Food Choices, Human Microbiome, and Chronic Diseases Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards defining foundational terms from lectures on nutrition, chronic disease, gut microbiome, cancer, and pre/probiotics.

Gelatin

Processed collagen derived from structural protein in bones, skin, and connective tissue; it is an incomplete protein with low biological value.

Epidemiological Transition

The shift in disease patterns away from infectious diseases and nutrient deficiencies toward metabolic syndrome-related diseases and cancers as populations urbanize and income rises.

Nutrition Transition

A shift towards a higher-density diet characterized by a greater role for fat and added sugars in foods.

Insoluble Fiber

A complex carbohydrate found in plants that binds with water to help produce bowel movements and prevent constipation.

Soluble Fiber

A type of dietary fiber that reduces blood cholesterol levels and lowers the risk of heart disease.

Ketosis

A metabolic state marked by raised levels of ketones in the blood when the body breaks down body fat for energy.

Underconsumed Nutrients of Public Health Concern

Nutrients with low population intakes including calcium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D.

Human Microbiome

An estimated 39 trillion microbial cells, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that live on and inside the human body.

Gut Microbiota

The collective name for all the kinds of microorganisms that typically live in the human gastrointestinal tract.

Intestinal Mucosa

The innermost layer of the gastrointestinal tract surrounding the lumen, responsible for digestive, absorptive, and secretory processes.

Peristalsis

The process of muscle contractions through which swallowed food moves through the digestive system.

Colonocytes

The epithelial cells of the colon that act as the gatekeepers of the gut.

Dysbiosis

The medical term for a disturbed gut microflora balance where the ratio between protective good bacteria and harmful bad bacteria changes.

Commensal Relationship

A biological relationship where organisms exist together without harming each other.

Metabolic Syndrome

A group of five medical risk factors that raise the chances of developing heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Visceral Fat

Fat that wraps around internal organs, which is strongly linked to metabolic disease, insulin resistance, and an increased risk of death.

Subcutaneous Fat

Fat that lies directly under the skin around the belly.

Atherosclerosis

A complex process commonly called hardening of the arteries, where fatty deposits (plaques) of cholesterol build up in the inner arterial linings.

HDL (High Density Lipoproteins)

Known as good cholesterol, which is connected to a decreased risk of heart disease.

LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins)

Known as bad cholesterol, which is connected to an increased risk of heart disease.

Cytokines

Small molecules released by cells into the blood that allow immune cells to communicate with each other and activate inflammation.

Carcinomas

The most common types of cancers, originating in tissues such as the lung, breast, and colon.

Sarcomas

Cancers arising from cells in supporting body tissues.

Lymphomas

Cancers that arise in the lymph nodes and tissues of the immune system.

Leukemias

Cancers of immature blood cells that grow in the bone marrow.

Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs)

Known carcinogens that form directly on DNA when flesh proteins in meats, poultry, or fish brown and blacken at high temperatures.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Carcinogenic chemicals formed with charring and fat flares during grilling, correlated with increased rates of stomach cancer.

Probiotics

Live microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, colonize the gut and confer health benefits to the host.

Biopreservation

The extension of food shelf life and safety based on the growth of beneficial microorganisms, such as in fermentation.

SCOBY

A symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast used to ferment tea into kombucha.

Prebiotics

Non-digestible food ingredients, such as inulin and oligofructose, that pass through the digestive system to stimulate the growth and activity of gut microbiota.

Synbiotic

A combination product containing both probiotics and the prebiotic nutrients they need to survive and thrive.

Gastroenteritis

Severe inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, commonly called gastric flu, stomach flu, or stomach virus.