Nutrition and Health Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental nutrition concepts, macro and micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, dietary reference intakes, malnutrition terms, and Philippine national health policies.

Nutrition

The scientific study of food and nourishment, including food composition, dietary guidelines, and the roles that various nutrients have in maintaining health.

Nutrients

Chemical substances necessary for life that provide energy, build and repair tissues, and regulate body processes such as circulation, respiration, digestion, and elimination.

Essential Nutrients

Nutrients that are found only in foods and cannot be produced by the body.

Organic Nutrients

Nutrients containing carbon that must be broken down before use to provide energy, regulate body processes, and repair tissues; includes carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and vitamins.

Inorganic Nutrients

Nutrients ingested in their simplest form whose primary function is to regulate body processes; includes water and minerals.

Macronutrients

Nutrients required by the body in large amounts (measured in grams per day) that contribute to bulk energy, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, and water.

Micronutrients

Nutrients required by the body in small amounts (measured in milligrams or micrograms per day) for growth, disease prevention, and proper body functions, including vitamins and minerals.

Glycogen

The stored form of carbohydrates in the body used as a reserve energy source.

Ketosis

A condition resulting from inadequate carbohydrate intake (less than $50\text{--}100\,g/day$) where acids called ketones accumulate in the blood as a byproduct of fat metabolism.

Monosaccharides

Simple carbohydrates that are absorbed directly into the bloodstream from the small intestine, including glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Glucose

A monosaccharide (also known as dextrose) that serves as the exclusive fuel source for the central nervous system, red blood cells, and the brain.

Fructose

The sweetest of all monosaccharides, also known as levulose or fruit sugar, found naturally in ripe fruits, honey, and soft drinks.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates composed of pairs of monosaccharides, such as sucrose, maltose, and lactose, which must be converted into simple sugars via hydrolysis before absorption.

Lactose Intolerance

A condition caused by insufficient lactase enzyme, leading to symptoms like bloating, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea after consuming milk or milk products.

Polysaccharides

Complex carbohydrates composed of compounds of many monosaccharides, including starch, glycogen, and fiber.

Visible Fats

Fats present in foods that are purchased and used directly as fats, such as butter, margarine, lard, and cooking oils.

Invisible Fats

Fats present in foods that are not immediately noticeable, such as those in egg yolks, cheese, cream, and salad dressings.

Trlycerides

The predominant lipid form in the body ($95\%$), composed of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol framework.

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

Known as 'good cholesterol,' it carries excess cholesterol in the blood back to the liver to be broken down and removed from the body.

Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)

Known as 'bad cholesterol,' it transports cholesterol to cells; high levels lead to plaque buildup in artery walls and reduced blood flow.

Atherosclerosis

A cardiovascular disease characterized by the buildup of fatty plaque deposits containing cholesterol inside artery walls, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Essential Amino Acids

Nine amino acids (plus 2 essential during childhood only) that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be acquired through the diet.

Complete Proteins

Protein sources, mainly from animal foods (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese), that contain all essential amino acids.

Complementary Proteins

Combinations of incomplete plant proteins consumed within the same day to form a complete protein profile (e.g., rice and beans, peanut butter and bread).

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

A group of four vitamins (A, D, E, and K) that are stored in the body's fatty tissue.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

A group of nine vitamins comprising Vitamin C and the B-complex group (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, biotin, folate, B12, and pantothenic acid).

Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)

The average daily nutrient intake estimated to meet the requirements of half ($50\%$) of healthy individuals in a specific life stage and gender group.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

The average daily nutrient intake level sufficient to meet the requirements of nearly all ($97\%\text{--}98\%$) healthy individuals in a given life stage and gender group.

Adequate Intakes (AI)

The recommended daily nutrient intake level based on observed or experimentally determined approximations of intake by healthy people.

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL)

The highest daily nutrient intake level that poses no risk of toxicity or adverse health effects to almost all healthy individuals.

Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR)

Established intake ranges for energy-yielding nutrients: $45\%\text{--}65\%$ of calories from carbohydrates, $20\%\text{--}35\%$ from fat, and $10\%\text{--}35\%$ from protein.

Overnutrition

A state of malnutrition characterized by the excessive consumption of energy or specific nutrients.

Undernutrition

A state of malnutrition characterized by a deficiency in energy or essential nutrient intake.

Stunting

A form of chronic malnutrition resulting in a child being too short for their age.

Wasting

A form of acute malnutrition resulting in a child being too thin for their height.

Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act (RA No. 11148)

Philippine legislation enacted to strengthen health and nutrition programs to combat malnutrition in children during their first 1,000 days of life.

First 1,000 Days (FIKD)

The critical developmental timeframe covering 9 months of pregnancy, 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, and 18 months of complementary feeding.

Expanded Maternity Leave Law (RA No. 11210)

A Philippine law signed in 2019 that increased paid maternity leave to 105 days, enabling working mothers longer time to breastfeed.

Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act (RA 11037)

Philippine legislation institutionalizing a National Feeding Program for undernourished children in public day care, kindergarten, and elementary schools starting at age 3.

Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023-2028

A strategic, multisectoral plan designed to address and eliminate all forms of malnutrition in the Philippines.

Pinggang Pinoy

A visual food guide developed by DOST-FNRI to assist Filipinos in consuming the proper balance of Go, Grow, and Glow foods in every meal.