Nutrition and Health Principles

Nutrition and Health Principles

• Nutrition is changing, evolving from identifying nutrient deficiencies to personalized approaches based on genetics, environment, and behavior.
• Factors affecting health include occupational factors, spiritual beliefs, emotions, social connections, physical activity, and sleep.
• Food is what is consumed, while nutrition is the study of food's role in nourishment and its impact on health and disease risk.
• The relationship between nutrition and disease is complex. Dietary intake can directly or indirectly contribute to the development of diseases.

Definitions and Classifications of Nutrients

• Nutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water.
• Some nutrients are organic (containing carbon), while others are inorganic.
• Macronutrients provide significant energy, including protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
• Micronutrients are needed in smaller quantities, including minerals and vitamins.

Nutritional Assessment

• Dietary tools such as dietary history, 24-hour recall, and food frequency questionnaires assist in evaluating dietary intake.
• Under/over-nutrition describe insufficient and excessive nutrient intake, respectively, leading to various health issues.

Scientific Method and Study Design

• The scientific method, including observation, hypothesis generation, experimentation, data analysis, and conclusion, is crucial for nutritional research.
• Study design, including sample size, model system, and controls, is essential for reliable and valid research outcomes.
• Different types of studies, such as ecological studies and randomized controlled trials, have varying strengths and weaknesses.

Evaluating Media Reports and Expert Blogs

• Evaluating nutrition information critically involves examining credentials, intentions, motivations, and potential conflicts of interest.

Credible Sources and Experts of Nutrition

• Professionals including dietitians, nurses, and pharmacists are credible sources of nutrition information.
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) provide additional reliable resources in dietary sectors.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)

• DRIs represent dietary recommendations for preventing deficiencies and reducing chronic diseases and are significant for healthy populations.
• DRIs include Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), Adequate Intakes (AI), and Tolerable Upper Limits (UL).
• Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDRs) provide guidance on the proportion of energy from macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein).

Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDRs)

• AMDRs specify the ideal proportion of energy from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Evaluation of Literature and Nutrition Articles

• The scientific method within nutrition research and articles, including statistical tests and hypothesis identification, should be critically considered.
• Determining whether an article's conclusions are valid is crucial for informed decision-making.

Nutrition and Drug Toxicology

• Effective dose and lethal dose are crucial concepts in drug and nutrition toxicology, reflecting the dosage limits where the substance's effect or toxicity occurs.

New DRI Values Based on Chronic Disease

• New DRIs aim to establish appropriate recommendations for preventing or reducing chronic diseases.

Nutrigenomics

• Nutrigenomics is the overarching science of how nutrients impact genes and, subsequently, responses.
• Omics technologies allow for in-depth analysis of biological molecules.
• Nutrigenomics aids in personalized approaches to nutrition recommendations.

Healthy Diet Principles

• A healthy diet focuses on balanced nutrition and nutrient-dense foods.
• Calorie and or nutrient density of foods are an important consideration.
• Balancing types of foods that provide a variety of nutrients is key.
• Portion control and varied dietary intake are significant.

Food Labels and Packaging

• Food labels are a valuable source of nutritional information and help with decision-making.
• Standards exist around food labels and packaging details for providing accurate and significant data.

Why We Eat

• Physical and chemical signals influence our eating behaviours, such as hunger, fullness, emotional, and social cues.

GI Disturbances (Intestinal Issues)

• Food intolerance and allergies, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis are types of gastrointestinal issues stemming from food sensitivities, immune responses, or chronic inflammatory diseases.