Human Nutrition Exam 1 content

Define nutrition

the science of how nutrients and compounds in food interact with the body and impact overall health

Define nutrients

compounds that provide essential elements of body components and support bodily processes

What are the 3 major macronutrients

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins

What are the 3 major micronutrients

Vitamins, minerals, water

What is the most important aspect of healthy eating

Getting an adequate daily intake of macro and micronutrients

6 frameworks for healthy eating

1. Public policies

2. Environmental factors

3. Family context

4. Individual knowledge, skill, and agency

5. Food (in)security

6. Culture

5 things that drive food choices

1. Access - financial or geographical

2. Schedule and habits

3. Cultural and/or familial choices

4. Societal expectations

5. Mood and emotional responses

Define dietary pattern and give some examples

Foods that are often eaten together. Examples include pizza and soda or certain diets such as vegetarianism

Define eating behaviors

how a person eats

Define social determinants of health and give some examples

factors in your life that affect your health. Examples: stress, trauma, access, culture

Define kilocalorie

What we think of as a calorie. Equal to 1,000 calories (unit of energy)

Define essential nutrient

Nutrients that the body cannot synthesize on its own. We are required to get them from food

Define non-essential nutrient

nutrients that the body can synthesize on its own. They are built by compounds in the foods we eat

Give the 2 definitions of organic

1. compounds that contain carbon

2. foods that are grown without pesticides

Define nutrient density

measure of nutrients per weight of food. Provides more nutrients than kcals

Define energy density

measure of kcals per weight of food. Provides more kcals than nutrients

The 5 principles of healthy eating

1. Adequacy: getting enough nutrients and kcals daily

2. Balance: ensuring to eat a mixture of all nutrients

3. Variety: getting nutrients from different sources

4. Moderation: engaging with your body to meet nutritional and caloric needs

5. Nourishment and enjoyment: making decisions that work for you

How many kcals are provided by fats?

9 kcal/g

How many kcals are provided by carbohydrates?

4 kcal/g

How many kcals are provided by proteins?

4 kcal/g

How many kcals are provided by alcohol?

7 kcal/g

Define dietary reference intake (DRI)

how we advise people on how much of a certain nutrient we need to eat

Define estimated average requirement (EAR)

amount of a nutrient that meets the optimal needs of half of the individuals in a group

Define recommended dietary allowance (RDA)

daily amount of a nutrient that meets the optimal needs of nearly all of the individuals in a group. Based on scientific evidence

Define adequate intake (AI)ma

approximate daily amount of a nutrient sufficient to meet needs of the individuals in a group

Define tolerable upper limit (TUL)

maximum amount of a nutrient that can be consumed before becoming toxic

Define acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR)

range of recommended amount of major macronutrients. Not based on science and is a “best guess”

AMDR for carbohydrates

45-65% of daily kcals

AMDR for lipids

20-35% of daily kcals

AMDR for proteins

10-35% of daily kcals

Purpose of the dietary guidelines for Americans

to encourage nutritional quality in the American diet and reduce the risk of overnutrition and associated health problems

How often are the American dietary guidelines updated

Every 5 years

What does MyPlate recommend for healthy eating?

Consuming more fruits and vegetables relative to carbohydrates (grains), proteins, and fats

What do the American dietary guidelines recommend?

1. Adopting healthy dietary patterns that work for you as opposed to eating strictly nutrient-rich foods

2. Nutrition for infants

3. ½ of all grains consumed should be whole grains

4. Avoid added sugars, saturated fats, alcohol, and sodium

Define cecum

connection between the ilium of the small intestine and the ascending colon

Define mechanical digestion

physically breaking down large pieces of food into smaller pieces of food

Define chemical digestion

using chemicals to break down small pieces of food into their molecular monomers for absorption

Define peristalsis

muscle contractions that push the bolus/chyme through the GI tract

Define segmentation

moving bolus back and forth in the stomach to mix it with gastric juices and convert it to chyme

What agency regulated food labels on packaged food?

FDA

Required information on food labels

1. Name of food

2. Net weight of the food in the package

3. List of ingredients in descending order by weight

4. Name and address of distributor

5. Uniform nutritional information

6. Serving size

7. Specific criteria for nutrient descriptors and health claims

4 regulations for food labels

1. Uniform serving sizes among similar products

2. Uniform definitions for descriptive label terms such as “light” and “fat free”

3. Health claims that are accurate and specific

4. Presence of the 8 common allergens

What are the 12 nutrients required to be on food labels?

1. Total kcals

2. Total fat (including saturated and trans fats)

3. Cholesterol

4. Sodium

5. Total carbohydrates

6. Dietary fiber

7. Total sugar (including added sugars)

8. Protein

9. Calcium

10. Vitamin D

11. Iron

12. Potassium

What agency regulates food labels for meat and poultry?

USDA

What information are meat/poultry distributors required to disclose?

Where the animal was born, raised, and slaughtered

What does the U.S. Menu Labeling Policy state?

Restaurants with more than 20 locations are required to disclose nutritional information on their menus, including caloric content, with more detailed information available upon request

What is an exchange system?

A diet planning tool that compares the nutritional content of one portion of food to another food in the same food group. It helps people form healthy eating patterns and ensures they get an adequate amount of nutrients per meal

Define hydrolysis

A chemical reaction in which an enzyme uses a water molecule to break a polymer into its monomers

Outline the major steps in digestion and absorption

1. Food is chewed in the mouth into a bolus

2. The esophagus transports the bolus from the mouth to the stomach

3. The stomach churns to convert the bolus into chyme

4. Chyme enters the small intestine for absorption

5. Chyme enters the large intestine for water reabsorption

6. Feces is excreted through the rectum

Where do enterocytes get most of their nutrients?

Directly from chyme in the small intestine

What enzyme do salivary glands secrete and what macronutrient does it break down?

Salivary amylase, which digests carbohydrates

What enzymes does the stomach secrete and what do they digest?

Pepsinogen (pepsin) digests proteins and gastric lipase digests lipids

What are the 5 pancreatic enzymes and what do they break down?

1. Pancreatic amylase: digests starch

2. Trypsinogen (trypsin): digests peptides into smaller peptides

3. Chymotrypsinogen (chymotrypsin): digests smaller peptides into amino acids

4. Procarboxypeptidase (carboxypeptidase): digests proteins by hydrolyzing the carboxyl group of an amino acid chain

5. Pancreatic lipase: digests triglycerides

What are the 6 brush border enzymes and what do they break down?

• Sucrase: digests sucrose

• Maltase: digests maltose

• Lactase: digests lactose

• Dipeptidase: digests dipeptides

• Tripeptidase: digests tripeptides

• Lipase: digests monoglycerides