Four Components of Nutrition Assessment:
Anthropometric Measurements: Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, skinfold thickness, and other body measurements.
Biochemical Data: Blood tests, urine tests, and other lab work to evaluate nutrient levels (e.g., vitamins, minerals) and metabolic function.
Clinical Assessment: Physical examination, medical history, and symptoms of nutrient deficiencies or excess.
Dietary Assessment: Food diaries, 24-hour recall, food frequency questionnaires to understand the types and amounts of foods a person consumes.
What’s the purpose of nutrition assessments?
These components help identify nutrient imbalances (deficiencies or excesses) and health risks.
Dietary Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases:
Excessive intake of saturated fats, trans fats, sodium, and sugar.
Insufficient intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fiber.
Imbalance in micronutrients (e.g., low vitamin D or calcium).
Poor diet linked to diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Diet-Planning Principles:
Adequacy: Providing enough energy, nutrients, and fiber.
Balance: Ensuring that nutrient intakes are proportionate.
Calorie Control: Managing caloric intake to maintain a healthy body weight.
Variety: Including different foods from all food groups.
Moderation: Avoiding excessive consumption of unhealthy foods.
Organs Producing Digestive Enzymes:
Salivary glands: Produce amylase for starch digestion.
Stomach: Produces pepsin (protein digestion), hydrochloric acid (HCl), and intrinsic factor (needed for vitamin B12 absorption).
Pancreas: Secretes amylase (carb digestion), lipase (fat digestion), and proteases (protein digestion).
Small intestine: Contains enzymes like lactase, sucrase, maltase for digesting disaccharides.
Digestive Hormones:
Gastrin: Stimulates HCl production in the stomach.
Cholecystokinin (CCK): Stimulates bile release from the gallbladder and enzyme secretion from the pancreas.
Secretin: Stimulates the pancreas to release bicarbonate to neutralize stomach acid.
Ghrelin: Stimulates hunger.
Bacteria, Hormones, and Nerves:
Gut microbiota influence digestion, immunity, and metabolism.
Hormones like ghrelin and leptin regulate appetite.
The enteric nervous system controls gut function (the “second brain”).
Why Whole Grains are Preferred:
Whole grains retain the bran and germ, providing fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that are stripped away in refined grains.
They are linked to reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity
Disaccharides Composition:
Sucrose: Glucose + Fructose (table sugar).
Lactose: Glucose + Galactose (milk sugar).
Maltose: Glucose + Glucose (formed during starch digestion).
Maximum Percentage of Diet from Saturated Fat:
The recommendation is less than 10% of total calories from saturated fat.
Fats to Limit for Heart Health:
Limit trans fats and saturated fats.
Trans fats are found in partially hydrogenated oils and processed foods, and they increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Essential Fatty Acids:
Omega-3: Found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Important for reducing inflammation and supporting brain health.
Omega-6: Found in vegetable oils (e.g., sunflower, corn oil). These are also essential but should be balanced with omega-3s.
Trans Fat Sources and Health Risks:
Sources: Baked goods, fried foods, margarine, and processed snacks.
Trans fats increase LDL and lower HDL cholesterol, raising the risk of heart disease.
Cholesterol and Heart Disease:
LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein): High levels are associated with increased heart disease risk because they can lead to plaque buildup in arteries.
HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein): High levels are protective and help remove cholesterol from the bloodstream.
Triglycerides: High levels are also linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins and Their Functions:
Vitamin A: Vision, immune function, cell growth, skin health. Deficiency leads to night blindness. Found in liver, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin D: Calcium absorption, bone health. Deficiency causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Found in fortified dairy, fatty fish, and sunlight.
Vitamin E: Antioxidant, protects cell membranes. Deficiency is rare but can lead to hemolysis of red blood cells. Found in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.
Vitamin K: Blood clotting, bone health. Deficiency causes bleeding. Found in leafy greens, broccoli, and cabbage.
Absorption of Fat-Soluble Vitamins:
Absorbed in the small intestine with fat and transported via lymphatic system in chylomicrons
Water-Soluble Vitamins and Their Functions:
Vitamin C: Antioxidant, collagen synthesis, immune function. Deficiency leads to scurvy. Found in citrus fruits, strawberries, and bell peppers.
Folate (Folic Acid): DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation. Deficiency causes megaloblastic anemia. Found in leafy greens, legumes, and fortified grains.
Vitamin B12: Nerve function, red blood cell formation. Deficiency leads to pernicious anemia. Found in animal products.
Thiamine (B1): Energy metabolism, nerve function. Deficiency causes beriberi. Found in whole grains, pork, and legumes.
Riboflavin (B2): Energy metabolism, skin health. Deficiency causes cracks around the mouth (cheilosis). Found in dairy, meat, and green leafy vegetables.
Niacin (B3): Energy metabolism, skin health. Deficiency causes pellagra. Found in meat, poultry, and fortified grains.
How are water-soluble vitamins absorbed:
Water-soluble vitamins are absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestine after food is broken down during digestion or when a supplement dissolves
Coenzyme Forms of Vitamins:
Vitamin B1 → Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP)
Vitamin B2 → Flavin mononucleotide (FMN), Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)
Vitamin B3 → Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)
Vitamin B6 → Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)
Vitamin B12 → Methylcobalamin
Folate → Tetrahydrofolate (THF)
Toxicity of Fat-Soluble Vitamins:
Vitamin A: Toxicity can cause liver damage, bone pain, and birth defects.
Vitamin D: Toxicity can cause calcium buildup, kidney stones, and organ damage.
Bioavailability of Folate/Folic Acid:
Folic acid (synthetic form) is more bioavailable than folate (natural form found in food).
Roles of Water in the Body:
Solvent for nutrients and metabolic reactions.
Regulates body temperature through sweating and evaporation.
Transports nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Removes waste through urine.
Water Composition:
60-70% of body weight is water, varying by age, sex, and body fat percentage.
Fluid Compartments:
Intracellular Fluid (ICF): Fluid inside the cells (~2/3 of body water).
Extracellular Fluid (ECF): Fluid outside cells, including interstitial fluid (between cells) and intravascular fluid (in blood vessels).
