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to  HNSC  
1210

NUTRITION  FOR  HEALTH  AND  CHANGING  

LIFESTYLES
Chapter  1:  Food  Choices  and  Human  Health
Learning  Outcomes
LO  1.1 Discuss  how  a  particular  lifestyle  choice  can  either  positively  impact  or  harm  overall  
health.
LO  1.2 Define  the  term nutrient and  list  the  six  major  nutrients.
LO  1.3 Recognize  the  five  principles  of  a  healthy  diet  and  give  suggestions  for  using  them;  and  
summarize  how  a  particular  culture  or  circumstance  can  impact  a  person’s  food  choices.
LO  1.4 Describe  and  give  an  example  of  the  major  types  of  research  studies.
LO  1.5 Discuss  why  national  nutrition  survey  data  are  important  for  the  health  of  the  population.
LO  1.6 Discuss  the  importance  of  nutrient  density  in  creating  an  effective  diet  plan.
LO  1.7 Recognize  misleading  nutrition  claims  in  advertisements  for  dietary  supplements  and  in  
the  popular  media.
 Nutrition   (definition)
nThe  study  of  
nThe  nutrients  and  other  biologically  active  compounds  
in  foods,
nHow  nutrients  are  used  in  the  body?
nHuman  behaviors  related  to  food  
Diet  &  Food  (definition)
v Diet:  The  foods  and  beverages  a  person  usually  
eats  and  drinks
v Food:  
n Any  substance  that  the  body  can  take  in  and  assimilate  
that  will  enable  it  to  stay  alive  and  healthy,  and  to  grow
n Carrier  of  nutrients
Health  (definition)
v The  state  of  a  human  when  it  functions  optimally  
without  evidence  of  disease  or  abnormality
v “Optimal  health  for  Canadians  can  only  be  
achieved  when  greater  efforts  are  made  in  health  
promotion  and  prevention  of  illness,  and  when  
nutrition is  an  integral  part  of  these  efforts”  (Health  
Canada)
Nutrition   and  Disease  Prevention
v Diet  influences  long-­‐term  health  outlook
*Chronic  diseases  linked  to  poor  diet
vNutrition,  lifestyle,  activity  and  genetics  affect  
health  conditions  in  varying  ways  
v Nutritional  Genomics  (definition):  the  science  of  how  
nutrients  affect  the  activities  of  genes  and  how  genes  affect  
the  activity  of  nutrients
 Figure  1– Nutrition  and  Disease
Iron  deficiency  
anemia
Adult   bone  loss   Vitamin  
Down  syndrome deficiencies
(osteoporosis) Diabetes
Hemophilia Mineral  
Cancer Hypertension
Sickle  cell   deficiencies
Infectious   Heart  disease
anemia Toxicities
diseases
Poor  disease  
resistance
Less   More  
nutrition   nutrition  
related related
Nutrients  (definition)
v Definition:  
n Components  in  food  that  are  indispensable  (or  
essential)  to  the  functioning  of  the  body.
n Nutrients  provide:
oEnergy
oBuilding  material
oMaintain  or  repair  the  body  and  support  growth
The  Nutrients  (Ns)
n Energy  Providing: n Other  nutrients:
1. Carbohydrate  (CHO) 1. Water  (H2O)
2. Fat/  lipid 2. Vitamins
3. Protein 3. Minerals
 Nutrient  classes
Needed  in  
Fat  soluble  Ns small  quantities
1. Vitamins
Macro  Ns

