Unit 1 Food Choices and Human Health Flashcards
Health
The state of a human when it functions optimally without evidence of disease or abnormality
Nutrition
The study of the nutrients in foods, how nutrients are used in the body, and human behaviors related to food
Diet
The foods and beverages a person usually eats and drinks
Food
Any substance that the body can take in and assimilate that will enable it to stay alive and healthy
Chronic disease
Long-duration degenerative disease characterized by damage of body organs
Causes of chronic disease
- Genetic
- Lifestyle
- Diet
Nutritional genomics
The science of how nutrients affect the activities of genes and how genes affect the activity of nutrients
Nutrients
Components in food that are essential to the functioning of the body
Energy providing nutrients
- Carbohydrates
- Fat
- Protein
Non-energy providing nutrients
- Water
- Vitamins
- Minerals
Essential nutrients
The nutrients that the body cannot make for itself from other raw materials
8 essential amino acids
- Threonine
- Valine
- Tryptophan
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Lysine
- Phenylalanine
- Methionine
2 essential fatty acids
- Linoleic acid
- Linolenic acid
Essential vitamins and minerals
- 3 fat soluble (A, D, E)
- 1 conditional (K)
- All water soluble
- All minerals
Non-essential nutrients
Nutrients in the body that can make for itself and do not have to rely on food intake
Calorie
The amount of energy to raise 1 L of water by 1 degree Celsius
Energy of carbohydrates
4 Cal/g
Energy of fat
9 Cal/g
Energy of protein
4 Cal/g
Energy of alcohol
7 Cal/g
5 characteristics of healthy diet
- Adequacy
- Balance
- Calorie control
- Moderation
- Variety
Factors in food choices
- Availability
- Cost
- Convenience
- Emotion
- Social
- Culture
- Media
- Habit
- Positive association
- Weight
- Nutrition
Nutrient density
A measure of nutrients provided per calorie of food
Research designs in nutrition research
- Case study (individuals)
- Epidemiological study (population)
- Intervention study (populations with manipulation)
- Laboratory study (tightly controlled condition)
Valid nutrition information from scientific research
- Test ideas through properly designed scientific experiments
- Recognize inadequacies of anecdotal evidence or testimonials
- Do not apply research findings from animals to humans
- Do not generalize findings to all population groups
- Report their findings in respected scientific journals that are peer reviewed
Characteristics of nutrition quackery
- Too good to be true
- Persecution claim
- Suspicious comments about food supply
- Testimonials
- Fake credentials
- Interviews with professionals with Dr.
- Unpublished studies
- Motive for personal gain
- Advertisements
- Logic without proof
- Unreliable publications
