Introduction to Nutrition – Undernutrition Flashcards
What proportion of the western population is overweight and what proportion is obese?
50% are overweight
25% are obese
What proportion of the global population live below recommended nutritional needs?
1/3 (<1200 kcal)
What hierarchy describes the needs of humans?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Describe the balance between obesity and undernutrition.
Prevalence of obesity is about the same as the prevalence of undernutrition (27%)
What measurement is commonly used for undernutrition?
Arm circumference and arm fat - they pinch the skin in the middle of the upper arm and measure the thickness
What is body weight a reflection of?
Total cell mass
Why is body weight not reflective of nutritional status in some cases of malnourishment?
Some malnourishment will cause oedema, which will confound the body weight result.
What is usually set as the recommended intake of nutrients?
RNI - reference nutrient intake - this is 2.5 standard deviations above the estimate average intake
What are the roles of vitamin C?
Anti-oxidant - involved in converting Fe3+ to Fe2+
It is also important in the formation of stable collagen fibres.
What is a deficiency in vitamin C?
Scurvy
What three components make up energy expenditure?
Resting energy expenditure (BMR)
Adaptive thermogenesis
Exercise
State some fates of acetyl CoA.
Amino acids, Fatty acids, ketone bodies, pyruvate, TCA cycle
What are the main stores of energy?
Glycogen
Adipose Tissue
Muscle
State three hormones regulating appetite.
Leptin, Ghrelin, PYY3-36
What are some signs of undernutrition?
Weight loss Loss of subcutaneous fat Muscle wasting Peripheral oedema Hair Loss Chronic infections Poor wound healing Recurrent pulmonary infections
State three differences between Marasmus and Kwashiorkor.
Marasmus has no oedema
Marasmus has good appetite
Marasmus rarely causes any mental changes
What happens to energy expenditure as you starve?
Decreases - fuel utilisation by almost all organs (except the brain) decreases
What is another name of vitamin B1 and what is its deficiency called? State some symptoms.
Thiamine
Deficiency = Beri Beri
Symptoms = fatigue + severe lethargy
Why is this disease important in medicine today?
It is associated with chronic alcoholics with an inadequate diet (Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome)
Associated with gastric bypass surgery
What is niacin and what does a deficiency in niacin cause?
Vitamin B3 - used to produce nicotinamide for NADP and NAD
Deficiency = Pellagra
