Food as Medicine Exam 1 Ponnusamy 2025

What are synthetic food dyes made from, and how are they created?

Specific chemical building blocks derived from pretoleum are used to create color molecules through controlled chemical processes.

"What does ""FD&C"" stand for?"

It stands for Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics.

What are chronic diseases?

Long-term, not contagenous, large preventable.

What are the risk factors for chronic diseases?

• Unhealthy diet

• physical inactivity

• obesity and overweight

• tobacco and alcohol use

• genetic and environmental factors.

What has there been global progress on?

Global progress on reducing unsafe water and sanitation, but diet, obesity, and drug use are increasing threats.

what is the order that leads to epidemiological transition?

income rises -> become more urban -> societies enter into nutrition transition -> epidemiological transition.

what is epidemiological transition?

patterns of diseases shifts away from infectious and nutrient deficiencies towards metabolic syndrome-related diseases

as countries develop economically, what happens to diets?

diets often shift from traditional foods to more Westernized diets high in sugar, fat, meats and processed foods.

what is nutrition transition?

• It is a shift towards a high-calorie diet
• Increased intake of saturated fats.
• Decreased intake of dietary fiber
• Reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables

"what is our

1 factor to determine our food choice?"

how does diet impact our health throughout life stages?

1. Risk factors in the womb and early infancy

• Delayed fetal growth
• unusually large at birth, possibly due to overnutrition in the womb.

1. Breastfeeding might reduce the risk of obesity later in life.

The main burden of chronic diseases are seen in people in what age?

in people older than 60.

what is a carbohydrate?

a nutrient that is the main source of energy for the body.

complex carbs vs. simple carbs

complex carbs:

• less processed
• digest slowly
• higher in dietary fiber
• higher in natural iron, B vitamins, and antioxidants boost your performance

simple carbs:

• more processed
• digests quickly
• lower in dietary fiber
• lower in natural iron, vitamins, and antioxidants lower your performance

examples of food that are complex carbs

whole grain breads, bran cereals, green vegetables, fresh fruits

examples of food that are simple carbs

Candy & Desserts, Sugared Cereals, Sodas & Sugary Drinks, Refined Breads

what is fiber?

The part of grains and plant foods that cannot be digested

What does insoluble fiber do?

Binds with water to help produce bowel movements (prevent constipation).

What does soluble fiber do?

Eating foods with soluble fiber reduces your blood cholesterol level and your risk of developing heart disease.

The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) is based on what?

Based on scientific knowledge and have been presented by a committee of the Food and Nutrition board (FNB) of the national academy of sciences (NAS).

What happens when the body consumes excess protein?

Extra protein is not used efficiently by the body and may impose a metabolic burden on the bones, kidneys, and liver.

What are the health risks of high-protein/high-meat diets?

They may increase the risk of coronary heart disease due to saturated fat and cholesterol intake, and may also raise cancer risk.

what types of meat have a more consistently observed association with colorectal cancer?

red meat and processed meat.

How much oil should you be eating a day?

6 teaspoons or 2 tablespoons of oil per day

what are the sources of dietary fibers

"animal sources, plant sources, and ""hidden"" dietary fat"

What occurs when we consume too many calories?

Excess energy is stored in the form of triglycerides.

what factors determine weight gain based on energy balance?

energy intake and energy expenditure

what diets in research suggest that it lowers the risk of cancer?

• diets high in fruits, vegetables, antioxidants, and omerga 3-fatty acids - low in trans fat (more studies needed to determine the association between trans fats and some cancers)

What is the connection between salt and stomach cancer?

High salt intake is associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer.

What is the connection between salt and upper throat cancer?

High salt intake is associated with an increased risk of upper throat cancer.

After tobacco, what is considered the most important avoidable cause of cancers in populations with Western patterns of cancer incidence?

Overweight and obesity.

Why do low intakes of many essential nutrients commonly occur?

Because of unhealthy overall eating patterns, especially low consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dairy, which provide these nutrients.

What are the under-consumed nutrients of public health concern?

Calcium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D.

How can people increase intake of under-consumed nutrients of public health concern?

By shifting to eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dairy.

Why are dietary fiber intakes low in many people?

Because of low consumption of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Why are potassium intakes low in many people?

Because of low consumption of vegetables, fruits, and dairy.

If someone follows the Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, which nutrient recommendations will be met?

Calcium and dietary fiber.

How does eating a healthy pattern, such as the Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, affect potassium intake?

Potassium intake will increase, but depending on food choices, it may still not meet the Adequate Intake recommendation.

What makes vitamin D unique compared to other nutrients?

Sunlight on the skin enables the body to produce vitamin D.

human microbiome

bacteira, viruses and fungi that live on and in us

what does our gut microbiome do?

