Nutrition and Physical Activity

Flashcards covering key concepts in nutrition and physical activity.

Components of physical fitness

Flexibility, musculoskeletal fitness and endurance (including strength), cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition.

Benefits of physical activity

Reduces risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, helps prevent obesity, improves insulin action, reduces the risk of osteoporosis and colon cancer, improves sleep and immune function, reduces anxiety, stress, and depression.

FIT Principle

Frequency (how often you exercise), Intensity (how hard you exercise), Time (how long you exercise), Type (kind of activity performed).

Overload principle

Placing additional physical demands on the body to improve fitness.

Sports anemia

Increases the amount of water (plasma) in the blood without an increase in hemoglobin.

Fuels for different physical activity

ATP is immediate energy lasting 1-3 seconds; creatine phosphate is for short, intense activity lasting 3-15 seconds; carbohydrates (glucose/glycogen) are used for both short and long-term exercise.

Most important nutrient during exercise

ATP must be continuously generated as it is the energy source for muscles.

Nutrition recommendations for physical activity

At least 150 minutes/week of moderate or 75 minutes/week of vigorous activity; activities should be aerobic for at least 10 minutes; muscle strengthening at least 2 days a week.

Regulations of dietary supplements

Classified as foods under DSHEA 1994, do NOT need FDA approval before marketing, manufacturers determine safety, FDA does NOT test supplements before sale.

Herb health claims and interactions

Ephedra (weight loss, dangerous side effects), Ginger (may alleviate nausea, interacts with blood thinners), Ginseng (may improve mental performance, should not be used long-term), Kava (causes sedation and serious liver problems), Saw Palmetto (for enlarged prostate symptoms, interacts with blood thinners).

St. John’s Wort interactions

Active ingredients do not mix well with other medicines; it should not be taken with antidepressants or anticoagulants and may treat mild to moderate depression.

Valerian

Beneficial for insomnia and anxiety.

Purpose of USP dietary supplement verification program

Tests and verifies supplements, sets standards for ingredients, product quality and manufacturing process, ensures correct composition and absence of contaminants.

Functional food

Foods, fortified foods, and enhanced food products that may benefit health beyond the essential nutrients they contain.