Nutrition and Health Quiz

Adaptation to Biological Stressors, Part 1: (Mal)Nutrition

• The presentation covers adaptation to biological stressors, focusing on malnutrition.
• Part 2 will cover infectious diseases.

Introduction

• The presentation addresses malnutrition and nutrition today.
• Subsequent sessions will cover infectious diseases.

Malnutrition

• Too Little:
  • Protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) involves periods of starvation, lack of sufficient food quantity, and/or quality.
• Too Much:
  • Overabundance is a type of malnutrition.
• Poorly Balanced:
  • Chronic micronutrient malnutrition arises from unbalanced diets.

Global Report: Obesity Bigger Health Crisis Than Hunger

• A landmark study indicates obesity is now killing three times the number of people as malnutrition.
• More people in the world are dying from obesity than malnutrition.
• The study claims that obesity causes more than 3 million deaths a year worldwide.

Malnutrition: Undernourished

• A global map depicting the percentage of populations that are undernourished illustrates the prevalence of this issue in various regions.

Malnutrition: Obesity

• A global map displaying the prevalence of obesity across the world's regions highlights the distribution of this health concern.

Nutrients vs Food

• This section highlights the difference between consuming food and the nutritive content of said food.
• Diagrams and images illustrate the varied foods and nutritional value people may consume.

Nutrients

• These are energy and materials.
  • Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (lipids).
  • Micronutrients comprise vitamins and minerals.
  • Nutritional pyramids depict recommended food intake proportions.

Protein

• Structure:
  • Proteins are composed of amino acids.
  • Peptides are short chains of amino acids.
• Function:
  • Proteins exhibit a wide range of functions.
  • They can be broken down into building blocks.
  • Proteins are made from various combinations of essential and non-essential amino acids.
  • Essential amino acids must be consumed, while non-essential amino acids can be produced by the body.

Protein Quality of Foods

• The Mesoamerican diet, encompassing the Maya and Aztec civilizations and modern Mexican and Central American food cultures, focuses on beans and maize.
• Several plants in these diets provide complete, balanced amino acids.

Protein Deficiency

• A global map indicates areas with high rates of stunting related to protein deficiency.
• Geographic regions experiencing high prevalence of protein deficiency are indicated on the map.

Energy Reserves

• PCM: Total Undernutrition. Diet is reduced, protein/energy deficiency.
• Three types of energy the body uses: Glycogen, Fat, and Protein. Glycogen is a short-term energy source and stored in the liver/muscles. Fat (lipids) is a long-term energy source. Protein is broken down to supply energy for the body.

Biology of Deficiency

• After depleting glycogen and fat reserves, protein breakdown begins in muscles.
• Children are at elevated risk.
• This includes growth disruptions like Kwashiorkor and Marasmus.

Growth Disruptions

• Children experience remarkably similar growth patterns.
• Proteins are essential for sustaining growth.
• Stunting involves incomplete linear growth, while wasting involves low weight relative to height.
• Harris lines on bones manifest physiological stress impeding growth.

Biology of Deficiency

• Childhood malnutrition comprises Kwashiorkor (protein deficiency), edema/liver enlargement, severe malnutrition across categories, and dehydration/emaciation.

Overnutrition

• Childhood growth is accelerated.
• Early menstruation occurs.
• Adolescent growth decelerates.
• Overnutrition affects multiple populations globally.

Can We Adapt?

• Humans, compared to other mammals, demonstrably have short-term coping mechanisms (buying time).
• Central nervous and reproductive systems are unaffected during periods of starvation.
• Thrifty genotype refers to adaptive mechanisms involved in resisting starvation.

Micronutrient Deficiencies

• Micronutrient deficiencies in vitamins and minerals result from poor diets and limited dietary resources.

Vitamin A (Retinol)

• Derived from beta-carotene, it's stored in the liver and influences the rhodopsin protein associated with night vision.
• Deficiencies lead to dry hair, scaly skin, and brittle nails.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

• Essential for carbohydrate and protein metabolism.
• Deficiencies in this vitamin are prevalent in high-carb dietary regimes.
• Myelin production is influenced by this vitamin.
• Beriberi, a disease resulting from thiamine deficiency, affects the circulatory and other systems.
• MIlled vs Non-milled rice highlights the differences in nutritional content between processed and unprocessed rice.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

• Vital for collagen production.
• Historically, sailors faced scurvy due to Vitamin C deficiencies.
• Symptoms include swollen gums, bleeding gums, loose teeth, bulging eyes, skin and hair deterioration.
• Deficiency is observed in low-income populations experiencing poor diets during specific seasons.

Vitamin D (Calcitriol)

• Crucial for calcium absorption in the small intestine, promotes bone deposition, and prevents osteomalacia (mineralized bone disorder) and rickets.

Electrolytes

• Electrolytes are minerals with an electric charge present in tissues and body fluids.
• Key electrolytes are magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium.

Iron Deficiency

• Anemia is a prominent issue attributable to iron deficiency.
• This condition affects muscle function, immunity, and neurological processes.
• A global map illustrates the prevalence of anemia/iron deficiency in different regions of the world.

Iodine

• Essential thyroid hormone synthesis.
• Deficiency leads to goiters and hypothyroidism.
• A global map illustrating deficient Iodine levels.

Lactoser Tolerance

• Lactase activity decreases with age in mammals.
• Lactase restriction causes lactose intolerance and malabsorption.
• Factors like the consumption of dairy products, age of onset, and severity of symptoms are highly variable among different populations, likely a product of convergent evolution and selective pressures over time.
• This involves distinct genetic events and variations in the LCT gene, as well as adaptation strategies related to the animal raising and consumption of milk.

Convergent Evolution

• Lactase persistence evolved separately across various regions.
• Distinct genetic events influenced the development of lactase persistence.
• Different SNPs were involved in this evolutionary process.
• Strong selective pressures played a significant role in the development of lactase persistence over 5,000-10,000 years.
• Cultural practices, like animal domestication and milk consumption, played a crucial role in lactase persistence.

Co-evolution of Genes and Culture

• Pastoral adaptation, animal raising and role of milk heavily influence adult milk consumption.
• Adaptive benefits of milk consumption include carbs, fat, calcium, and proteins.
• Drawbacks of lactose intolerance include diarrhea and water loss.

Tinbergen's Four Questions

• How can Tinbergen's four questions be used to study lactose persistence?

Why would human biologists criticize this claim?

• Human biologists might criticize the use of genetic research.

Test your knowledge on various nutrition topics, including deficiencies, malnutrition types, and the impacts of vitamins and nutrients on health. This quiz covers essential questions about dietary sources and the role of macronutrients in the body.