chapter 1: overview of healthy eating habits

(not too in depth)

nutritionist

4-year degree in foods and nutrition

licensed or certified, working in public health

registered dietitian/registered dietitian nutritionist

bachelor’s degree minimum (master’s required from 2024)

work in long-term care facilities, may work on med nutrition therapy

nutrition and dietic technician, registered

associate degree and accredited NDTR with at least 450 hours of supervised experience

works under supervision of a RDN

why is it important for a hygienist to know nutrition?

dental professionals typically see patients on a more regular basis than other health professionals

compromised oral health may affect food choices

nutrients obtained from foods

water, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins

which nutrients provide energy?

proteins, carbohydrates, and fats

phytochemicals

plant chemicals that also promote health

calorie

the potential energy value of foods within the body

kilocalorie- measure of heat equivalent to 1000 calories

why are vitamins and minerals important?

the body cannot use energy from these calorie-counting components of food without adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals

precursors

substances from which an active substance is formed

ex: carotene- liver can convert into an active form of vitamin A

healthy people nutrition objectives

initially introduced in 1990 by the US department of Health and Human Services

to improve the health and nutrition of the population by setting specific dietary and health goals.

dietary reference intakes

nutrient-based reference values

estimates amount of nutrients required to improve long-term health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases

establish maximum safe levels of tolerance

for general population, not those with chronic disease or are malnourished

listed for 16 groups, separating gender groups after 10 years of age

macronutrients

energy-providing nutrients needed in larger amounts than micronutrients

nutrition facts label

enumerates nutrient content of food for the serving size specified and discloses the number of services in the package

body mass index

overweight 25-29.9

obesity BMI > 30

inexpensive starting point in assessing health status, but reveals little about overall body composition

dark-green vegetables provide

calcium, iron, magnesium, and riboflavin

beans

both in vegetable and protein groups

whole grains

made from the entire grain seed

not guaranteed in labels like “100% wheat” or “multigrain” or darker brown colors

enrichment

the process by which iron, thiamin, riboflavin, folic acid, and niacin removed during processing are restored to approx their original levels

fortification

process by which nutrients are added for- preventing deficiency; to restore nutrients that may be lost in storage, handling, or processing; replace traditional food in the diet to avoid nutritional inadequacy; to balance nutrient content

added sugars

supply calories with little to no nutrients

myplate system

replaced the food pyramid

fruits, grains, vegetables, protein, dairy

daily values (%)

rough guide indicating whether the food contains a small or large amount of the nutrient

foods that provide 20% or more of the DV are considered high in a nutrient