybean are the main sources of protein. Protein is also called the 'body-building nutrient'.
What is the PM POSHAN scheme?+
PM POSHAN (formerly the mid-day meal scheme) is a central scheme that provides nutritious food to children in government schools; it was renamed in 2021, and aims to improve enrolment, attendance and learning levels.
Which disease does iodine deficiency cause?+
Iodine deficiency causes goitre, a thyroid-related problem. Iodised salt is a simple way to prevent it.
What's the difference between stunting and wasting?+
Stunting is a state of low height for age, reflecting chronic malnutrition, while wasting is a state of low weight for height, reflecting recent, acute malnutrition — both are standard indicators of children's nutritional status.
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Change Log
- 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked