An Introduction to Nutrition - Personal Health and Nutritional Science

Flashcards covering personal health assessment, nutritional science concepts, human health factors, and sustainable food systems.

How does the World Health Organization (WHO) define health?

The World Health Organization defines health as 'a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.'

What is the difference between disease signs and symptoms?

Signs are objective identifying characteristics of a disease (such as swelling, weight loss, or fever), whereas symptoms are subjective features recognized by the patient or doctor (such as nausea, fatigue, irritability, and pain).

Who was appointed Chief of Nutrition Investigations at the USDA in 1894 and is known as the 'Father of Nutrition Science' in America?

Dr. Wilbur Olin Atwater.

According to the CDC, how much does the federal government spend per person each year to treat disease versus to prevent it?

The federal government spends $1,390\,\text{dollars}$ per person each year to treat disease compared to $1.21\,\text{dollars}$ per person each year to prevent it.

What are the six classes of nutrients required for body function and health maintenance?

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals.

How much energy per gram is provided by carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins?

Carbohydrates provide $4\,\text{kilocalories}$ per gram, lipids provide $9\,\text{kilocalories}$ per gram, and proteins provide $4\,\text{kilocalories}$ per gram.

What is the relationship between a lowercase calorie and a food label Calorie?

One kilocalorie ($1,000\,\text{calories}$, with a small 'c') is synonymous with one Calorie (with a capital 'C') on food labels.

What are the primary carbohydrate storage molecules in humans and in plants?

The storage molecule in humans is glycogen, while the storage form in plants is starches.

What are the three main types of lipids?

Triglycerides (triacylglycerols), phospholipids, and sterols.

What are the '4D's' associated with pellagra, and what deficiency causes it?

The '4D's' are diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and death, which are caused by a deficiency in niacin (vitamin B3).

Which vitamins are water-soluble and which are fat-soluble?

Water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyroxidine, biotin, folate, cobalamin); fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K.

How is Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated, and what is its unit of measurement?

BMI is calculated as body weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters, measured in $\text{kg/m}^2$.

What is considered a desirable blood pressure measurement?

A desirable blood pressure is $120\text{ over }80\,\text{mmHg}$.

Who isolated iodine in 1811 while isolating saltpeter for gunpowder for Napoleon's army?

French chemist Bernard Courtois.

What were the results of physician David Marine's experiment in Akron, Ohio regarding goiter?

The study of over $4,000$ school children demonstrated that iodized salt effectively prevented goiter.

What seminal finding was established by the Framingham Heart Study initiated in 1948?

It established that higher blood cholesterol levels are a risk factor for heart disease.

What is nutrigenomics?

Nutrigenomics (nutritional genetics) is an emerging scientific discipline aimed at determining how nutrients interact with genes to turn 'on' healthy genes and turn 'off' genes that cause disease.

What is epigenetics?

Epigenetics is the study of how chemical reactions turn genes 'on' and 'off' without altering the underlying DNA sequence.

How is the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) treated to prevent brain damage and mental retardation?

PKU is treated by strict adherence to a diet low in phenylalanine, consisting mostly of fruits, vegetables, and grains.

What three variables constitute socioeconomic status?

Income, occupation, and education.

What was the 'thrifty gene' hypothesis proposed by James Neel in 1962?

It proposed that Pima Indians carried a gene making them very efficient at storing fat during times of plenty so they would not starve during famines, which increased susceptibility to obesity and Type 2 diabetes on a high-fat diet.

How does the American Public Health Association (APHA) define a sustainable food system?

A sustainable food system provides healthy food to meet current food needs while maintaining healthy ecosystems that can provide food for generations to come with minimal negative impact to the environment.

What percentages of national energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to the US food system?

The US food system uses approximately $22\,\%$ of national energy and is responsible for at least $20\,\%$ of greenhouse gas emissions.

What is a food desert, and what urban area is highlighted as an example?

A food desert is a location that does not provide access to affordable, high-quality, nutritious food; Detroit, Michigan is highlighted as an example.