Midterm Flash Cards
What is Chemistry
The study of the composition and characteristics of matter and changes that can occur to it
What is a Cell?
The smallest living functional unit in an organism, such as a human being
What is Metabolism?
The total of all chemical processes that occur in living cells, including chemical reactions (changes) involved in generating energy, making proteins & eliminating waste products.
What is a Dietary Supplement?
A product (other than tobacco) that adds to a person’s dietary intake, contains one or more dietary ingredients, is taken by mouth and may be a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, or extract
Define Lifestyle
A person’s usual way of living that includes dietary practices, physical activity habits, use of drugs and alcohol and other typical patterns or behavior
What is a Risk Factor?
A personal characteristic that increases your chances of developing a chronic disease
Define Undernutrition
Consuming too little
Define Overnutrition
Consuming too much
( calories, fat, sugar, vitamins/minerals)
What is Food Insecurity?
Situation which individuals are concerned about running out of food or not having enough money to buy more food
What drives food choices in America?
Taste is #1
What makes a nutrient ‘essential’?
Must be supplied by food
If missing, causes deficiency disease
List the essential nutrients
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Vitamins
Minerals
Water
Which nutrients are macronutrients?
Carbs
Protein
Fat
Which nutrients are micronutrients?
Vitamins
Minerals
Is alcohol an essential nutrient? How many kcal does it provide per gram?
Not essential
Provides 7 kcla/g
What is a kilocalorie?
The heat energy needed to raise the temperature of liter of water 1 degree Celsius
Measure of food energy
How many calories per gram for Carbohydrates?
4 kcal/g
How many calories per gram for Protein?
4 kcal/g
How many calories per gram of Fat?
9 kcal/g
What’s an anecdote?
Personal story
What’s a Treatment Group?
Group being studied that received a treatment
What’s a Control Group?
Group being studied that is NOT receiving the treatment
What is a Variable?
Any factor that can change and influence an outcome
What’s a Placebo?
Fake treatment
What’s a Randomized Controlled Trial? (RCT)
Experimental study where participants are randomly assigned to treatment/control
Define Placebo Effect
Positive response to a placebo
What’s a Case-Control Study?
Study that compared individuals who have a health condition with people who have similar characteristics but are healthy
What’s a Prospective Cohort?
A group of healthy people are interviewed, tested and then followed over a time period
What’s a Retrospective Cohort
Researchers collect information about a group’s past exposures and identify current health outcomes “to look back”
Define Peer Review
expert critical analysis of a research article before it is published
What’s Pseudoscience?
presentation of information masquerading as factual and obtained by scientific methods
What’s Quackery?
promotion of useless medical treatments
What are the steps of the scientific methos?
Observation
Formulate Hypothesis
Review
Design studies, perform tests
Analyze data & draw conclusions
Share with peers
Conduct more research
What’s the difference between a ‘nutritionist’ and a ‘registered dietitian nutritionist’ (RDN)
RDN is a credentialed professional with specific training/schooling
What’s the difference between a direct correlation and inverse correlation?
Inverse = Negative : Occurs when one variable increases and the other decreases
Direct = Positive : both variables are changing in the same direction
Define DRI
Dietary Reference Intake: various energy and nutrient intake standards for Americans
Define EAR
Estimated Average Requirement: the daily amount of the nutrient that meets the needs of 50% of healthy people who are in a particular life stage/sex group
Define AI
Adequate Intake: dietary recommendations for nutrients that scientists do not have enough information to set RDA’s
Define RDA
Recommended Dietary Allowances: standards for recommending daily intakes of several nutrients
Define UL
Tolerable Upper Intake Level: the highest average amount of a nutrient that is unlikely to harm most people when they consume that amount daily
Define AMDR
Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges: macronutrient intake ranges that are nutritionally adequate and may reduce the risk of diet-related chronic diseases
Define EER
Estimated Energy Requirement: It is a calculation used to estimate the daily caloric intake needed to maintain energy balance in individuals, considering factors like age, sex, weight, height, and activity level.
What are the ranges for each macronutrient?
Carbohydrates: 45-65%
Protein: 10-35%
Fat: 20-35%
What are the five major food groups?
Grains
Dairy
Fruits
Vegetables
Protein
What foods are included in Grains?
Wheat
Rice
Oats
Pasta
What foods are included in Dairy?
Milk
Yogurt
Cheese
What foods are included in Fruits?
fresh, dried, frozen, sauced and canned fruits
What foods are included in Vegetables?
Beans, peas, lentils
What foods are included in protein?
beef
pork
lamb
fish
poultry (chicken)
What is an ultra-processed food?
Contains numerous additives (ingredients that were added to a food during production to only extend its shelf life but also enhance flavor, texture, color, and ease of preparation)
Describe Cardiovascular System?
Involved the pumping action of the heart to circulate blood
Describe Respiratory System
enables the body to obtain oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide
Describe Lymphatic/Immune System
Helps maintain fluid balance, absorb certain nutrients and defend body against infectious diseases
Describe Urinary System
Filters and excretes unneeded substances from blood and maintains proper fluid balance
Describe Muscular & Skeletal System
Enable the body to move within its environment and provide support and protection for the body
Describe Nervous System
Produces intellectual and emotional responses and controls and regulates many body functions
Describe Endocrine System
Produces hormones that convey information to target cells
Define Elements
Each type of atom, substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances
Define Minerals
Elements found in the Earth’s crust (Calcium, Iron, Potassium)
Define Molecule
Matter that forms when 2 or more atoms interact and are held together by a chemical bond
Define Compound
Molecules that contain 2 or more different elements in specific proportions
Define Solution
Evenly distributed mixture of 2 or more compounds
What’s acid & base?
