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1: Foundational Concepts

  • Page ID
    20907
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    • 1.1: Defining Nutrition, Health, and Disease
      This page introduces key concepts of nutrition, health, health promotion, and disease prevention, emphasizing the impact of food choices on overall well-being. It defines health as holistic rather than merely the absence of disease, detailing diet-related conditions like obesity and diabetes. The role of dietitians is highlighted, along with the importance of good nutrition as a preventive measure.
    • 1.2: Overview of Nutrients and Calories
      This page provides an overview of essential nutrients critical for human health, detailing six classes: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals. It distinguishes macronutrients from micronutrients and discusses their functions, energy contributions, and organic versus inorganic classifications.
    • 1.3: The Broad Role of Nutritional Science
      This page covers the scientific method in nutritional science, detailing its systematic approach of observation, hypothesis testing, and data collection, highlighted by the iodine example. It contrasts epidemiological studies with clinical trials, which establish causal relationships despite their limitations. Laboratory studies are also discussed for their controlled environment but potential lack of human relevance.
    • 1.4: Nutrition and the Media
      This page emphasizes the critical evaluation of nutrition research and sources. It provides criteria for assessing study credibility, including peer review, methodology detail, and conflict of interest. Readers are advised to analyze websites based on sponsorship, purpose, author credentials, and expert reviews. Trustworthy sources include registered dietitians and established organizations like the CDC and USDA.


    This page titled 1: Foundational Concepts is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Ann Diker.