Download lecture 1

Kelly Recupero MS, RD, LDN







Understand the difference between nutrition & food
Know the 6 essential nutrients and provide
examples of each
Describe the differences between macro- and
micro- nutrients
Identify the DRI’s and AMDR’s
Understand how to categorize nutrient deficiencies
Identify factors that make a research study valid
Recognize reliable nutrition claims and identify
valid sources of nutrition information


The science that studies food and
how food nourishes our bodies,
and influences our health.
Food is… the plants & animals we eat




Wellness is absence of disease
Nutrition and exercise promote health &
wellness
5 areas of
health:
Nutrition & activity promote health & wellness
Nutrition plays a role
Osteoporosis
Osteoarthritis
Cancer
Nutrition is the main factor
Type II diabetes
Heart Disease
Kidney Disease
Obesity
Liver Disease
Single Nutrient disorders
Scurvy
Pellagra
Anemia
Nutrient toxicity

Nutrient deficiencies may cause serious illness


Poor diet causes chronic disease


They can be silent or affect your life profoundly
Obesity links poor nutrition to mortality
Healthy People 2020

Hundreds of US health related goals
 Increase life-span and quality of life
 Eliminate health disparities


Compounds in food that our bodies use
to grow and function
6 Essential Nutrients

What does the term essential mean?

Required in large amounts by the body

Provide energy




Carbohydrates ( kcal/gram)
Lipids ( kcal/gram)
Protein ( kcal/gram)
Alcohol ( kcal/gram)

Primary fuel source


Neurological function & physical activity
Sources: grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes,
dairy, seeds

Stored as glycogen or converted to fat

Fiber is considered a carbohydrate

Water Insoluble

Several Forms:


Triglycerides provide energy at rest and low
intensity exercise



Triglycerides, phospholipids, sterols
Contain fat-soluble vitamins
Cholesterol is made by the body &
consumed in the diet
Stored as adipose tissue

Support tissue growth, repair and maintenance

“Building blocks” are amino-acids

Can provide energy, but in small amounts

Regulate metabolism and fluid balance

Sources: meat, dairy, nuts, legumes, whole
grains, vegetables


Needed in small amounts and do not provide
energy
Vitamins
Regulate metabolism
 Support blood, muscle, and immune system
 Water or Fat soluble (ADEK)


Minerals
Regulate fluids & hydration, removal of waste
 Maintain their structure in any environment
 Essential to healthy bones and blood


Supportive of all body functions
Nerve impulses
 Body temperature regulation
 Muscle contraction
 Nutrient transport
 Waste removal
 Energy metabolism


Found in fluids and most solid foods
Four values that represent healthy people only

Estimated Average Requirements (EAR):


Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA):


Average meets requirements of 97-98% of people
Adequate Intake (AI):


Average meets requirements of ½ of individuals
Average based on estimates when EAR is not est.
Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL):

Highest average intake to pose no risk to health

Estimated Energy Requirement (EER)


Average energy intake predicted to maintain energy
balance in a healthy adult
Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range
(AMDR):

Specific range of intakes for a particular energy
source that is associated with a reduced risk of
chronic disease

Determined by weight, body composition,
and intake

Malnutrition: a state of nutritional imbalance

Undernutrition:

Overnutrition:

Health history

Questionnaires:




Diet History
24 hour recall
Food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ)
Diet Record

Anthropometric




Measure size: height & weight
Growth: using growth charts
Body composition: fat, muscle, bone
Deficiency?


Primary: a nutrient is not consumed enough
Secondary: A nutrient is not absorbed/utilized, or is
excreted in excess
The Scientific Method
1 – Describe an observation
 2 – Create a hypothesis to explain it
 3 – Design an experiment
 4 - Collect and analyze data

 accept or reject hypothesis

This method outlines the most basic format for
conducting research… there are many other
variables to consider, especially with health.

If the hypothesis is rejected…



A new hypothesis is proposed
More research is conducted
If the hypothesis is accepted…



A conclusion is drawn
More research is done in order to support the
hypothesis
Valid research is repeatable
 Then the hypothesis becomes a theory

Large sample size


Have a control group (or several groups)


This makes the data stronger, and proves the
outcome did not occur by chance
To compare results to those with no intervention –
account for a placebo affect
Control for other variables

Could some other factor influence the results?

Epidemiological (aka observational)

Assess nutritional habits, trends in disease, and other
health issues in large populations

Shows a relationship between factors

Does not show a cause and effect relationship

Provide results more quickly due to shorter life
span
Preliminary info to design human studies & ensure
safety
 Research that can’t be done on humans


Disadvantages?



Problems?



Case Control


Compare 2 similar groups, with & without a condition
Clinical Trials
Determine effects of an intervention on a disease or
condition (experimental vs. control)
 Most valid when double-blind and placebo controlled


Who is reporting the information?

Who conducted the research?

Who paid for it?

Is there more research to support the claim?

Does it seem “too good to be true”?

Quackery: misrepresentation of a product,
program, or service for financial gain

Registered Dietitian (RD)
Qualifications of a Registered Dietitian
 Licensed or certified dietician (LDN/CDN) meets the
credentialing requirements of a given state


Nutritionist has no legal definition

Professional with doctoral nutrition degree (PhD)

Physician

American Dietetic Association (ADA)

American Society for Nutrition Sciences

Society for Nutrition Education

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

North American Association for the Study of
Obesity




Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES)
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
(BRFSS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)