Acid- donates hydrogen ions
Base- accepts hydrogen ion
Define Catabolism
involves breaking down molecules
Define Anabolism
repairing damage muscle tissue after injury
What’s an enzyme?
A molecule (usually a protein) that catalyzes (speeds up) a particular chemical reaction
What is digestion?
The process by which your body breaks down food
What is Absorption?
The process by which substances are taken up from the GI Tract and enter the bloodstream or the lymph
What is Bioavailability?
Extent to which the digestive tract absorbs a nutrient and how well the body uses it
Chemical Digestion VS Mechanical Digestion
Chemical Digestion- chemical breakdown, saliva mixes with food and lubricates it
Mechanical Digestion - biting, tearing and grinding food
What organs are involved in digestion?
Mouth
Esophagus
Stomach
Small Intestine
Liver
Gallbladder
Pancreas
Large Intestine
Rectum & Anus
Where does digestion start?
Mouth
What’s the function of the mouth in digestion?
controls the intake of food
What’s the function of the esophagus in digestion?
transfer bolus of swallowed food into the stomach
What’s the function of the stomach in digestion?
stores food & mixes it with acid to continue break down of food
What’s the function of the small intestine in digestion
primary site of digestion and absorption
What are the 3 parts of the small intestine?
Duodenum (shortest)
Jejunum
Ileum (longest)
What’s the function of the liver in digestion?
produces bile, helps emulsify fats, also processes nutrients and detoxifies harmful substances
What’s the function of the Pancreas in digestion?
secretes enzymes and bicarbonate
What’s the function of the Gallbladder in digestion?
Stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver, releasing it into the small intestine when needed.
What is the function of the large intestine in digestion?
Stores & concentrates undigested matter, absorbs minerals and water & eliminates waste
Define Peristalsis
Muscular contraction that move food along the GI tract
Define Segmentation
regular contraction that mixes chyme back and forth
What are Villi?
tiny fingerlike projections of the small intestinal lining that participate in digesting and absorbing food
What are Microvilli?
the intestinal brush border
List the Monosaccharides
Glucose
Fructose
Galactose
What monosaccharides make up Maltose
Glucose + Glucose
What monosaccharides make up Sucrose
Glucose + Fructose
What monosaccharides make up Lactose?
Galactose + Glucose
What are amylose, amylopectin, and glycogen?
Polysaccharides
Where is glycogen found?
liver and muscle
Where do nutrients go after absorption?
liver
What is the difference between probiotics & prebiotics?
prebiotics-fiber (food)
probiotics-liver gut microbes
How does the stomach protect itself from digestion?
mucus lubricates & protects the stomach
How efficient is the GI tract?
92-97% absorption rate
Describe symptoms of Constipation & how to prevent it/treatments
When bowel movements occur less frequently and/or are difficult to eliminate, or the feces are dry or hard
Treatments: adding more fiber-rich foods to your diet and drinking more watery fluids
Describe the symptoms of Diarrhea & how to prevent it/treatments
Frequent bowel movements w/ loose stools
Treatments: fluids that contain sodium, potassium, and simple sugars such as glucose.
Describe the symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) & how to prevent it/treatments
condition where stomach acid frequently flows back into the esophagus, leading to symptoms like heartburn
Treatments: limiting certain foods (spicy and greasy) taking anti acid medication
Where do nutrients go after absorption?
liver
What’s the difference between nutritive sweeteners & non-nutritive sweetener?
Nutritive sweeteners- provide energy
Non-nutritive sweeteners- do not provide energy
What are the health concerns with non nutritive sweeteners?
excess calorie consumption
not based in science
What is the DRI for fiber in men & women?
men- 38 grams/day
women- 25 grams/day
Where does starch digestion begin? With what enzyme?
Starts in the mouth
Some maltose is broken down by salivary amylase
Define Glycolysis
first stage of glucose oxidation
Define Lipolysis
fat breakdown
Define Glucagon
hormone that helps regulate blood glucose levels
Define Glycogenolysis
glycogen breakdown
Define Ketone Bodies
chemicals that result from incomplete fat breakdown
Define Ketosis
ketones accumulate in your blood
Does sugar cause hyperactivity in children?
no
What is the main source of added sugars in American’s diets?
sugar sweetened beverages (soda)
What is metabolic syndrome?
condition that increases risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD)
How are Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes treated? medication/diet
lifestyle changes, mediterranean diet, insulin therapy
What is lactose intolerance? What are some diet strategies for those with lactose intolerance?
not producing enough lactose
- taking lactaid, avoiding dairy products high in lactose
Which lipid do we commonly call ‘fat’?
triglycerides
What is lecithin?
the major phospholipid in food
Which foods contain cholesterol?
animal foods ONLY
What is an emulsifier?
substance that helps water-soluble and water-insoluble compound mix with each other
What is enterohepatic circulation?
process that recycles cholesterol in the body
Define atherosclerosis
long term disease process in which plaques build up inside arterial walls
Define Cardiovascular Disease? (CVD)
group of diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels
What are the different types of cardiovascular diseases?
- heart attack
- heart failure
- stroke
- coronary artery disease
etc
On average, fat contributes about __% of the energy in an adult American’s diet
38%
According to the Dietary Guidelines, what is the recommendation for saturated fat intake ?
people should consume less than 10% of their total calories from saturated fatty acids
Which fats are typically liquid/solid?
Liquid- monounsaturated fats & polyunsaturated fats
Solid- Saturated fats
What is a lipid panel
is a blood test that measures the levels of specific lipids in the bloodstream
