DRIs:

folate DRI: 400 micrograms/day

VITAMINS: essential, noncaloric nutrient organic compounds that are vital to life and indispensable to body functions but that are needed only in minute amounts

• precursors: compounds that serve as starting material for other materials and can be converted into active vitamins aka “provitamins”

vitamin D and folic acid are the 2 vitamins that most often fall below recommended intakes

WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

vitamin B1 (thiamin):

• functions: coenzyme active in energy metabolism

• deficiency:

  • beriberi: characterized by loss of sensation in hands & feet, muscular weakness, advancing paralysis, abnormal heart action

  • Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome: caused by alcohol abuse

• toxicity: none reported

• food sources: legumes, enriched/whole-grain cereals, sunflower seeds

vitamin B2 (riboflavin):

• functions: coenzyme active in energy metabolism

• deficiency: cracks/redness at corners of mouth, smooth purplish-red tongue, light sensitivity

• toxicity: none reported

• food sources: plain yogurt, cooked mushrooms, milk, spinach

vitamin B3 (niacin):

• functions: coenzyme active in energy metabolism

• deficiency:

  • pellagra: symptoms include diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, death (the 4 Ds)

• toxicity: flush/hives/rash, excessive sweating, blurred vision, liver damage

• food sources: chicken breast, peanuts, baked potato

vitamin B6:

• functions: coenzyme needed in amino acid & fatty acid metabolism, helps convert tryptophan to niacin & serotonin, helps make hemoglobin for RBCs

• deficiency:

  • anemia

• toxicity: depression, fatigue, irritability, nerve damage, skin lesions

• food sources: beef liver, banana, baked potato

vitamin B12:

• functions: coenzyme needed in new cell synthesis, helps to maintain nerve cells

• deficiency:

  • pernicious anemia

  • anemia

• toxicity: none reported

• food sources: sirloin steak, cottage cheese, sardines

only in foods of animal origin

folate:

• functions: coenzyme needed for new cell synthesis

• deficiency:

  • anemia

• toxicity: masks vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms

• food sources: beef liver, avocado, beets, legumes, asparagus

biotin & pantothenic acid::

• functions: coenzymes important in energy metabolism & synthesis of lipids, hormones, etc.

• deficiency: uncommon

• toxicity: high biotin dosage may damage DNA

• food sources: adequately supplied in a well-balanced diet

vitamin C:

• functions: collagen synthesis, antioxidant, restores vitamin E to active form, immune system support, increases iron absorption

• deficiency:

  • scurvy

• toxicity: nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, aggravates gout & kidney stones

• food sources: red & green peppers, orange juice, sweet potatoes, strawberries

FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS: mostly absorbed into the lymph, travel in the blood/in cells, stored in the liver/fatty tissues, can build up to toxicity

vitamin A: has 3 active forms (retinol, retinal, retinoic acid)

• retinol: active form of vitamin made from beta-carotene and is stored in the liver

• beta-carotene: vitamin A precursor

• functions: gene regulation, eyesight, reproduction, cell differentiation, immunity, growth

• deficiency causes blindness, sickness, and death

  • xerosis: the drying of the cornea

  • xeropthalmia: the hardening of the cornea

• toxicity caused by supplements leads to a variety of symptoms

• food sources: fortified milk, carrots, beef liver, fish oil, enriched cereals

vitamin D:

• functions: mineralization of bones & teeth

• deficiency:

  • rickets: abnormal bone growth in children, characterized by bowed legs/knock knees/pigeon chest/knobbed ribs

  • osteomalacia: overabundance of unmineralized bone protein in adults

  • osteoporosis: weakening of bone mineral structures caused by calcium loss that commonly occurs with advancing age

• toxicity: high blood calcium, nausea, fatigue, back pain, irregular heartbeat, increased thirst & urination, kidney & heart function decline, soft tissue damage

• food sources: fortified milk, sardines, enriched cereals, mushrooms grown in sunlight

vitamin E:

• functions: antioxidant

• deficiency: rare, can occur in premature newborns

  • erythrocyte hemolysis: rupture of RBCs

• toxicity: prolong blood clotting times, increases risk of brain hemorrhages

• food sources: raw oils (safflower, canola), wheat germ oil

vitamin K:

• functions: synthesis of blood-clotting proteins and bone proteins

• deficiency: hemorrhage, abnormal bone function

• toxicity: opposes effects of anticlotting medication

  • jaundice: yellowing of skin due to spillover of bilirubin into the blood

• food sources: cabbage, spinach, asparagus, soybeans

INSIDE-THE-BODY THEORIES OF OBESITY

set-point theory: states that body’s regulatory controls tend to maintain a particular body weight over time, making it difficult to lose weight

thermogenesis:

intestinal microbiome

genetics: a person with at least one obese parent has a 30-70% chance of being obese

• epigenome: the collection of molecules associated with chromosomes that modulate protein replication at the level of the genes; critical changes before birth may lead to lifelong impacts on health and weight

OUTSIDE-THE-BODY THEORIES OF OBESITY

ignoring cues of overeating

addictiveness of food: due to highly palatable fat-rich & sugar-rich foods

physical inactivity

location:

• food deserts: low-income communities where many people do not own cars and live more than 1 mile (or more than 10 miles rurally) from a supermarket or grocery store

• food forests: areas planted with fruit or nut-bearing trees and shrubs that are freely accessible to the public

EATING DISORDERS

• anorexia nervosa: characterized by extreme restriction of energy intake relative to requirements, leading to a dangerously low body weight and a disturbed perception of body weight and shape

• bulimia nervosa: recurring episodes of binge eating (morbid fear of becoming fat) usually followed by self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxative/diuretics, fasting, or excessive exercise

• binge eating: criteria similar to those of bulimia nervosa, without purging/other compensatory behaviors

TERMS RELATED TO APPETITE

• hunger: physiological need to eat; a drive for food; unpleasant sensation that demands relief

• satiation: perception of fullness that builds throughout a meal; determines end of meal

• satiety: perception of fullness that lingers after a meal; determines length of time between meals

• ghrelin: hormone that stimulates eating

• leptin: hormone that suppresses appetite

MINERALS

(4) under-consumed minerals: calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron

(1) over-consumed mineral: sodium

MAJOR MINERALS

calcium: most abundant mineral in the body

phosphorus: second most abundant mineral in the body

magnesium:

sodium:

potassium:

chloride:

sulfate:

TRACE MINERALS

iodine:

iron:

zinc:

selenium:

fluoride:

chromium:

copper:

manganese:

molybdenum:

MISCALLENOUS TERMS/CONCEPTS

female athlete triad: energy insufficiency, low bone density, menstrual dysfunction

• DASH diet: “Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension” increased intakes of potassium-rich fruits & vegetables; moderate amounts of nuts, fish, whole grains, low fat dairy products; restricted intakes of processed foods, red meat, saturated fats, sweets

• weight bias: thoughts and beliefs against people because of their weight

• weight stigma: actions against people because of their weight

weight-inclusive approach to healthcare: every body is capable of achieving health and well-being independent of weight

1. do no harm

2. appreciate that bodies come in a variety of shapes and sizes

3. given that health is a multi-dimensional, maintain a holistic focus

4. encourage a process-focused rather than end-goals for day-to-day quality of life

5. critically evaluate the empirical evidence for weight-loss treatments and incorporate sustainable empirically supported practices into prevention & treatment efforts

6. create healthful individualized practices and environments that are sustainable

7. work to increase health access, autonomy, and social justice for all individuals

weight normative approach to healthcare: focuses on weight-loss and weight management as the primary method to prevent and treat health problems; assumes that weight & disease are related in a linear fashion

• microaggressions: intentional or unintentional verbal, behavioral, environmental indignities that communicate hostility or negativity toward people who hold less power in society

focusing on weight and weight loss is linked to diminished health

• visceral fat: fat stored within the abdominal cavity in association with the internal abdominal organs

• subcutaneous fat: fat stored directly under the skin

increased intake of potassium (ex: bananas, spinach, cantaloupe, almonds) is associated with reduced risks of hypertension