Nutrition PDF

PREPARED BY FATIMAH FADHIL JAWAD PHD Over view of nutrition Definition : Although many people think that food and nutrition mean the same thing, they don’t. food refers to products derived from plants or animals that can be taken into the body to yield energy and nutrients for the maintenan...

PREPARED BY FATIMAH FADHIL JAWAD PHD Over view of nutrition Definition : Although many people think that food and nutrition mean the same thing, they don’t. food refers to products derived from plants or animals that can be taken into the body to yield energy and nutrients for the maintenance of life and the growth and health. Food may also be defined as anything eaten or drink, which meets the needs for energy, building, regulation and protection of the body. Nutrition,it is the science that studies food and how food nourishes our bodies and influences our health. It identifies the processes by which we consume, digest, metabolize, and store the nutrients in foods, and how these nutrients affect our bodies. Nutrition also involves studying the factors that influence our eating patterns, making recommendations about the amount we should eat of each type of food, maintaining food safety, and addressing issues related to the global food supply the study of nutrition is increasingly concerned with metabolism and metabolic pathways: (the sequences of biochemical steps through which substances in living things change from one form to another). The human body contains chemical compounds, such water, carbohydrates (sugar, starch, and fiber), amino acids (in proteins), fatty acids (in lipids), and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). Diet: :the foods and beverages a person eats and drinks each day. Thus it includes the normal diet you consume and the diet people consume in groups (hostel diet). Diet may also be modified and used for ill persons as part of their therapy (therapeutic diets) Malnutrition It results from a lack, excess or imbalance of nutrients in the diet. It includes undernutrition and overnutrition. Undernutrition is a state of an insufficient supply of essential nutrients. Malnutrition can be -primarily be due to insufficient supply of one or more essential nutrients; or it can be secondary, which means it results from an error in metabolism, interaction between nutrients or nutrients and drugs used in treatment. Overnutrition refers to an excessive intake of one or more nutrients, which creates a stress in the bodily function When compared with other scientific disciplines such as chemistry, biology, and physics, nutrition is a relative newcomer Assessment of Nutritional Status definition of nutritional status is the state of our body as a result of the foods consumed and their use by the body. Nutritional status can be good, fair or poor. The characteristics of good nutritional status are an alert, good natured personality, a well developed body, with normal weight for height, well developed and firm muscles, healthy skin, reddish pink colour of eyelids and membranes of mouth, good appetite and excellent general health. General good health is evident by stamina for work,, normal elimination and resistance to disease. Nutritional assessment: The purpose of nutritional assessment is to: 1-Identify individuals or population groups at risk of becoming malnourished 2-Identify individuals or population groups who are malnourished To develop health care programs that meet the community needs which are defined by the assessment 3-To measure the effectiveness of the nutritional programs Methods of Nutritional Assessment The methods employed include: 1-Clinical examination 2-Anthropometric examination Direct method 3. Biochemical examination. 4-Dietary examination 5-The study of vital statistics Indirect method 6- Assessment of ecological factors. 1. Clinical Examination The goal is to assess the levels of health of individuals or by population groups in relation to the food they consume. It is an essential feature of all nutritional surveys, the simplest and most practical method of achieving the nutritional status of a group of individuals that are known to be associated with malnutrition and deficiency of micronutrients. 2. Anthropometric Methods Anthropometry is the measurement of body height, weight and proportions. It is an essential component of clinical examination of infants, children and pregnant women. It is used to evaluate both under and over nutrition. The measured values reflects the current nutritional status and don’t differentiate between acute and chronic changes. Anthropometry for children If children do not get sufficient food, they fail to grow properly. Accurate measurement of height and weight is essential. The results can then be used to evaluate the physical growth of the child. For growth monitoring the data are plotted on growth charts over a period of time that is enough to calculate growth velocity, which can then be compared to international standards 3. Biochemical Examination. Initial Lab tests 1-.Hemoglobin: The estimation of hemoglobin plays a vital role in health in nutritional surveys, as it acts as a major index for overall nutrition state. Beside anemia also tells us about protein and trace element nutrition 2-.Stool : Stool examination would detect any intestinal parasites present.. 3.Urine: Urine can be examined for albumin and sugar Specific Lab Tests 1-Measurement of individual nutrient in body fluids (e.g. serum retinol, serum iron, urinary iodine, vitamin D) 2- Detection of abnormal amount of metabolites in the urine (e.g. urinary creatinine/ hydroxyproline ratio) 3-Analysis of hair, nails and skin for micronutrients.. Advantages of Biochemical Method 1-It is useful in detecting early changes in body metabolism and nutrition before the appearance of overt clinical signs.. 2-It is accurate and reproducible. 3-Useful to validate data obtained from dietary methods e.g. comparing salt intake with 24-hour urinary excretion. Limitations of Biochemical Method 1-Time consuming. 2-Expensive. 3-They cannot be applied on large scale 4- needs trained person 4- Dietary Examination The value of nutrition assessment is greatly enhanced when it is supplemented by the food consumption assessment. A diet survey may be carried out by any of the following methods: 1-Recall: usually 24 h, sometimes 3 days Strengths: easy, quick, cheap, useful in large samples Weaknesses: less representative, rely on memory, requires kitchen/serving literacy, not possible in children >7yrs 2-Food frequency questionnaire Strengths: Covers long period, not influenced by short term changes Weaknesses: reflects more people’s desire than reality, less exact, not possible in children 5. The Study of Vital Statistics Vital statistics involve mortality and morbidity data in a community which enables one of identify high risk and extent of such risk to the community. Mortality data may not give a satisfactory picture, but morbidity (data from hospital or community health and morbidity surveys) would throw sufficient light on problems related to protein energy malnutrition, anemia, and vitamin A deficienc 6. Analysis of Ecological Factors In any nutritional survey, it is necessary to collect certain background information of the given community in order to make the assessment complete. The ecological factors related to malnutrition are: a. Conditioning influence: Bacterial, viral and parasitic agents. b.Cultural influence: Food habits and practices. Cooking beliefs, child rearing practices, feeding of pregnant or lactating mothers. c. Socio-economic factors: Family size, occupation, education, income, housing, expenditure on food d. Food production: Customs related to the methods of cultivation of food, storage and distribution.. e. Health and educational services: The number of hospitals and health personnel, preventive and curative services. 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