All Life

What is the difference between major minerals and trace minerals?

Major minerals: >100 mg/day or >0.01% body weight (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium); Trace minerals: <100 mg/day or <0.01% body weight (iron, zinc, fluoride)

What is bone remodeling?

Continuous process where bone is broken down and rebuilt

Which cells build bone?

Osteoblasts

Which cells break down bone?

Osteoclasts

What happens with low calcium intake over life?

Leads to lower bone density

What ions dominate extracellular fluid?

Sodium, chloride, calcium

What nutrients are important intracellularly?

B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B9, B12), iron, vitamins A, D, E, K

What is caffeine?

A stimulant found in coffee, tea, and soft drinks

Where is caffeine absorbed?

Stomach and small intestine

How quickly does caffeine act?

Rapidly reaches the brain

What is caffeine half-life?

4–6 hours

How is caffeine eliminated?

Urine

Is caffeine a diuretic?

Yes, but fluid intake compensates

Benefits of caffeine?

Improves endurance, performance, alertness, and reduces fatigue

Side effects of excess caffeine?

Anxiety, insomnia, tremors, restlessness

Caffeine withdrawal symptoms?

Drowsiness, headaches, irritability, nausea, depression

Effects of too much caffeine?

Reduced calcium absorption, osteoporosis risk, breast pain, low birth weight, headaches, arrhythmias

Caffeine intake recommendations?

~400 mg/day (~4 cups coffee); tea 165–235 mg; pregnancy ≤300 mg

Is adding caffeine to alcohol legal in Canada?

No

Why avoid mixing caffeine and alcohol?

Stimulant + depressant combination is dangerous

What is alcohol?

Ethanol; not a nutrient but provides 7 kcal/g

How does alcohol act in the body?

Depressant affecting CNS

Where is alcohol absorbed?

Entire GI tract (small amount mouth/esophagus, 20% stomach, most in duodenum/jejunum)

Effect of food on alcohol absorption?

Slows absorption

When does alcohol peak in blood?

~1 hour

Is alcohol a diuretic?

Yes, increases water excretion

Factors affecting blood alcohol levels?

Weight, gender, food intake, drinking rate, drink type

What is binge drinking?

5 or more drinks at one time

What is alcohol poisoning?

Exceeding tolerance leading to toxicity

What is blackout drinking?

Amnesia from excess alcohol

Effects of chronic alcohol intake?

Malnutrition, decreased intake, impaired absorption/metabolism, excess kcal intake

Long-term alcohol damage?

Liver disease, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, cancer risk

Can alcohol be stored?

No

Where is alcohol metabolized?

Liver (90%)

Alcohol metabolism pathway?

Ethanol → acetaldehyde → acetate → water + CO₂

How is alcohol excreted?

5% urine, 5% lungs

Why measure breath alcohol?

Proportional to blood alcohol levels

Who should avoid alcohol?

Pregnant women, children, drivers, chronic users, those on interacting meds

Are there health benefits of alcohol?

No; increases cancer risk

Safe alcohol practices?

Abstain, set limits, follow guidelines, don’t drink and drive

Physical inactivity prevalence?

~55%

Define fitness?

Ability to perform activity without undue fatigue

Define aerobic exercise?

Endurance activity requiring oxygen

What is muscle atrophy?

Loss of muscle size due to inactivity

What is hypertrophy?

Increase in muscle size

Effects of exercise on the heart?

Increased stroke volume, decreased resting HR, stronger heart

What is stroke volume?

Blood pumped per heartbeat

What is resting heart rate?

Heartbeats per minute at rest

What is VO₂ max?

Max aerobic capacity to produce ATP

Exercise recommendations?

150 min activity/week, 7–9h sleep, ≤8h sedentary, ≤3h screen time

How to start exercise?

Start slow, set goals, make it enjoyable, stay safe

Benefits of exercise?

Cardiovascular health, diabetes control, bone health, weight management, mental health

What fuels exercise?

Glucose, fatty acids, amino acids → ATP

Role of water in exercise?

Thermoregulation, nutrient transport, waste removal

Effects of dehydration?

Reduced oxygen delivery, overheating

Fluid recommendations?

Hydrate before, during, after; >60 min add carbs/electrolytes; 500–750 mL per 0.5 kg lost

What is ATP?

Energy currency of cells

What determines ATP production?

Duration, intensity, fitness level

Instant energy source?

Creatine phosphate (10–15 sec)

Short-term energy source?

Anaerobic glycolysis (15 sec–2 min, 2 ATP)

Long-term energy source?

Aerobic metabolism (>2 min, 36 ATP)

What fuels high-intensity exercise?

Glucose

What causes fatigue in intense exercise?

Glycogen depletion

Where is glycogen stored?

Liver (60–120 g), muscle (200–500 g)

What is “bonking”?

Hitting glycogen depletion

Training adaptations?

Increased VO₂ max, stroke volume, capillaries, glycogen storage, fat utilization

Define gestation?

Time from conception to birth (~40 weeks)

Define preterm birth?

Before 37 weeks

Define low birth weight?

Define very low birth weight?

Pregnancy stages?

1st trimester, 2nd trimester, 3rd trimester

Energy needs in pregnancy?

1st: none; 2nd: +350 kcal; 3rd: +450 kcal

Energy needs in lactation?

0–6 months: +330 kcal; 7–12 months: +400 kcal

Common pregnancy symptoms?

Edema, nausea, heartburn, constipation

Pregnancy complications?

Hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, gestational diabetes, anemia

What is hyperemesis gravidarum?

Severe vomiting causing dehydration

Nutrition in pregnancy?

Varied diet, healthy fats, low-mercury fish, avoid listeria foods, take folic acid, iron, vitamin D

Exercise in pregnancy?

≥150 min moderate/week

Benefits of breastfeeding?

Nutrition, immunity, higher IQ, cancer risk reduction, cost-effective

Types of breastmilk?

Colostrum, transitional, mature

Vitamin D recommendation for infants?

400 IU

Hormones in lactation?

Prolactin (milk production), oxytocin (milk release)

Does maternal diet affect milk?

Yes (fatty acids, vitamins, protein)

Infant feeding after 6 months?

Iron-rich foods, lumpy textures by 9 months

Common food allergens?

Milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy

Difference between allergy and intolerance?

Allergy = immune response; intolerance = digestion issue

Infant feeding guidelines?

Regular meals, high fat, avoid juice, avoid choking hazards

How is growth monitored?

Growth charts (WHO), weight, height, head circumference

What affects growth?

Genetics, environment, lifestyle

Adolescent growth changes?

Rapid growth, muscle gain in boys, fat gain in girls

Adolescent activity recommendations?

1 hour/day, vigorous 3x/week, limit screen time

How do children learn eating habits?

From parents and environment

Role of advertising in diet?

Influences unhealthy food choices

Health Canada’s action?

Restrict advertising unhealthy foods to children

What is aging?

Lifelong process influenced by genetics, lifestyle, environment

Maximum human lifespan?

~100–120 years

What are the learning objectives for older adults and food safety?

1) Older adults and health 2) Malnutrition in Canada 3) How bacteria, viruses, moulds, and parasites cause illness

What is the key to aging well?

Genetics, environment, and good lifestyle practices

What lifestyle factors support healthy aging?

Eating well, maintaining a good microbiome, and exercising

What diseases are reduced with healthy aging practices?

Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, osteoporosis, and other chronic diseases