Chapter 1: Food Choices and Human HealthNutrition-the science of how food nourishes the body. - When studying nutrition you learn which foods serve you best, you choose foods wisely, plan meals, and design your diet- Why Care? Nutrients interact with body tissues, adding or subtracting, which changes the foundations upon which the health of the body is builtA Lifetime of Nourishment- Malnutrition- includes deficiencies, imbalances, and excesses of nutrients which can take a toll on your health overtime- Chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, dental disease, bone loss) all have a connection to a poor diet..strongly influenced by your food choices (genetics also can affect these)- Genome- the full complement of genetic information in the chromosomes of acell- Genes- units of a cell’s inheritance - DNA- an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, the thread-like molecule that encodes genetic information in its structure- human genome establishes the entire sequence of the genes in DNA- Lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking, physical activity, sleep, and stress can help prevent/reduce the severity of a diseaseThe Human Body and Its Food- As your body moves and works, it must use energy- Your body requires six kinds of nutrients- water, carbs, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals.-the six organic nutrients (have carbon)- carbs, fat, protein, vitamins- Scientists measure food and nutrients in grams- Energy-yielding nutrients: the body can use the energy the nutrients contain- carbs and fats (lipids), protein: yields energy but also provides materials that form structures of body tissue- Vitamins and minerals: -provide no energy to the body, act as regulators: assist in all body processing- Essential nutrients: if you do not ingest them, you will develop deficiencies; your body can not make these nutrients itself- Kilocalories/calories- units of heat/energy- Dietary supplements- pills, liquids, or powders that contain purified nutrients or other ingredients- Elemental diets- liquid diets with a precise chemical composition that are lifesaving for people in the hospital who cannot eat ordinary food- Phytochemicals- compounds in plant derived foods that confer color, taste, and other characteristics of food- Bioactive- having biological activity in the body (affect metabolic processes) The Challenge of Choosing Foods- Whole foods- foods that have been around for a long time (vegetables, fruit, meat, milk, grain)- Enriched/fortified foods- foods where nutrients have been added- Fast Foods- restaurant foods that are available within minutes, usually not fulfilling nutritious needs- Functional foods- whole or modified foods that contain bioactive food components believed to provide health benefits - Medical foods- foods specifically manufactured for use by people with medical disorders and prescribed by a physician- Natural foods- a term that has no legal definition but usually means wholesome foods- Nutraceutical- refers to foods, nutrients, or dietary supplements believed to have medicinal effects - Organic foods- foods grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers- Processed foods- foods subjected to any process, such as milling, alteration oftexture or color- Staple foods- foods used frequently or daily (ex. Rice, potatoes)- Adequacy- the dietary characteristic of providing all the essential nutrients, fiber, and energy in amounts sufficient to maintain health and body weight- Balance- providing foods of a number of types in proportion to each other- Calorie control- control of energy intake- Moderation- providing constituents within set limits, not excess- Variety- providing a wide selection of foods- Legumes- (beans, peas, lentils) valued as inexpensive sources of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber that contribute little fat to the diet- Cuisines- styles of cooking- Foodways- the sum of a culture’s habits, customs, beliefs, and preferences concerning food- Ethnic foods- foods associated with particular cultural subgroups within a population- Cultural competence- having an awareness and acceptance of ones own and other cultures and the ability to interact effectively with people of these cultures- Omnivores- people who eat foods of plant and animal origin- Vegetarians- people who eat only plant foodThe Science of Nutrition- Science consists of theories that can always be challenged and revised- Controlled clinical trial- research study design that often reveals the effects of a treatment in human beings- Blind experiment- experiments where subjects do not know whether they are members of the experimental group or the control group- Case studies- studies of individuals- Control group- a group of individuals who are similar in all possible respectsto the group being treated in an experiment but who receive a sham treatment instead of the real one- Correlation- the simultaneous change of two factors, such as the increase of weight with increasing height- Epidemiological studies- studies of populations for correlations between dietary habits and diseases- Experimental group- the people or animals participating in an experiment who receive the treatment under investigation- Intervention studies- studies of populations in which observation is accompanied by experimental manipulation of some population members (ex. Half of the subjects follow diet advice while the other does not, then both hearts are monitored)- Laboratory studies- studies that are performed under tightly controlled conditions and are designed to pinpoint causes and effects - Placebo- a sham treatment often used in scientific studies; harmless medicationA Guide to Behavior Change- Lapses- times of falling back into former habits- Motivation- the force that moves people to act- Self efficacy- the belief in one’s ability to take action and successfully performa specific behavior- Locus of control- the assigned source of responsibility for one’s life events-internal: identifies the individuals behaviors as the driving force-external: blames change, fate or another external
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