Nutrition Principles Lecture Flashcards

Flashcards covering the principles of nutrition, including dietary standards, macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and clinical nutrition practices.

Health promotion

engaging in behaviors that advance positive well-being

Preventive healthcare

identifies existing risk factors and encourages positive lifestyle changes to reduce those risks

Primary prevention

actions taken to prevent disease

Secondary prevention

identifies disease in early stages to provide an improved prognosis

Tertiary prevention

actions to prevent or reduce debilitating effects or exacerbations of chronic diseases

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)

the set of accepted reference standards to meet nutrient needs for healthy people

Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)

a nutrient intake value that is estimated to meet the requirement of half the healthy individuals in a group

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

the average daily dietary nutrient intake level sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all healthy individuals

Adequate Intake (AI)

the recommended average daily intake level based on observed or experimentally determined approximations by a group of healthy people

Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)

the highest level of daily nutrient intake that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects to almost all individuals

Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR)

the range of intake for a particular energy source that is associated with reduced risk of chronic disease; for carbohydrates, this is 45% to 65% of total kilocalories

Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)

evidence-based advice updated every 5 years on food and beverages to promote health and reduce chronic disease risk

MyPlate

a graphic illustration of the DGA designed to help consumers achieve healthy eating patterns, featuring $\frac{1}{2}$ fruits and vegetables

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

the nutrition authority on the health care team, also referred to as a clinical nutrition specialist

Kilocalorie

the measure of energy in macronutrients, where carbohydrates provide $4\,kcal/g$, proteins provide $4\,kcal/g$, and lipids provide $9\,kcal/g$

Glucose (Dextrose)

the form of sugar our body uses for energy and the sugar into which the body converts all other digestible carbohydrates

Glycogen

the form in which carbohydrates are stored in the body for later use

Starch

the most significant polysaccharide in the human diet

Enzymes

proteins produced in the body that digest nutrients in specific chemical reactions without being changed themselves, usually ending in -ase

Whole grain

food products that retain the outer bran layers, inner germ, and endosperm

Enriched grains

grains that are refined and then supplemented with select nutrients lost during the milling process

Nutritive sweeteners

sugar replacements such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol that contribute to total caloric intake at $2-3\,kcal/g$

Nonnutritive sweeteners

substances approved for use in the USA, like aspartame and stevia, that do not have a notable caloric value

Indispensable (Essential) Amino Acids

the 9 amino acids that MUST be obtained through the diet because the body cannot synthesize them

Dispensable (Nonessential) Amino Acids

the 5 amino acids that can be synthesized by the body from other amino acids if necessary

Conditionally Indispensable Amino Acids

the 6 amino acids that the body can synthesize but may need to be taken through the diet if certain enzymes are missing

Catabolism

the metabolic process of breaking down proteins into their amino acid building blocks

Anabolism

the metabolic process of synthesizing proteins from amino acids

Nitrogen Balance

the ratio of nitrogen intake to output, which should ideally be 1:1

Negative nitrogen balance

occurs when the body excretes more nitrogen than it keeps, typically seen in malnutrition, illness, or starvation

Positive nitrogen balance

occurs when the body holds on to more nitrogen than it excretes, such as during rapid growth or recovery after illness

Deamination

the process where the nitrogen part of an amino acid is removed, converted into ammonia, and excreted as urea in the urine

Complete Protein

proteins, primarily of animal origin or soy, that contain all 9 indispensable amino acids

Incomplete Protein

protein sources that are missing at least one of the indispensable amino acids

Complementary proteins

food combinations of incomplete protein sources that together supply all 9 indispensable amino acids, such as grains and legumes

Saturated fats

fats containing only single bonds between carbon molecules that are solid at room temperature and mostly come from animal sources

Unsaturated fats

fats containing double bonds that are liquid at room temperature and mostly come from plant sources

Triglycerides

the form in which most dietary fats occur, composed of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone

Phospholipids

amphipathic structural components of cell membranes, such as lecithin, that facilitate the transport of fat-soluble substances

Hyperlipidemia

the clinical term for high cholesterol levels in the blood

Ketosis

a metabolic state that occurs when the body uses lipids for energy instead of carbohydrates, producing ketones

Fat-soluble vitamins

vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are stored in body tissues

Water-soluble vitamins

vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins, which are typically excreted when not needed

Kwashiorkor

a form of acute protein-energy malnutrition characterized by a short-term, severe deficiency

Marasmus

a form of chronic protein-energy malnutrition resulting from long-term deficiency of all foods

Retinol (Vitamin A)

a fat-soluble vitamin essential for vision, growth, tissue strength, and immunity

Calciferol (Vitamin D)

a fat-soluble prohormone necessary for bone mineralization and maintaining homeostasis of calcium and phosphorus

Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

a fat-soluble antioxidant that assists with selenium metabolism

Vitamin K

a fat-soluble vitamin essential for blood clotting and bone development

Scurvy

the deficiency disease of Vitamin C resulting in easy bruising, poor wound healing, and gingivitis

Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

a water-soluble vitamin that acts as a coenzyme in many reactions; deficiency can lead to Beriberi

Beriberi

a condition resulting from thiamin deficiency characterized by neuropathy and complications linked to alcoholism

Niacin (Vitamin B3)

a water-soluble vitamin; deficiency results in pellagra, which causes weakness and scaly dermatitis

Pellagra

the deficiency disease caused by a lack of niacin (Vitamin B3)

Folate (Vitamin B9)

a water-soluble vitamin essential for DNA synthesis and cell division; deficiency can cause neural tube defects

Pernicious anemia

a condition caused by poor absorption of Vitamin B12 due to a decrease in parietal cells and intrinsic factor

Calcium

a major mineral constituent of bones and teeth that participates in blood clotting, nerve transmission, and muscle action

Sodium

a major mineral important for water balance, acid-base balance, and extracellular fluid; limited to less than $2,300\,mg$ per day

Potassium

a major mineral critical for intracellular fluid balance and heart muscle action

Iodine

an essential trace mineral component of the thyroid hormone thyroxine

Iron

an essential trace mineral component of hemoglobin and necessary for general metabolism

Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

the energy needed to maintain the body at rest

Body mass index (BMI)

a standard measure of weight relative to height ($kg/m^2$) where $18.5$ to $24.9$ is considered healthy

Insensible water loss

the involuntary loss of water from the body through actions such as breathing and sweating

Adequate Intake (AI) for water in men

the AI for men ages 19 to older than 70 years is $3.7\,L/day$

Clear liquid diet

an oral diet consisting of foods that are relatively transparent, such as apple juice or broth

Enteral nutrition

provides nutrition into the GI tract through a gastric or intestinal tube for patients with at least a partially functioning GI tract

Parenteral nutrition

delivers nutrients directly into the bloodstream via central venous access, bypassing the GI system

Dietary acculturation

occurs when the eating patterns of people who move to a new country change to resemble the patterns of the host country

Halal

Islamic dietary laws describing foods that are permissible to eat

Ahimsa

the concept of nonviolence as applied to foods, influential in Hindu and Buddhist dietary practices