Chapter 1: Nutrition and You
- Page ID
- 21451
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
- 1.1: Impact of Diet and Lifestyle on Health
- Good nutrition, physical activity and a healthy lifestyle are essential for good health. A well established body of research links poor diet and inactivity to a wide range of preventable diseases and premature death. The U.S. Center's for Disease Control (CDC) tracks data about the leading causes of death and disease and provides a wide range of resources for health professionals and the public to support healthier lifestyles.
- 1.2: Defining Nutrition, Health, and Disease
- Health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” World Health Organization. Disease is defined as any abnormal condition that affects the health of an organism, and is characterized by specific signs and symptoms. Disease affects all three aspects of the health triangle. Good nutrition provides a mechanism to promote health and prevent disease.
- 1.3: What Are Nutrients?
- Foods contain nutrients that are essential for our bodies to function. Four of the classes of nutrients required for bodily function are needed in large amounts. They are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and water, and are referred to as macronutrients. Two of the classes of nutrients are needed in lesser amounts, but are still essential for bodily function. They are vitamins and minerals. One measurement of food quality is the ratio of essential nutrients to the amount of energy in a food.
- 1.4: Calories (Food Energy)
- Calories are a measurement of food energy. Calories are interchangeably called kilocalories, calories and kcals.
- 1.5: Research and the Scientific Method
- Nutritional scientists discover the health effects of food and its nutrients by first making an observation. Once observations are made, they come up with a hypothesis, test their hypothesis, and then interpret the results. After this, they gather additional evidence from multiple sources and finally come up with a conclusion. This organized process of inquiry used in science is called the scientific method.
- 1.6: Types of Scientific Studies and Nutrition Assessment Methods
- There are various types of scientific studies on humans that can be used to provide supporting evidence for a particular hypothesis. These include epidemiological studies, interventional clinical trials, and randomized clinical trials. Valuable nutrition knowledge also is obtained from animal studies and cellular and molecular biology research.
- 1.7: Careers in Nutrition
- There are many paths that one can take to become a professional in the field of nutrition, including working as a nutritionist or becoming a registered dietitian. Some confuse the terms "dietitian" and "nutritionist," and this tends to be erroneous. A nutritionist is a person who advises on matters of food and nutrition impacts on health. In contrast, A dietitian is an expert in the relationship between human nutrition and the regulation of diet; a dietitian alters their patient's nutrition base
- 1.8: Nutrition and the Media
- Reliable nutritional news will be based upon solid scientific evidence, supported by multiple studies, and published in peer-reviewed journals. Be sure the website you use for information comes from a credible and trustworthy source, such as the USDA Food and Nutrition Center, the HHS, and the CDC.
- 1.9: Assessing Personal Health
- Some tools to assess your lifestyle and make changes towards a healthier one. 1: Take charge of tracking your personal health. 2: Assess your diet and identify where it can be changed to promote health and prevent disease. 3: Start finding out the medical history of your family and identify the diseases you may be more susceptible to getting. 4: Assess your lifestyle by evaluating your personal habits, emotional health, sleep patterns, and work-life balance. 5: Start living a healthier life.
- 1.10: A Fresh Perspective- Sustainable Food Systems
- Sustainability promotes the development of conditions under which people and nature can interact harmoniously. It is based upon the principle that everything needed for human survival depends upon the natural environment. A sustainable food system includes not only the food and those who consume the food, but also those who produce food (such as farmers and fishermen), and process, package, distribute, and regulate food.
- 1.E: Nutrition and You (Exercises)
- Exercises to accompany the Zimmerman Textmap for Chapter 1 "Nutrition and You."