NCM 105: Nutrition and Diet Therapy

Vocabulary flashcards covering the basic concepts, definitions, and essential nutrients (macronutrients and micronutrients) from NCM 105: Nutrition and Diet Therapy.

Balanced Diet

A diet that provides all essential nutrients in appropriate amounts to maintain health, support growth, and prevent nutrient deficiencies or excesses.

Diet Therapy

The use of nutrition as a tool in the treatment of disease, involving the modification of normal dietary patterns to meet medical or therapeutic needs.

Food

Any substance that the body can take in and assimilate, used to sustain life and support growth; it provides energy and nutrients needed for bodily functions.

Health

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being—not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Malnutrition

A condition caused by an imbalance in nutrient intake—either deficiency or excess—that adversely affects body function and health.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions that occur in the body to maintain life, including processes that convert food into energy, build and repair tissues, and eliminate waste products.

Nutrient

Chemical substances obtained from food and used in the body to provide energy, structural materials, and regulate body processes, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.

Nutrition

The science of the nutrients in foods and their actions within the body, including the study of how food is ingested, digested, absorbed, transported, metabolized, and excreted.

Nutritional Status (Nutriture)

The condition of the body resulting from the intake, absorption, and utilization of nutrients, assessed through dietary, anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical indicators.

Wellness

An active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life, encompassing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.

Carbohydrates

The primary energy source and efficient fuel for the brain, muscles, and organs, built from sugar units.

Monosaccharides

The simplest sugar units, such as glucose and fructose.

Disaccharides

Sugar units composed of two molecules, such as sucrose and lactose.

Polysaccharides

Complex sugar units such as starch, glycogen, and fiber.

Cyclothymia

A mild mood disorder with emotional ups and downs that can be affected by glucose fluctuations related to carbohydrate deficiency.

Ketosis

A metabolic state resulting from low carbohydrate intake, used in ketogenic diets.

Carbotoxicity

An emerging term describing the harmful effects of refined carbohydrates on metabolism and health.

Insulin Resistance

A condition where cells gradually become less responsive to insulin, leading to blood sugar problems.

Metabolic Syndrome

A cluster of conditions including obesity, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance.

Fats (Lipids)

A concentrated energy source providing $9\,cal/g$ and supporting tissue building, cell function, and hormone production.

Simple Lipids

Basic fat molecules comprised mainly of triglycerides.

Compound Lipids

Lipids combined with other components, such as phospholipids.

Derived Lipids

Breakdown products of simple or compound fats, such as cholesterol.

Proteins

Nutrients made of amino acids used for growth, repair of tissues, enzyme and hormone production, and immune defense.

Essential Amino Acids

The $9$ types of amino acids (out of $20$ total) that must be obtained from food sequences.

Edema

Fluid leakage into tissues causing swelling in limbs, resulting from low albumin reducing oncotic pressure during protein deficiency.

Kwashiorkor

A condition occurring in children $6\,months$ to $3\,years$ old caused by severe protein deficiency despite carb intake, characterized by a swollen belly and puffy face.

Marasmus

A condition occurring in children under $1\,year$ old caused by a deficiency in both protein and calories, characterized by extreme thinness and a ‘skin and bones’ look.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are stored in body fat and the liver and absorbed with dietary fats.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins including the B-complex group and Vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

Trace Elements

Micronutrients required in small amounts for key functions, such as Iron ($Fe$) for oxygen transport and Zinc ($Zn$) for immunity and wound healing.