Module 1 - Basic Concepts in Nutrition and Diet Therapy

Nutrition

is the study of food in relation to health of an individual, community or society and the process through which is food is used to sustain life and growth

Nutrition

Is the science of food, the nutrients and other substances therein, their action, interaction and balance in relation to health and disease and the processes by which an organism ingests, digests, absorbs, transports, utilizes and excretes food substances

Nutrition

a living organism receives and utilize materials or substances needed for the maintenance of its functions.

Nutrition

Is the science of the processes by which the body uses food for energy, maintenance and growth.

Food

is any substance, organic or inorganic, when ingested or eaten nourishes the body by building and repairing tissues, supplying heat and energy, and regulation bodily process

Health

a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

Wellness

overall state of well-being or total health

Adequate Nutrition

expressions used to indicate that the supply of the essential nutrients is correct in amount and proportion.

Adequate nutrition

It also implies that the utilisation of such nutrients in the body is such that the highest level of physical and mental health is maintained throughout the life-cycle.

Nutritional Status

is the state of our body as a result of the foods consumed and their use by the body.

Energy Balance

is the level of energy intake of an individual from food that will balance energy expenditure and maintain body weight, when he/she is healthy and maintains body weight and has a body size, body composition and level of activity consistent with good health.

Energy Expenditure

Our body spends the energy from food and body reserves to carry out its functions related to maintenance of life and to carry out physical activities.

Basal Metabolic Rate

normally measured early in the morning, after the subject awakens and is in a post- absorptive state (10 to 12 hours after the last meal).

Optimal Nutrition

Sufficient nutrients are consumed to support day-to-day tasks. Meets increased changes of metabolic demands, growth, pregnancy, illness.

Malnutrition

results from a lack, excess or imbalance of nutrients in the diet.

Types of Nutritional Status

Good, fair and poor

Poor nutritional status

evidenced by a listless, apathetic or irritable personality, undersized poorly developed body, abnormal body weight (too thin or fat and flabby body), muscles small and flabby, pale or sallow skin, too little or too much subcutaneous fat, dull or reddened eyes, lustreless and rough hair, poor appetite, lack of vigour and endurance for work and susceptibility to infections

Malnutrition

means an undesirable kind of nutrition leading to ill-health

Undernutrition

is a state of an insufficient supply of essential nutrients.

Overnutrition

excessive intake of one or more nutrients, which creates a stress in the bodily function

Dietary Reference Intake (DRIs)

Term used to encompass nutrient recommendations made by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine. These include RDAs, AIs, EERs, and ULs.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDAs)

recommended nutrient intakes that will meet the needs of almost all healthy people

kilocalorie (kcal)

A thousand calories; the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1°C.

Essential Nutrient

A substance that an organism cannot synthesize from any other material and therefore must absorb in preassembled form.

Nonessential Nutrient

a substance found in food and used by the body to promote health but not required to be consumed in the diet

Metabolism

All of the chemical reactions that occur within an organism

2 types of malnutrition

Overnutrition and Undernutrition

Diet

refers to whatever you eat and drink each day.

2 types of diet

hostel diet and therapeutic diet

hostel diet

includes the normal diet you consume and the diet people consume in groups

Therapeutic Diet

Diet may also be modified and used for ill persons as part of their therapy

Nutritional Care

use of nutritional knowledge in planning meals and the preparation of these meals in an acceptable and attractive manner to feed people.

3 components of energy expenditure

basal metabolism, physical activity and specific dynamic action of food (SDA)

direct calorimetry

Energy expended by the human body at rest or in activity can be measured directly by measuring the heat evolved. This is known as

Basal energy expenditure (BEE) or resting energy expenditure (REE)

the energy used by the body at rest. The energy used is measured as the basal metabolic rate (BMR) or resting metabolic rate (RMR).

Metabolism - types of reactions

Anabolism and Catabolism

Anabolism

Metabolic pathways that construct molecules, requiring energy.

Catabolism

Metabolic pathways that break down molecules, releasing energy.

Digestion

The process by which the body breaks down food into small nutrient molecules

Gastroenetrology

study of the stomach and intestines

Proctology

study of the rectum and anus

GIT organs

mouth, pharynx, espohagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine

Accessory Organs

teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas

functions of the digestive system

ingestion, secretion, mixing and propulsion, digestion, absorption and defecation

Types of digestion

mechanical and chemical

processes of food in the body (3)

digestion, absorption and utilisation

Digestion

the process, which releases many nutrients in the forms the body can use, by breaking up food in the intestinal tract

Absorption

the process which carries these nutrients into the circulation system and delivers them to the cell.

Utilisation

Cell is the functional unit of life. Hence a large number of the chemical reactions in the cell utilise the nutrients absorbed to produce materials needed for our existence.

Mechanical Processes

involved in digestion include chewing of food, swallowing of food, churning action in the stomach and rhythmic contraction of the intestinal tract.

Mouth

The digestion process begins with chewing the food in the

ptyalin (salivary amylase)

what enzyme starts the digestion in the mouth?

Very little digestion of carbohydrate occurs in the stomach as the pH is unfavourable. (True or False)

True

Chyme

The food mixed with gastric juice forms a semi-fluid mass called

3 hours

how many hours to form chyme?

Carbohydrate digestion occurs almost completely in the _________, mainly in the _________

small intestine, duodenum

Pancreatic amylase

breaks starches into maltose and dextrins

Maltase

from mucosal cells breaks down maltose to glucose.

stomach

Digestion of proteins starts in the

Carbohydrates

Broken down to glucose to provide energy.

Protein

An organic compound that is made of one or more chains of amino acids and that is a principal component of all cells

Fats

Nutrients that promote normal growth, give you energy, and keep your skin healthy.

Essential Vitamins

cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained through the diet