EP

Nutrition Basics: An Active Approach v3.0 - Key Terms (Chapter 1)

Section 1.1: Defining Nutrition, Health, and Disease

  • Learning objective: Explain the terms nutrition, health, health promotion, and disease prevention.
  • Nutrition: the sum of all processes involved in how organisms obtain nutrients, metabolize them, and use them to support life processes.
  • Nutritional science: the investigation of how nourishment affects personal health, population health, and planetary health.
  • Health: a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
  • Disease: any abnormal condition that affects the health of an organism and is characterized by specific signs and symptoms.
  • Health promotion: activities/habits (e.g., physical activity, healthy sleep, healthy diet) to promote health.
  • Disease prevention: activities/habits (e.g., physical activity, healthy sleep, healthy diet) to prevent disease.
  • Updated Nutrition Facts labels emphasize calorie count.

Section 1.1: Key Takeaways

  • Health = complete physical, mental, and social well-being; not just absence of disease.
  • Disease affects physical, mental, and social well-being.
  • Good nutrition promotes health and helps prevent disease.
  • The U.S. developed diet-related public policy in the 1980s to help Americans adopt healthier diets.

Section 1.2: What Are Nutrients?

  • Learning objectives: Define the word nutrient; identify the six classes of nutrients essential for health; list the three energy-yielding nutrients and their energy contributions.
  • Nutrients: substances required by the body that must be obtained from the diet.
  • Macronutrients (need in larger amounts):
    • Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Water
  • Micronutrients (need in smaller amounts):
    • Vitamins, Minerals
  • Carbohydrates: organic molecules of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; forms: simple sugars and complex sugars.
  • Lipids: organic compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; insoluble in water; main types: triglycerides, phospholipids, sterols.
  • Proteins: macromolecules (amino acids as monomers).
  • Amino acids: simple monomers of C, H, O, N.
  • Water: essential; composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
  • Minerals: inorganic substances; macro and trace minerals.
  • Vitamins: water- or fat-soluble; act as enzymes or cofactors (coenzymes).
  • Energy-yielding nutrients (per gram):
    • Carbohydrates: 4 calories
    • Lipids: 9 calories
    • Proteins: 4 calories
  • Section 1.2: Key Takeaways
    • Foods contain essential nutrients for bodily function.
    • Macronutrients: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and water.
    • Micronutrients: vitamins and minerals.
    • Nutrient density: a measure of essential nutrients relative to energy content.

Section 1.3: The Broad Role of Nutritional Science

  • Learning objective: Provide an example of how the scientific method works to promote health and prevent disease.
  • How health effects of foods/nutrients are determined:
    • Scientific method steps: observation, hypothesis, test, evaluate results, gather more evidence, conclude.
  • Types of evidence:
    • Epidemiological studies
    • Randomized clinical trials
    • Laboratory studies (animals or cells)
  • The evidence base grows over time; expert agreement across disciplines is needed for dietary recommendations; science evolves as new data emerge.

Section 1.3: Key Takeaways

  • The scientific method is an organized process used to determine if a food/nutrient claim is valid.
  • Evidence-based guidelines rely on multiple study types and accumulate over time.
  • Different study types contribute complementary insights.
  • Scientific consensus builds gradually as evidence converges.

Section 1.4: Health Factors and Their Impact

  • Learning objectives: Explain the role of genetics, life cycle, environment, and lifestyle in health; describe economic, social, cultural, and emotional determinants of food choice.
  • Genetics: inherited traits; nutrigenomics (how nutrients affect gene expression and gene influence on nutritional needs); epigenetics (non-gene factors affecting gene expression).
  • Life cycle: nutrition needs change across life stages (birth to old age); pregnancy is a critical period.
  • Environment: multiple aspects affect nutrition; socioeconomic status (SES) includes income, occupation, education.
  • Lifestyle: dietary habits, physical activity, recreational drug/alcohol use, sleep patterns.
  • Personal choice determinants of food choice: economics, social pressures, culture, geography, emotions; taste/texture/appearance; early experiences; advertising; health concerns.
  • Section 1.4 Key Takeaways
    • Genes and nutrients interact; nutrients can influence gene expression and disease risk.
    • Life stages require adjustments in nutrition.
    • Genes and environment together shape health; SES is a strong environmental predictor.
    • Lifestyle components beyond diet (activity, sleep, substances) affect health; culture shapes food choices.

Section 1.5: Assessing Personal Health

  • Learning objectives: Discuss ways to assess personal health and diet; emphasize goal setting; formulate a long-term health/nutrition plan.
  • Personal health assessment components:
    • Physical exam, blood work, hearing/eye exams, BMI, fitness assessment
    • Diet assessment: food journal; MyPlate.gov guidance
  • Take charge recommendations:
    • Track personal health; assess and adjust diet to promote health and prevent disease
    • Research family medical history for disease risks
    • Evaluate lifestyle: habits, emotional health, sleep, work-life balance
    • Begin making healthier choices
  • Section 1.5 Key Takeaways
    • Stepwise approach to personal health assessment and dietary change.
    • Set goals and monitor progress; consider family history; evaluate lifestyle factors.

Section 1.6: A Fresh Perspective: Sustainable Food Systems

  • Learning objective: Discuss approaches to building a sustainable local food system.
  • Definition: Sustainable food system meets present needs without compromising future generations; considers producers, processors, distributors, and regulators.
  • Attributes: Availability, Accessibility, Affordability for all; Humane; Just.
  • Food security data (illustrative): relationships among food-secure, low food security, and very low food security households.
  • Solutions/tools for change:
    • Eat a low-carbon diet
    • Use community-based farmers’ markets; grow gardens at home
    • Compost waste; buy local; waste less food
    • Pool resources to buy locally; drink tap water; reduce packaging
    • Support local farmers and policies; advocate for clear nutrition labeling when dining out
  • Video: Sustainable Food Systems (supplemental resource)
  • Section 1.6 Key Takeaways
    • Sustainability integrates people and nature; a sustainable system includes producers, processors, distributors, and regulators.
    • Challenges include access, affordability, nutrition quality, and equitable production/distribution.
    • Solutions include infrastructure for local food, education on origin/production, supporting farmers, and sustainable farming methods.
    • Individuals can take action locally to help build sustainable food systems.