NUTRITIONAL AND FOOD-RELATED HEALTH CONDITIONS terms

FOOD AND NUTRITION

NUTRITIONAL AND FOOD-RELATED HEALTH CONDITIONS

1. Glycaemic index (GI):

 GI ranks food on a scale from 0-100 according to their actual effect on blood

glucose levels

 Is the rate at which glucose is released into the blood stream

2. Blood glucose level:

 The amount of glucose in the blood

3. Low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia): hypo means under

 Is a condition in which the glucose level in the blood falls abnormally low

4. High blood glucose (hyperglycaemia): hype means over

 is a condition in which the glucose level in the blood becomes abnormally high

(GLYCAEMIA MEANS BLOOD GLUCOSE)

5. Diabetes:

 Is a chronic disease in which the blood –glucose level is abnormally high because

the body cannot control it properly

 It is a disease in which the pancreas produces no insulin/little insulin or the body

does not use insulin effectively

 As a result there is excess glucose and the body cannot control it

6. Soluble fibre:

 Fibre that dissolves to form a gel in water. It slows the entry of sugar (glucose)

into the blood stream

7. Insoluble fibre:

 Fibre that cannot be digested as it does not dissolve in water, but rather binds

and holds water as it passes through the body

8. Cholesterol:

 Cholesterol is a soft, white waxy substance produced in the liver and body cells.

The liver produces all the cholesterol that the body needs

9. High blood cholesterol:

 High levels of cholesterol in the blood can cause a build-up of fatty plaque on

the inner walls of arteries, obstructing blood flow through the arteries

10. Atherosclerosis:

 Is the clogging, narrowing and closing of arteries due to the build-up of

cholesterol and other fatty substances in the walls of the arteries

11. Osteoporosis: (means porous bones)

 Results from a low-calcium diet intake over a long period

 Calcium is withdrawn from the bones at a faster rate than it is replaced

 The bone gradually becomes smaller, thinner and so fragile that it breaks easily

 This leads to an increase risk of fractures of hips, legs and wrists

12. Saturated fats:

 Fats found mainly in animals and solid at room temperature

7

13. Unsaturated fats:

 Fats found mainly in plants and liquid at room temperature

14. Hydrogenated/trans fats:

 Hydrogenation is the process of converting vegetable oils into solids(fats)

15. Anaemia:

 Is a condition in which the blood contains fewer red blood cells than normal in

the blood or

 lack of haemoglobin in the red blood cells due to shortage of iron, vitamin B12

and folic acid

 It is due to lack of iron

16. High blood pressure (hypertension):

 Is the condition that occurs when the blood in the arteries pump at a higher

pressure than usual

 Is the pressure of the blood against the artery walls is so high as it circulates

through the body