Food Choices and Human Health Introduction PDF

Food Choices and Human Health Introduction to Human Nutrition Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Science of Nutrition and Understanding the Quality of Scientific Data A single study does not “prove” or “disprove” anything!...

Food Choices and Human Health Introduction to Human Nutrition Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Science of Nutrition and Understanding the Quality of Scientific Data A single study does not “prove” or “disprove” anything! Popular press and social media more often than not unreliable sources. Headline that start with “A recent study proves...” should trigger your skepticism. A finding in one study should stand up to repeated testing in more studies, only then would it be a theory (e.g. nutrient recommendations). Theories (or recommendations) should always be challenged and revised as new data becomes available. Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Recommendations for daily nutrient intake, or for healthy dietary patterns, should be based on good science – but what is “good science”? Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry The Science Behind Nutritional Recommendations The strength of the evidence is always considered, and is generally categorized as: Convincing Probable Possible Not demonstrated Assessment of the strength of the evidence may be based on the QUANTITY of data available, or the QUALITY (and scientists and policy makers do not always agree…) Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Studying the Health Status and Nutrition Habits of Canadians Nutrition monitoring makes it possible for researchers to assess the nutrient status, health indicators, and dietary intakes of the Canadian population Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) A cross-sectional survey study of people over 12 yrs of age Started in 2004, now every two years (2015, 2017 and 2019) Self reported information on health status and eating habits of a sample of > 65,000 Canadians per study Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) The CCHS has the following objectives: Support health surveillance programs by providing health data at the national, provincial and intra-provincial levels; Provide a single data source for health research on small populations and rare characteristics; Timely release of information easily accessible to a diverse community of users; Create a flexible survey instrument that includes a rapid response option to address emerging issues related to the health of the population. Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry The Scientific Method The scientific method is not just for scientists! It’s for everyone! Even though it’s a euro- centric/westernized term the process is similar to many indigenous and non-European ways of knowing and learning. Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Causation or Correlation? Understanding data and reported results: 1. Common sense? 2. What are the other factors? Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Correlation ≠ Causation Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Correlation or Causation? Correlation Correlation retrospective cohort Cause and Cause and effect effect in an prospective animal model Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Started as an association between B12 and acne Animal study identified mechanisms Intervention trial – B12 caused acne in 1 of 10 healthy subjects Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Science | Department of Biochemistry Nutrition Mis-Information Why is there some much nutrition mis-information? How can you protect yourself from wrong, erroneous and sometimes dangerous nutritional advice?