Nutrition Flashcards
What is nutrition?
how food affects the body and influences health
What is estimated average requirement (EAR)?
the amount of nutrients needed to meet requirement of half of all healthy individuals in that age group
What is the recommended daily allowance (RDA)?
the average daily dietary intake of a nutrient that is sufficient to meet requirements for 98% of healthy people
What is adequate intake (AI)?
the amount of nutrient consumed by a group of healthy people
What is tolerable upper intake level (UL)?
The maximum intake of a nutrient that is likely to be without averse effects
What is acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR)?
the percentage of protein, fat, carbohydrate, associated with reduced risk of chronic disease
Who are USDA dietary guidelines directed toward?
primary source for dietary guidelines for nutrition educators, policy makers, and healthcare providers
What do macronutrients do?
supply the body with energy
What do micronutrients do?
manufacture, repair, and maintain cells
What is anabolism?
formation of larger molecules from smaller ones
What is catabolism?
breakdown of larger molecules into smaller components
releases energy
What is the primary use of carbohydrates?
supply energy for muscle and organ function
What is glycogenolysis?
Glycogen (stored glucose in the liver and skeletal muscle) is converted back to glucose to meet energy needs
What is gluconeogenesis?
when glycogen stores are low protein and lipids (converted into ketones) are used for energy
What is insulin?
a pancreatic hormone that promotes movement of glucose into cells for use
Difference between positive nitrogen balance and negative nitrogen balance?
positive- intake exceeds output so there are excess amino acids available for growth, pregnancy, and tissue
negative- intake is lower than nitrogen loss. Occurs in illness, injury, and malnutrition
What are complete proteins?
- foods containing all the essential amino acids necessary for protein synthesis
- usually animal sources
What are incomplete proteins?
- foods not containing all the essential amino acids
- nuts, grains, legumes
What are lipoproteins?
- a phospholipid and a protein
- used to transport lipids in the bloodstream because they are water-soluble
How do lipids aid the organs?
- insulation
- thermoregulation
- aids in nerve-impulse transmission
How do lipids aid the cells?
- in cell membrane
- essential to cell metabolism
What are essential fatty acids and what are some examples?
Essential fatty acids
- if the body cannot make it
- if a deficiency in is causes disease
examples: linolenic acid (omega-6), alpha linolenic (omega-3)
What are vitamins used for in the body?
- building and maintaining tissues
- supporting immune system
- healthy vision
- break down and use of energy from macronutrients
Difference between major minerals and trace minerals?
major- minerals the body needs 100mg/day at least
trace- essential but lower in concentration
What is one of the most common mineral deficiencies?
calcium
What does vitamin A affect?
- immune function
- skin and mucous mem
- visual acuity in dim light
What does vitamin C support?
- immune system
- wound healing
What does vitamin D provide?
-calcium and phosphorous absorption/metabolism (strong bones and teeth)
What does vitamin E do?
antioxidant that fights toxins and protects cells from damage
What does vitamin K do?
helps synthesis of proteins for blood clotting and bone development
What are the main functions of water in the body?
- % of body weight
- solvent for chemical processes
- transport of substances
- form for tissues
- thermoregulation
What is basal metabolic rate
amount of energy used while at rest
What does a calorimeter measure?
temperature changes of water that are produced by exposure to a fasting individual at rest
*used to calculate BMR
What is resting energy expenditure (REE)?
- measurement of oxygen uptake
* *used in ICU mostly
Why not to boil vegetables??
half of the water soluble vitamins (B-C) is lost in the cooking water
What vitamins are cigarette smokers in need of most?
Vitamin C
What vitamins are alcoholics usually deficient in?
B vitamins
folic acid
What are two diets that are nutritionally sound?
DASH- dietary approaches to stop hypertension
American Heart Association diet
What are three ways to obtain a diet history?
- 24hour recall
- food frequency questionnaire (how often certain food groups are consumed each month)
- food record (3 days of the patient writing everything down)
What do blood glucose readings that are above or below the set point mean physiologically?
above set point: insulin is released to help move glucose into the tissues for storage
below set point: glucagon is released which stimulates the release of glucose
What does serum albumin tell us? Why is it not always accurate? Who would it not be used for?
low levels tell us that there is risk for malnutrition, malabsorption, liver disease
- *half life is 18-21 days so there is a lag in early detection, prealbumin is better
- *not indicated as a good test for someone with fluid imbalance
What is creatinine an what does it tell us?
end-product of skeletal muscle metabolism
indicator of renal function
What does low hemoglobin indicate?
- inadequate iron intake
- chronic blood loss
- insufficient protein intake
What is an overweight BMI?
25-29.9
What is an obese BMI?
30 or greater
What are some etiologies for undernutrition?
- dysphagia
- alcoholism
- metabolic disorders
What to monitor for during enteral nutrition?
- tube placement
- skin condition
- blood glucose, BUN, electrolytes
- feeding residual
- GI status
What to monitor for during parenteral nutrition?
- tube placement
- NG or NE tube insertion site
- gastrostomy tube
- fluid balance
- weight
- residual volume
- frequency of BMs
- bowel sounds
- abdominal distention
- serum electrolyte levels
- urine for sugar or acetone
- skin turgor
- hematocrit
- BUN and sodium
