Nutrition Basics: An Active Approach

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 utilize them to support life’s processes.
Nutritional Science: Investigation into how an organism is nourished and how nourishment affects personal health, population health, and planetary health.
Health: Defined as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, rather than merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Disease: Any abnormal condition affecting the health of an organism, characterized by specific signs and symptoms.
Health Promotion: Activities and habits such as physical activity, healthy sleep, and a nutritious diet that assist in promoting health.
Disease Prevention: Activities and habits to prevent the onset of disease, akin to health promotion methods.
Key Takeaways:
- Health is a holistic state of well-being.
- Disease impacts physical, mental, and social health.
- Good nutrition is essential for promoting health and preventing disease.
- Federal diet-related public policies emerged during the 1980s in the U.S. to encourage a healthier diet.

Learning Objectives: Define the term nutrient; identify six classes of nutrients essential for health; list the three energy-yielding nutrients.
Nutrient: A substance required by the body obtained through diet.
Classes of Nutrients:
- Macronutrients: Needed in large amounts. Includes:
- Carbohydrates: Organic molecules (C, H, O).
  - Forms: Simple sugars and complex sugars.
- Lipids: Insoluble in water; types include triglycerides, phospholipids, and sterols.
- Proteins: Made from amino acids (C, H, O, N).
- Water: Composed of hydrogen and oxygen, essential for life.
- Micronutrients: Needed in smaller amounts; includes:
- Vitamins (water-soluble and fat-soluble, serving as coenzymes).
- Minerals: Solid, inorganic substances, classified as macro (e.g., sodium, calcium) or trace (e.g., iron, zinc).
Caloric Contribution:
- Carbohydrates: 4 calories/gram.
- Proteins: 4 calories/gram.
- Lipids: 9 calories/gram.
Key Takeaways:
- Nutrients are crucial for body functions.
- Macronutrients and micronutrients play different roles.
- Nutrient density is a measurement of food quality, comparing nutrient content to energy content.

Learning Objective: Provide examples of how the scientific method promotes health and prevents disease.
Scientific Method:
- Organized inquiry process involving: observation, hypothesis formation, testing, evaluating results, gathering further evidence, and drawing conclusions.
Types of Scientific Studies:
- Epidemiological Studies: Investigate frequency and patterns of health events.
- Randomized Clinical Trials: Change a variable across groups to study effects.
- Laboratory Studies: Conducted on animals or cells to derive insights.
Key Takeaways:
- The scientific method is key in validating nutritional claims.
- Multiple scientific perspectives are necessary for dietary recommendations.

Learning Objectives: Explain genetics, the life cycle, environment, and lifestyle in health status; describe economic, social, cultural, and emotional determinants of food choice.
Genetics: Inherited traits from parents influencing health, including risks for disease.
Nutrigenomics: Studies how nutrients affect gene expression.
Epigenetics: Explores how non-genetic factors affect gene expression.
Environment: Factors such as socioeconomic status (income, occupation, education) impact nutrition.
Lifestyle Components: Include dietary habits, physical activity, recreational drug use, and sleep patterns.
Food Choice Influencers: Economics, social dynamics, cultural background, emotional states, taste preferences, habits, advertising, and health concerns.
Key Takeaways:
- Genetics and environment substantially influence health risks and nutrition needs.
- Lifestyle components beyond diet affect health.
- Cultural and societal influences shape food choices.

Learning Objectives: Discuss personal health assessment methods; goal setting for nutrition-related practices; formulating a personal health plan.
Personal Health Assessment Methods:
- Physical exams, blood work, hearing and eye checks, BMI, fitness evaluations, food journals (e.g., MyPlate.gov).
Importance of Assessment:
- Identify health risks, change dietary habits, improve lifestyle, and take charge of personal health.
Key Takeaways:
- Five steps for health assessment and improvement:
1. Track personal health actively.
2. Identify dietary changes for health promotion.
3. Examine family medical history for disease risk.
4. Evaluate personal lifestyle components.
5. Pursue a healthier lifestyle.

Learning Objective: Explore approaches to building sustainable food systems.
Sustainable Food System Definition: Meets current needs without compromising future generations; attributes include availability, accessibility, affordability, humane treatment, and justice.
US Food Security Statistics (2020):
- 89.5% of households food-secure.
- 10.5% low food security (6.6% low, 3.9% very low).
Tools for Change:
- Embrace low-carbon diets, join local farmers’ markets, cultivate home gardens, compost, buy local, reduce food waste, pool resources for local purchases, drink tap water, support local initiatives, and demand nutritional labels in restaurants.
Key Takeaways:
- Sustainability enables positive interactions between people and the environment.
- Various challenges exist in establishing sustainable food systems.
- Community action is vital for sustainable food systems.