Chapter 1

Question 1

Nutrition is…

Answer 1

Nutrition is the science of nutrients in food and their actions within the body. It also encompasses human behaviors related to food and eating.

Question 2

Foods come from…

Answer 2

Foods come from plants and animals, consumed for energy and nutrients to maintain life, grow, and repair tissues.

Question 3

What is diet?

Answer 3

Diet refers to the foods and beverages a person eats and drinks, not necessarily a weight-loss plan.

Question 4

What Are Factors Influencing Food Choices?

Answer 4

Personal preferences such as taste (sweet, salty, fatty foods) can be influenced by genetics and hormones.

Habit, ethnic heritage, and social interactions which may lead to eating similar foods as one’s social circle.

Availability, convenience, and cost affect food choices. There may be positive or negative emotional associations with food.

Values such as religious beliefs and environmental concerns also impact choices.

Body weight, image, and health awareness are influential, with an emphasis on distinguishing between science-based nutrition and fads.

Marketing is a multi-billion dollar industry shaping consumer habits.

Question 5

Nutrients are…

Answer 5

Nutrients are chemical substances in food that provide energy, structural materials, and are regulating agents to support growth, maintenance and repair of tissues.

They may also reduce risk of certain diseases.

Question 6

Phytochemicals are…

Answer 6

Phytochemicals are non-nutrient compounds found in plants with biological activity.

Question 7

Essential nutrients…

Answer 7

Essential nutrients must be obtained from food.

Question 8

Macronutrients

Answer 8

Macronutrients are the nutrients we need in larger quantities that provide us with energy (Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats)

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats yield energy (measured in kilocalories).

Carbohydrates and protein: 4 kcal/g
Fat: 9 kcal/g
Alcohol: 7 kcal/g (Alcohol does yield energy but is not a nutrient)

Question 9

Micronutrients

Answer 9

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals needed by the body in very small amounts. However, their impact on a body’s health are critical, and deficiency in any of them can cause severe and even life-threatening conditions.

Question 10

Vitamins

Answer 10

Vitamins are organic compounds that assist in energy release and are vulnerable to destruction by heat, light, or chemicals.

Question 11

Minerals

Answer 11

Minerals are inorganic and indestructible, though they may leach out during food preparation.

Question 12

Energy density refers to

Answer 12

Energy density refers to the amount of energy a food provides relative to its weight.

Question 13

Foods with high energy density can

Answer 13

Foods with high energy density can lead to weight gain, while low-energy-density foods can aid in weight loss.

Question 14

Macronutrients provide

Answer 14

Macronutrients provide raw materials for tissue building and regulating body activities.

Question 15

Nutritional genomics

Answer 15

Nutritional genomics studies how nutrients affect genes (nutrigenomics) and how genes affect nutrient processing (nutrigenetics).

Question 16

The scientific method in nutrition research involves

Answer 16

The scientific method in nutrition research involves observation, hypothesis formulation, experimentation, and theory development.

Question 17

Epidemiological studies

Answer 17

Epidemiological studies analyze disease incidence, distribution, and control within populations.

Types include cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies.

Question 18

Experimental studies involve

Answer 18

Experimental studies involve lab-based animal studies, in vitro studies, and human intervention trials.

Question 19

DRI

Answer 19

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) provide guidelines for energy, nutrients, and other components.

Question 20

RDA

Answer 20

RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance): Sufficient daily intake to meet the needs of 98% of healthy individuals.

Question 21

EAR

Answer 21

EAR (Estimated Average Requirement): Meets the needs of 50% of the population.

Question 22

AI

Answer 22

AI (Adequate Intake): A recommended amount used when there isn’t enough evidence to establish EAR and RDA.

Question 23

UL

Answer 23

UL (Tolerable Upper Intake Level): Maximum safe intake to avoid toxicity.

Question 24

EER

Answer 24

Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) refers to the average energy intake needed for energy balance.

Question 25

AMDR

Answer 25

Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR): Recommended ranges for macronutrient consumption to ensure proper energy and nutrient balance.

Question 26

Nutrition assessment

Answer 26

Nutrition assessment includes diet history, anthropometric measurements, physical exams, and laboratory tests. It helps detect malnutrition and assesses nutrient deficiency development.

Question 27

National nutrition surveys

Answer 27

National nutrition surveys gather data on food consumption and health to inform national health goals.

Question 28

Chronic diseases

Answer 28

Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are closely related to diet.

Question 29

Risk factors for chronic disease

Answer 29

Risk factors for chronic disease (e.g., high blood pressure, high cholesterol) tend to persist and cluster.

Question 30

Nutrition misinformation

Answer 30

Nutrition misinformation is common online; credible sources include the US National Library of Medicine’s PubMed.

Question 31

Registered Dietitians

Answer 31

Registered Dietitians (RD or RDN) are certified professionals with extensive nutrition training.

Question 32

Red flags of nutrition quackery

Answer 32

Red flags of nutrition quackery include overly simple solutions, promises of quick results, or lack of credible backing.

Question 33

Calorie

Answer 33

a unit of energy equivalent to the heat energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 °C (now often defined as equal to 4.1868 joules).