Food Choices And Human Health

Question 1

What is nutrition?

Answer 1

The study of:
- the nutrients and other biologically active compounds in foods and in the body
- sometimes also human behaviours related to food

Question 2

What is diet?

Answer 2

The foods and beverages a person usually eats and drinks

Question 3

What is food?

Answer 3

Any substance that the body can take in and assimilate that will enable it to stay alive and healthy
- carrier of nutrients

Question 4

What is health?

Answer 4

• The state of a human when it functions optimally without evidence of disease or abnormality
• “Optimal health for Canadians can only be achieved when greater efforts are made in health promotion and prevention of illness, and when nutrition is an integral part of these efforts” (Health Canada)

Question 5

Nutrition & Disease Prevention

Answer 5

• Diet influences long-term health outlook
• Genetics plays important role
• Genetics and nutrition affect health conditions in varying ways
• Nutritional Genomics: The science of how nutrients affect the activities of genes and how genes affect the activity of nutrients

Question 6

What are nutrients and what do they provide?

Answer 6

• Components in food that are indispensable (or essential) to the functioning of the body
• Nutrients provide:
  
  • Energy
  • Building material
  • Help maintain or repair the body and support growth

Question 7

Essential Nutrients

Answer 7

• The nutrients that the body can not make for itself from other raw materials
  
  • Must be obtained through foods
• “Conditionally Essential”: the body can not make enough to meet the requirements for health (e.g.! The amino acid histidine to support protein synthesis during growth)

Question 8

What are the 8 essential amino acids?

Answer 8

TV TILL PM
- Threonine
- Valine
- Tryptophan
- Isoleucine
-Leucine
- Lysine
- Phenylalanine
- Methionine

Question 9

Essential Fatty Acids

Answer 9

• Linoleic acid
• Linolenic acid

Question 10

Vitamins

Answer 10

• 3 fat soluble (A,D, E), 1 conditional (K)
• All water soluble

Question 11

Energy

Answer 11

Calorie values of energy-yielding nutrients
- Carbohydrates: 4 Cal/g (=kcal/g)
- Protein: 4 Cal/g
- Fat (lipid): 9 Cal/g
- Alcohol: 7 Cal/g
- provides energy, but not a nutrient

Question 12

Calculating % Calories from Fat

Answer 12

• Grams x Energy = Calories
• Calories / 123 x 100 = % Calories from Fat
• 123 ( Calories for ____ g)

Question 13

Calculating Total Calories

Answer 13

• For all
  
  • (Grams x Energy) + (Grams x Energy) + (Grams x Energy) = Total Calories

Question 14

Nutrient Density

Answer 14

• ” A way to assess which foods are the most nutritious”
• Nutritious vs donut breakfast
  
  • e.g., Calcium
    
    • 1c. skim milk: 85 calories, 301 mg calcium
    • 1c. ice cream: 350 calories, 173 mg calcium
    • Milk has more calcium per calorie, therefore, a higher nutrient density for calcium

Question 15

Healthy Diets

Answer 15

1. Adequate in essential nutrients, fiber and energy
2. Balance in nutrients and food types
3. Calorie control: foods provide proper amount of energy to maintain healthy body weight
4. Moderation in fat, salt, sugar, or other unwanted constituents
5. Variety: choose different foods each day

Question 16

Food Choices

Answer 16

• Availability
• Cost
• Convenience
• Emotional
• Social
• Cultural Factors
• Advertising
• Habit
• Personal Preference
• Genetic Inheritance
• Positive Associations
• Health

Question 17

Nutrition Research

Answer 17

• Scientists uncover nutrition facts by experimenting
• Research designs
  
  • Case studies: individuals
  • Epidemiological study (e.g. case control, cohort): Population
  • Intervention study (e.g. randomized controlled trial): Populations with manipulation
  • Laboratory study: tightly controlled conditions

Question 18

Nutrition Research (2)

Answer 18

• Single studies must be replicated before findings become valid
  
  • Consumer corner: Can we trust the media?
  • Do not take actions based on the findings of single study
  • Science works by the accumulation of evidence and by consensus
  • Sometimes the media sensationalizes even confirmed findings

Question 19

Controversy 1: Separating the Imposters From the Real Nutrition Experts (1)

Answer 19

• Identifying valid nutrition information
  
  • Credible Sources of Nutrition Information
  • Nutrition on the Web - Is This Site Reliable?
  • Earmarks of Nutrition Quackery

Question 20

Controversy 1: Separating the Imposters From the Real Nutrition Experts (2)

Answer 20

• Information derived from scientific research, conducted by scientists with these characteristics:
  
  • Test ideas through properly designed scientific experiments
  • Recognize inadequacies of anecdotal evidence / testimonials
  • Do not apply research findings from animals to humans
  • Do not generalize findings to all population groups
  • Report their findings in respected scientific journals that are peer reviewed

Question 21

Controversy 1: Separating the Imposters From the Real Nutrition Experts (3)

Answer 21

• What is a nutritionist?
  
  • Term is not regulated
  • May have university degree in nutrition
  • May not have formal training, self-taught, variable degree of nutrition information accuracy

Question 22

Controversy 1: Separating the Imposters From the Real Nutrition Experts (4)

Answer 22

• What is a dietitian (RD)?
  
  • Term is regulated by law
  • Member of provincial regulatory body (CDM = College of Dietitians of Manitoba)
  • Optional membership to Dietitians of Canada
  • 4-year undergraduate degree plus 8-12-month practicum (practical experience) in health care setting
  • Pass a licensing exam (CDRE)
  • Terms Associated with Nutrition Advice