• stores fat
• absorbs nutrients, breaking down toxins and creating blood vessels
• replenish linings of gut and skin, replacing damaged and dying cells
• supports development of immune defense system

How much microbiome do we have in our gut?

we have three to 100 times more bacteria in the gut than there are cells in the human body.

gut microbiota

all the kinds of microorganisms that typically live in the gut

bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract

• bacteroidetes
• firmicutes

is everyone's microbiome the same?

the number and amount of the many different microbes can vary greatly from person to person.

functions of gut microbiota

• adhere to the intestinal wall, the harmful bacteria cannot
• produce antimicrobial substances
• produce mucin to boost immunity
• helps digest certain foods
• helps with production of some vitamins
• helps absorb nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and iron.

why is it key to keep a healthy and balanced gut micobiota?

to ensure proper digestive functioning

mucosa

• innermost layer of the gastrointestinal tract.
  • made up of Epithelium.
• produces immunoglobulin-(lgA) in the gut mucosa

peristalsis

a process when food moves through the digestive system

what does the small intestine do?

• digests food particles
• extracts nutrients that body absorbs.

colon

6ft large intestine

epithelial cells

• also known as colonocytes
• gatekeepers of the gut

Where is there more bacteria - the oral cavity or the stomach?

more bacteria in the oral canvity

what type of microorganisms are predominant in the oral microbiome?

bacteria

what is dental plaque, and what is it composed of?

• dental plaque is a biofilm that forms on teeth
• composed of bacteira, saliva, and other components

where is the largest number of bacterial cells found in the human body?

the large intestine

autoimmune diseases

the body attacking itself

what effects the microbiota in your body?

• diet
• climate changes
• stress
• illness
• certain medications

what can alter the digestive system's environment?

antibiotics

what do acid-reducing medications do?

• reduce acid in the stomach

  • increase the pH, which may allow the bad bacteria to make their way to the colon, causing dysbiosis.

dysbosis

• medical term doctors use when the gut microflora balance is disturbed and the ratio changes.

• out of sync between the good, protective bacteria, and the harmful, bad bacteria.

what does the overuse of antibiotics & using them incorrectly, such as stopping their use prematurely do?

can cause bacteria to become resistant to the antibiotics.

C. difficile diarrhea

• clostridium difficile, commonly called C. diff

• a classic example of a bacteria imbalance getting you in trouble.

IBD/IBS/Ulcerative colitis/Crohn's disease

• chronic intestinal inflammation

what are the beneficial bacteria known as today?

probiotics

commensal relationsip

existing together without harming each other.

autisitic children often have:

• diahrrea

• constipation or abnormal eating habits, which could alter their microbiomes.

what is the risk of people who eat red meat?

higher risk of heart disease

What is the current scientific understanding of the link between diverse gut microbiomes and asthma?

Studies on whether more diverse gut microbiomes are linked to a lower risk of asthma are inconsistent.

consuming too much or too little of foods/nutrients can cause:

illness

what is CDC?

centers for disease control:

• mantain mortality, morbidity rates
  • TB incidence has declined over the past century; prevalence of Type 2. - diabetes has increased

risk factors:

do not necessary cause chronic diseases

what are major lifestyle risk factors

• tobacco use
• lack of physical activity
  • range of poor dietary habits

what is obesity NOT considered as, by itself?

a disease

The reasons for obesity in poor countries are:

not immediately obvious; there are complex interactions between:

• impacts of population growth
• decreased physical activity
• Nutrition Transition:
  • over consumption of readily available, inexpensive, high-energy foods.

visceral fat

wraps around the internal organs

what is visceral fat strongly linked to?

linked to metabolic disease and insulin resistance, and an increased risk of death, even for people who have a normal body mass index.

inflammatory trigger in obesity

excess high-fat diet

how does the inflammatory response occur?

• pathogens -- a molecule from a microbe, parasite, foreign body, or injured tissue.

• increased nutrient intake

bacteroidetes

the good gut bacteria

firmicutes

bad gut microbes

diabetes is the leading cause of:

• kidney failure

• lower-limb amputations other than those caused by injury.

• new cases of blindness among adults.

risk of developing type 2 diabetes is influenced by:

• genetics
• obesity

what is insulin & glucagon?

• hormones that regulate blood glucose & energy storage; produced by pancreas.

Elevated blood glucose levels can damage and lead to what?

blood vessels and lead to CVD.

what is atherosclerosis and occurs in it?

• hardening of the arteries

• fatty deposits (plaques) of cholesterol in the heart's arteries.

where does blood/serum cholesterol come form?

circulates in blood

where does dietary cholesterol come from

from animal products

HDL

• (high density lipoproteins) - THE GOOD

-connected to a decreased risk of heart disease

LDL

• (low density lipoproteins)THE BAD

  • connected to an increased risk of heart disease

inflammatory response

• narrowing and harderning process

• blood flow slows, preventing sufficient oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart muscles.

what are premenopausal women less prone to than men?

less prone to heart disease than men

oxdiation

important trigger in the atherosclerosis

free radicals

oxidize low-density lipoproteins (LDL)

oxidized LDL leads to:

heart disease

inflammation

• the body's natural response

• characterized by redness, swelling, warmth, and sometimes pain and some immobility.

two types of inflammation

• acute
• chronic

cytokines

• defined as: small molecules released by cells into the blood.

• immune cells use cytokines to communicate.

• they activate inflammation

• cytokine storms have potential to do significant damange to body tissues and organs.

What percentage of our immune cells are located in the digestive system?

About 70%

What is the current evidence on anti-inflammatory diets, and what is an example of an anti-inflammatory food component?

Hard evidence is lacking regarding the effectiveness of these diets in reducing inflammation; anti-inflammatory food components, such as omega-3 fatty acids