Nutrition Basics

Question 1

What is a registered dietitian?

Answer 1

• Health care professional with Bachelors degree specializing in food and nutrition
• Includes one year of practical training in foodservice, community and clinical settings
• Registered by province
• Protected titles: RD, PDt
• Nutritionist is not a protected title

Question 2

Why is nutrition important?

Answer 2

A well balanced diet serves both short term and long term benefits

Question 3

What is a healthy diet?

Answer 3

• enough calories, vitamins and minerals
• avoid excess of these and other nutritional factors
• satisfies and energizes

Question 4

Nutrients:

Answer 4

• substances essential for health that the body cannot make or supply itself with
• serve to provide energy, support growth and regulate body processes

Question 5

What is an essential nutrient?

Answer 5

Must:

• have a specific biological function
• decrease in body function if removed
• restore normal aspects of biological function when added back in (as long as permanent damage has not occurred)

Question 6

Essential nutrients

Answer 6

• carbohydrates
• lipids
• proteins
• vitamins
• minerals
• water

Question 7

Macronutrients

Answer 7

sources of energy:

• carbohydrates
• proteins
• lipids

Question 8

Macronutrients in small amounts

Answer 8

vitamins

minerals

Question 9

Water

Answer 9

• Largest component of human body

- 50 - 70% body weight

Question 10

Eating environment: facilitators

Answer 10

• Nutrition tables of foods and menus
• Ethnically diverse cuisines
• Availability of fruits and veggies

Question 11

Eating environment: challenges

Answer 11

• Busy schedules
• Food always available
• conflicting nutrition messages

Question 12

Fruits and veggies

Answer 12

• choose different textures, colours, and shapes to fit your taste
• they don’t have to be fresh in order to be healthy

Question 13

Whole grains

Answer 13

• healthier than refined grain because it includes all parts of the grain.
• whole grain is not whole wheats (grain > wheat)

Question 14

Fibre

Answer 14

• helps keep you regular, lower your cholesterol, and blood glucose.
• can also help with weight management and reduce risk of heart disease + some cancers
• 25g/day for women
• 38g/day for men

Question 15

Two types of fibres

Answer 15

Insoluble

Soluble

Question 16

Healthy fats:

Answer 16

Can lower risk of heart disease 
Food containing healthy fats:
- nuts 
- seeds
- avocado
- fatty fish
- vegetable oils

Question 17

Calcium and Vitamin D

Answer 17

• important for bones, teeth, muscles, nerves and hormone function. Vitamin D can also help keep your immune system healthy

Question 18

Tips for healthy diets

Answer 18

• prepare foods with healthy ingredients
• choose healthier options when dining out
• make water your drink of choice
• use food labels

Question 19

Healthy claims

Answer 19

A healthy diet can:

• reduce risk of certain types of cancer
• reduce risk of heart diseases
• reduce risk of high blood pressure and stroke
• increase bone strength
• reduce risk of osteoporosis

Question 20

Things to do:

Answer 20

• Be mindful of eating habits
• take time to eat
  be aware of food marketing
• notice your hunger cues
• cook more often
• plan what you eat
• involve others in planning and preparing meals
• enjoy your food
• cultures and food traditions can be part of healthy eating
• Eat meals with others

Question 21

Key to healthy diet

Answer 21

• balance

- follow 80/20 rule

Question 22

Try a homemade version of your favourite prepackaged food

Answer 22

Motivation (TPB: Attitude, PBC, SN)
Action (HAPA: Action and Coping Planning)
Prompts (RIM: associative root)

Question 23

Different states of temptation

Answer 23

Cold state: you can’t see prompt
Cue exposure: you can see prompt
Hot state: you are eating prompt

Question 24

Points to consider when helping a client with nutrition

Answer 24

• What is your expertise and scope of practice in nutrition?
• Who is your client?
• What are their goals?