-­‐ Fat
2. Minerals
-­‐ Vit.  A,  D,  E  &  K Needed  in  
Micro  Ns large  quantities
H2O soluble  Ns 1. CHO
2. Fat
-­‐ CHO 3. Protein
-­‐ Proteins 4. H2O
-­‐ Minerals
-­‐ Vit.  B  &  C
-­‐ H2O
 Functional foods:  
Enriched foods  &  fortified foods:  foods  to  
foods  known  to  
which  nutrients  have  been  added.
possess  nutrients  
Food  types Staple foods:  foods  used     or  non-­‐nutrients  
that  might  lend  
frequently  or  daily,  for  example  
Basic foods:  milk  and  milk   rice  (in  East  and  Southeast  Asia)   protection  against  
products;  meats,  fish  and   or  potatoes  (in  Ireland).  If  well   diseases.  All  
poultry;  vegetables,  including   chosen,  these  foods  are   nutritious  foods  
dried  peas  and  beans;  fruit;   nutritious. can  support  health!
and  grains.  These  foods  are  
considered  to  form  the  basis   Processed foods:   Fast foods:  restaurant  
of  a  nutritious  diet.  Also   foods  subjected  to  any   foods  that  are  available  
called  whole  foods. process,  such  as   within  minutes.  
milling,  alteration  of   Burgers,  fries,  salads,  
Organic foods:  foods   texture,  addition  of   milkshakes,  vegetable  
grown  without   additives,  cooking,  or   dishes.  May  or  may  not  
synthetic  pesticides   others.  May  or  may   meet  people’s  nutrient  
or  fertilizers. not  be  nutritious. needs.
Proportions   of  Nutrients
How  important  is  it  to  eat  well!
The  human  body  in  numbers
Nutrients
§Essential:  the  nutrients  that  the  body  can  not  make  for  itself  from  
other  raw  materials
§Conditionally  essential:    the  nutrients  that  the  body  can  not  make  
enough  of  to  meet  the  requirements  for  health  (e.g.  the  amino  acid  
histidine  to  support  protein  synthesis  during  growth)
§Non-­‐essential:  the  nutrients  that  the  body  is  able  to  make  for  itself
Essential  amino  acids
n 8  essential  amino  acids  (TV  TILL  PM)
• Threonine  
• Valine  
• Tryptophan  
• Isoleucine  
• Leucine  
• Lysine  
• Phenylalanine  
• Methionine  
Essential  nutrients
n Glucose  
n2  Essential  fatty  acids
• Linoleic  acid,  linolenic  acid
n Vitamins
• 4  Fat-­‐soluble  (A,D,E,  K)
• All  water  soluble
n Minerals  (All)
 Energy
n Food  energy  measured  in  Calories  =  Kcalories
• Carbohydrate 4  Kcal/g  (Cal/g)
• Protein 4  Kcal/g
• Fat  (lipid) 9  Kcal/g
• Alcohol                                              7  Kcal/g
n Provides  energy,  but  not a  nutrient
n Food  quantity  measured  in  grams
Calculating  total  Calories
n Example:  Crispers
n Baked  not  fried,  Serving:  25  grams  (~17  crackers)  
1.4  g  protein,  5.5  g  fat,  17  g  CHO
How  many  calories  (Cals)?
ØTotal  Cals = Cals (CHO)  +  Cals (fat)  +  Cals (protein)
Cals (CHO)  =  grams  (CHO)  x  4  
Cals (fat)  =  grams  (fat)  x  9
Cals (protein)  =  grams  (protein)  x  4
1  serving  (pack)  of  crispers  =  123  Cals
Calculating  %  Calories  from  fat
Ø %  Calories  from  fat  =  [Cals (fat)/  total  Cals]  x  100%
In  this  example  %  Cals from  fat:
5.5 g  fat  x 9 Calories/g  =  49.5  Calories
49.5/123  x  100  =  40%  Calories  from  fat
Likewise,  %  Cals from  CHO
17 g  CHO  x 4 Calories/g  =  68  Calories  
68/123  x 100  =  55%  Calories  from  CHO
 Calculating  Calories
n Potato  Chips  (small  bag)  
2  g  protein,  15  g  fat,  24  g  CHO  for  43  grams  (~22  chips)

Total  calories?
%  Calories  from  fat?
%  Calories  from  CHO?
 Calculating   Calories
n Quaker  Crispy  Mini’s
14g  CHO,  1g  PRO,  3g  fat  per  20g  serving  
(approximately  12  rice  chips)

Total  calories?  
n (14g  CHO  x  4  Cal/g)  +  (1g  PRO  x  4  Cal/g)  +    (3g  fat  x  9  Cal/g)  =  
(56)+(4)  +  (27)        
n Total  Calories  =  87
What  is  a  healthy  diet,  really?
Healthy  diets
Adequate in  essential  nutrients,  fibre and  energy  

Balance in  nutrients  and  food  types

Calorie  control:  foods  provide  amounts  of  energy  to  maintain  

healthy  body  weight

Moderation in  fat,  salt,  sugar  or other  unwanted  constituents

Variety: choose  different  foods  each  day

Food  choices
• Availability:   no  others  to  choose  from  (no  access  to  large  
supermarkets)
• Cost,  convenience:  foods  are  within  your  means
• Emotional  comfort:  make  you  feel  better  for  a  while
• Media  advertising:  the  media  have  persuaded  you  eat  these  ones
• Habit:  familiar  foods,  you  always  eat  them
Food  choices
•Personal  preference  and  genetic  inheritance:  taste,  genes
• Positive  association:  eaten  by  people  you  admire,  indicate  status,  
just  remind  you  of  fun!
• Region  of  the  country:  foods  favored  in  your  areas  (bakeries,  
seafood  …)
• Social  pressure:  they  are  offered,  you  cant  refuse  them
•Values,  beliefs:  they  fit  your  religious  traditions,  political  views  or  
honour the  environmental  ethics
• Weight,  nutritional  value
How  can  I  get  enough  nutrients  without  
getting  too  many  calories?
 Food  Feature:  Nutrient  Density
n “Getting  the  most  nutrients  for  your  Calories”
Calcium  (Ca)
1  c.  skim  milk:    85  Calories,  301  mg  Ca
1  c.  ice  cream:    350  Calories,  173  mg  Ca

