nutrition and health

Question 1

examples of macronutrients

Answer 1

lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and alcohol

Question 2

examples of micronutrients and how much is needed

Answer 2

vitamins
essential minerals, amino acids and fatty acids
small amounts - g, mg, micrograms per day

Question 3

what do requirements vary depending on…

Answer 3

age
gender
activity levels

Question 4

what’s the requirement for a nutrient

Answer 4

amount needed to prevent deficiency
(societies expect more than that)
storage for times of low/no intake

Question 5

which company decides the recommended daily intakes?

Answer 5

• food standards agency
• renamed to: committee of medical aspects of food policy (COMA)
• dietary referene values for Food Energy and Nutritents for the United Kingdom

Question 6

how are recommended intakes experimentally worked out?

Answer 6

• look at intake of groups with and without a deficiency
• intakes that CURE the clinical deficiency (minimum)
• Intakes associated with marker of nutritional adequacy (enzyme saturation, tissue concentration) (minimum + safety margin for storage)

Question 7

how is EAR calculated?

Answer 7

normal distribution curve - the middle

Question 8

How is RNI (referent nutrient intake) calculated

Answer 8

on the normal distribution curve, go 2 standard deviations above EAR
-satisfies needs of 95% population

Question 9

what do 3 standard deviations from median on a normal distribution curve represent?

Answer 9

99.7% total

Question 10

What is EAR

Answer 10

Estimated Average Requirement

The notional mean requirement of a nutrient (for a group of healthy individuals in a population); 50%

Question 11

What is RNI

Answer 11

Reference Nutrient Intake
Two standard deviations above the EAR, sufficient of a nutrient to meet the needs of most of the population; (95%)
(Formerly termed: Recommended Daily Allowance.)

Question 12

what LRNI

Answer 12

Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI)
Two standard deviations below the EAR; intakes of a nutrient below this level are almost certainly inadequate for most individuals.
provide sufficient for 5%

Question 13

what’s the EAR, RNI and LRNI for vitamin C per day (ascorbic acid)

Answer 13

EAR 25mg
RNI 40mg
LRNI 10mg

Question 14

why do we not use normal distribution for energy requirement

Answer 14

• get fat

- energy: advise the Estimated avgrequirement

Question 15

why are EARs and RNIs important (current uses)

Answer 15

• nutritional programmes for different types of people
• formulations for babies schools
• clinical nutrition i.e. patients on enteral or parental nutrition

Question 16

how do we know how much of a substance we are taking?

Answer 16

food tables
McCance and Widdowson’s
The chemical composition of foods
1st edition 1946, 6th 2002

Question 17

the mean content of what substances can be worked out from food analysis

Answer 17

available energy,
• water,
• protein,
• fat,
• carbohydrate,
• alcohol,
• vitamins,
• minerals,
• dietary fibre

Question 18

why are food tables still useful if they are not accurate?

Answer 18

-e.g in the analysis of an individual’s nutrient and energy intakes
In formulation of diets where certain foods must be avoided
-e.g diets for diabetics, people with high cholesterol , on dialysis etc

Question 19

where in the world is undernutrition prevalent

Answer 19

developing

South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, parts of South America

Question 20

what deficiencies are seen in the developed world

Answer 20

• Usually specific deficiencies

* i.e. proteins, vitamins, minerals

Question 21

who are the main groups of people affected by deficiencies

Answer 21

• Elderly,at home on their own or in institutions
• Young people on junk food
• Some Asian women and children in traditional clothes
• Slimmers and people on fad diets
• Cancer and AIDS patients
• People with eating disorders
• Up to 40% of hospitalised patients

Question 22

formula for BMI

what is ideal BMI

Answer 22

kg/(height in m)^2

18.5 - 24.9

Question 23

what are the obesity statistics in the UK

Answer 23

2/3 of adults are obese or overweight
of these: 22% men and 23% women are obese
stats have tripled in past 20years

Question 24

global obeisity % in 1980 and 2008?

Answer 24

23% to 34%

Question 25

what’s the trend for sugar consumption in food and drinks in social classes

Answer 25

Increases from social classes 1 to V

Question 26

% children aged 5-15 eat five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day

Answer 26

13%

Question 27

what Conditions associated with middle age are now appearing in children

Answer 27

High cholesterol

Type 2 diabetes

Question 28

consequences of obeisiy

Answer 28

• Cardiovascular disease
• Stroke
• Some cancers
• Hypertension
• Diabetes type 2
• Gallstones
• Dental caries
• Gout
• Infertility
• Sleep apnoea
• Surgical risk
• Psychological distress

Question 29

what are the risk factors for CVD

Answer 29

• High blood cholesterol
• Hypertension
• Smoking
• Inactivity
• obesity

Question 30

what is high BP related to and what are the stats or this

Answer 30

• high salt intake
• avg. UK intake 9g/day
• max = 6g
• need 1g

Question 31

which group of people have a higher incidence in high BP and CVD

Answer 31

British of South Asian origin have higher incidence of strokes (and diabetes and hypertension)
Salt features prominently in traditional diets

Question 32

what is the mortality from CHD (coronary heart disease) in the UK

Answer 32

1 in 5 men and 1 in 7 women die from CHd

-80,000 deaths per year

Question 33

solutions for poor nutrition

Answer 33

• Education
• Clear labelling of food products
• Support and provision of facilities for the deprived groups of the population
• School food schemes
• Role models
• Control of advertising
• Pressure on food industry