Nutrition, Diet and Health Flashcards
What is childhood obesity a strong predictor of?
adult obesity and risk of chronic diseases
What are co-morbidities in obese children?
- health issues e.g. T2D, CVD
- behavioural and emotional difficulties e.g. low esteem
- reduced educational attainment
- stigmatisation and poor socialisation
What is the triple burden of global malnutrition?
- undernutrition – being underweight, stunted or wasted
- micronutrient deficiencies – inadequate consumption of vitamins and minerals
- overweight and obesity – weight that is higher than what is considered healthy for a given height (major risk factor for T2D and other metabolic diseases
Give examples of serious complications associated with diabetes
- diabetic retinopathy – leading cause of blindness in adults
- diabetic nephropathy – leading cause of end-stage renal disease
- stroke – 2-4-fold increase in cardiovascular mortality and stroke
- CVD – 8/10 individuals with diabetes die from cardiovascular events
- diabetic neuropathy – leading cause of non-traumatic lower extremity amputations
What are non-modifiable risk factors for NCDs?
heart disease and stroke, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung diseases and other NCDs
What are key dietary strategies for preventing NCDs?
- reduce sugar and processed foods – lowers the risk of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders
- increase fruits and vegetables – provides essential vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants that protect against inflammation and chronic diseases
- limit saturated and trans fats – helps prevent heart disease and stroke by maintaining healthy cholesterol levels
- consume whole grains – reduces the risk of T2D and supports gut health
- reduce salt intake – lowers the risk of high blood pressure and CVD
- stay hydrated and avoid sugary drinks – helps regulate metabolism and prevents excessive calorie intake
What are quality carbohydrates?
minimally processed whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans e.g. quinoa, lentils, brown rice etc.
What are carbohydrates high in?
vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytonutrients (antioxidants)
What is glycaemic index (GI)?
a ranking of how quickly a food raises blood sugar levels
What is GI influenced by?
- fat and fibre content
- addition of protein
- processing
- cooking method
- ripeness
- variety
What do quality carbohydrates do?
maintain low blood sugar at a steady state (low GI) and promote good health
What are benefits of wholegrains?
- help with weight management, BP and cholesterol levels
- lower the risk of CVD, stroke, obesity and T2D
What are key health concerns with sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)?
- obesity and weight gain – excess sugar contributes to high calorie intake, increasing the risk of obesity
- T2D – frequent SSB consumption leads to insulin resistance and higher diabetes risk
- heart disease – high sugar intake is linked to increased blood pressure, inflammation, and heart disease
- dental problems – sugar feeds harmful bacteria in the mouth, causing cavities and tooth decay
- metabolic syndrome – raises the risk of a combination of health issues, including high cholesterol and hypertension
What are the public health responses to SSBs?
- nutri-grade labelling (e.g. in Singapore) to guide healthier choices
- taxes on SSBs to reduce consumption
- public awareness campaigns promoting water and healthier alternatives
Give examples of protein-rich foods
lean meat, fish, poultry, milk, cheese, prawns, tofu and eggs
How do high protein diets help with weight loss?
- increasing satiety – protein keeps you full longer, reducing overall calorie intake
- boosting metabolism – digesting protein burns more calories than carbs or fats
- preserving muscle mass – helps maintain lean muscle while losing fat
What can maintaining a high protein diet for an extended time do?
- result in nutritional deficiencies or insufficient fibre – can lead to bad breath, headache and constipation
-worsen kidney function in those with kidney disease - increase risk of heart disease due to more read meat and full-fat dairy products
What are the 3 key components of the Egger and Swinburn model?
- biological factors – genetics, metabolism, and physiological responses to food and activity
- behavioural factors – diet, physical activity, and lifestyle habits that influence energy balance
- environmental factors – the obesogenic environment, which promotes unhealthy eating and physical inactivity
What are the individual factors (socioecological model) of obesity?
- cognitions e.g. attitudes, preference, knowledge
- skills and behaviours
- lifestyle
- biological e.g. genes, gender, age
- demographics e.g. incomes, race/ethnicity
What are the social environment factors (socioecological model) of obesity?
- family
- friends
- peers
What are the physical environment factors (socioecological model) of obesity?
- home
- work sites
- school
- childcare
- neighbourhoods and communities
- restaurants
- supermarkets
What are the macro-level environment factors (socioecological model) of obesity?
- societal and cultural norms and values
- food and beverage industry
- food marketing and media
- food and agriculture policies
- economic systems
- food production and distribution systems
- government and political structures
- health care systems
- land use and transportation
How does role modelling contribute to obesity?
- children show a tendency to taste unfamiliar foods more readily when they observe adults eating them compared to when the food is merely offered to the child
- children model themselves on their parents’ behaviour, lifestyle and body dissatisfaction