Milk    has  more  Ca  per  calorie,  therefore,  a  higher  

nutrient  density  for  Ca
Why  to  assess  which  foods  are  the  most  
nutritious?
500  Cals
Assignment  1-­‐ Part  A:  Find  an  article?
From  a  newspaper  or  a  magazine  or  a  
website,  or  internet,  an  article  written  
for  general  public  (NOT  A  RESEARCH  
PAPER) that  is  making  a  claim  that  a  
nutrient OR  a  food OR  a  diet will  
prevent  or  cure  an  illness/  disease
Scientists  uncover  
nutrition  facts  by  
Experimenting.  

What  is  a  well  

designed  
experiment?
Nutrition
research
Scientists  
uncover  
nutrition  facts  
by  
experimenting

Research  
designs:    
Nutrition  research
Scientists  uncover  nutrition  facts  by  experimenting  
Research  designs:    

Case   studies  -­‐ Individuals

Epidemiological  studies -­‐ Populations

Intervention  studies  -­‐ Populations +  manipulation

Laboratory  studies  -­‐ Tightly  controlled  conditions

Nutrition  research
n Single  studies  must  be  replicated  before  findings  become  valid

Can  we  trust  the  media  to  deliver  nutrition  news?

• Do  not  take  actions  based  on  the  findings  of  single  study
• Science  works  by  the  accumulation  of  evidence  and  by  consensus
• Sometimes  the  media  sensationalizes  even  confirmed  findings
Controversy  1
Sorting  the  Imposters  From  the  Real  Nutrition  Experts
n Identifying  valid  nutrition  information
• Is  This  Site  Reliable?    
n Earmarks  of  Nutrition  Quackery
[Link]
Identifying  Valid  Nutrition  Information
n Information  derived  from  scientific  research,  conducted  by  
scientists with  these  characteristics:  
• Test  ideas  through  properly  designed  scientific  experiments
• Recognize  inadequacies  of  anecdotal  evidence/  testimonials
• Do  not  apply  research  findings  from  animals  to  humans
• Do  not  generalize  findings  to  all  population  groups
• Report  their  findings  in  respected  scientific  journals  that  are  peer  
reviewed  
 Table C1-3
Is This Site Reliable?
To judge whether an Internet site offers reliable nutrition information, answer the following questions:

1. Who is responsible for the site?

l Clues can be found in the three-letter "tag" that follows the dot in the site's name. For example, "gov" and "edu”
indicate government and university sites in the United States. In Canada, there is no official tag for Canadian
educational institutions, but the federal government uses "[Link]," and most provincial governments use "gov. (2-lett
er province abbreviation).ca," e.g., "[Link]." These are usually reliable sources of information.
2. Do the names and credentials of information providers appear? Is and editorial board identified?
l Many legitimate source provide e-mail addresses or other ways to obtain more information about the site and
the information providers behind it.
3. Are links to other reliable information sites provided?
l Reputable organizations almost always provide links to other similar sites because they want you to know of
other experts in their area of knowledge. Caution is needed when you evaluate a site by its links, however. Anyone,
even a quack, can link a web page to a reputable site without the organization's permission. Doing so may give the
quack's site the appearance of legitimacy- just the effect the quack is hoping for.
4. Is the site updated regularly?
l Nutrition information changes rapidly, and site should be updated often.
5. Is the site selling a product or service?
l Commercial sites may provide accurate information, but they also may not, and their profit motive increases the
risk of bias.
6. Does the site charge a fee to gain access to it?
l Many academic and government sites offer the best information, usually for free. Some legitimate sites do
charge fees, but before paying up, check the free sites. Chances are good you'll find what you're looking for without
paying.
 Summary
Ø Nutrition,  diet,  food,  and  health  (definitions)
Ø Link  between  nutrition  and  overall  health  (disease  prevention  and  treatment)
Ø List  the  nutrient  classes,  and  classify  nutrients  (solubility,  requirements,  and  essentiality)
Ø List  the  essential  nutrients  (chemical  and  common  names)
Ø Define  energy  in  foods,  and  calculate  calories  in  foods
Ø Describe  the  criteria  of  a  healthful  diet
Ø Research  based  nutrition  information,  valid  information  versus  invalid  information
Ø Critique  an  article,  decide  whether  the  information  is  valid  or  not?