4 - Nutrition and Health Flashcards
What do I need to know?
- Appreciate the importance of the role of nutrition in health and disease
- Differentiate between the nutritional needs of individuals and populations
- Briefly outline the rational for EACH statement of the Eating and Activity Guidelines of the ADULT POPULATION
What are the biggest health problems affecting NZers and what influences these?
Chronic/non-communicable diseases. Usually arise due to certain lifestyles - nutrition especially influences risk of chronic diseases
What is nutrition?
Nutrition is the interaction between the individual and the environment mediated by food. It is the science of food and the substances the contain and their actions within the body
What is a diet?
The food/beverages one consumes. The quality of diet affects quality of life and risk of chronic diseases
Describe the interaction between food, diet and the body
The interaction between food, diet and body impact on nutrition
Environment/food includes
food... production distribution hygiene preparation labels meals
Agent/diet includes
carbs proteins vitamins minerals fats
Body includes
genetics
physiology
lifestyle
needs
What has the biggest influence on our food choice behaviors?
The food environment
- i.e. budget, easy access, nutrition
- some people don’t prioritise food in terms of nutrition
- when setting someone a nutrition plan need to consider the food environ, the food and the host. Can tell to eat fruit and veg but what if no provider in area? Too expensive? Culture? Genetics?
… and … have consequences on health
body weight and fitness
Nutrition impacts the … and …. of many ….
Nutrition impacts on the progression and treatment of many chronic diseases
What are the common dietary goals in disease prevention?
- maintain appropriate body weight
- minimally processed food
- more plant based food
- beneficial fats and oils
How has what we use to think about when considering nutrition and health/disease changed over the years
- When thinking about nutrition and its interaction with disease, was largely focused around MALNUTRITION and deficiencies i.e. not having enough of something (iodine) which was fixed by supplementing that specific nutrient
- NOW it is exposure to CERTAIN types of diets and lfiestyles over a LONG time period that is affecting disease i.e. rise in non-communicable diseases which are related to the ways people live
Chronic diseases are often … …
Inter-related and so have co-morbidities. For example patients will often have obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease where one causes increased risk of other diseases
How is health loss measured?
Number of years lost by burden of disease - disease measured by disability adjusted life years
What is the greatest cause of (preventable) health loss in NZ (meaning they can’t work, disability or mortality)?
Dietary risks are the greatest cause of health loss in NZ
Including high sugar and salt, low fruit and veg, high body weight causing cancers, diabetes and cardiovascular disease
How much of the total DALYs/health loss does dietary risks account for in NZers
12% of total health loss/burden of disease
After dietary risk what are the greatest causes of health loss?
high BMI
smoking
high BP
low physical activity
Why has there been a change to chronic diseases/dietary risk is contributing so much NOW to health loss?
Diet, lifestyle and environment has changed. Access to foods dense and high in energy has increased greatly., food outlets, sedentary lifestyle, technology
Although we live longer what we ARE dying of is chronic exposure to poor diets and lifestyles
What do the population guidelines aim to do?
Aim to reduce risk factors for non-communicable diseases and ensure adequate nutrient intake
What 4 things do the population guidelines need to be?
- Evidence based to show that at a population level the diet will increase the health of new zealanders (HARD as can’t do RCTs on entire diets - can on single nutrients)
- Include adequate nutrient intake
- optimise health
- safe to consume (low in contaminants and potentially harmful added substances)
NZ Eating and Activity Guideline Statements for Adults statement 1:
Enjoy a variety of nutritious foods everyday including
- Plenty of fruit and veg
- Plenty of breads and cereals especially whoegrain and those high in fibre
- Some milk and milk products
- Some legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, seafood, eggs, poultry, lean meat with fat removed
Why plenty of fruit and veg?
- many health benefits
- cancer, weight control, CVD
- vitamins C, A, K
- minerals
- fibre
- PHYTOchemicals/non-nutrients (i.e. polyphenols give colour and anti-oxidants)
Why plenty of grain foods especially high in fibre and whoegrain?
- refined/white grains have bran and germ removed
- BRAN - fibre, vitamin B and minerals
- GERM - vitamin B and minerals and PHYTOchemicals
- endosperm you eat has energy, carbs, protein, vitamin B
The bran and germ removed help towards cancer, weight control and CVD
