Under- and Over-nutrition;
Energy balance, Exercise, Fitness, Rest, and Obesity
Prof. Georgia S. Guldan
Food and Nutritional Sciences Programme and Department of Biochemistry
<gsguldan@cuhk.edu.hk>
Overall Objective
After this lecture, you will be able to explain why, in 1994, the Hong Kong Department of Health
reported, “Adjustment to our lifestyle offers the most acceptable and affordable approach to
the achievement of health gains for Hong Kong in the next decade.”
Other Objectives
After this lecture you will be able to
- describe the magnitude of malnutrition (both hunger and over-nutrition) in the world today.
- describe the “nutrition transition” as it applies to diets in Hong Kong.
- identify some health, social, and economic consequences of obesity.
- apply the BMI method to determine whether you or your students lie in the “healthy weight
range”.
- evaluate criteria for a sound weight-reduction program.
- describe the health benefits of physical activity and the recommendations for adolescents and
adults.
- describe the origins and meaning of the Hong Kong Food Pyramid and how to use it.
Lecture Outline
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Introduction: Nutrition is an area of human biology whose proper application (“healthy
eating”) throughout our lives maintains, promotes and protects health and prevents disease.
Nutrition problems: malnutrition = under-nutrition + over-nutrition
Nutrition transition
What we know about diet and disease in Hong Kong
Obesity: definition, origins, consequences, treatment, prevention
Physical activity—its role in energy balance and health promotion
Hong Kong’s Healthy Eating Pyramid—origins and how to use it
Definitions and Questions to Think About
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What are Health? Nutrition? Malnutrition? Nutrition transition ? Obesity? BMI?
Metabolic Syndrome? Energy Balance? Physical Activity? Physical Fitness?
Healthy Eating Pyramid?
What are the major nutrition problems in Hong Kong?
As a secondary school teacher, what can I do to help prevent these problems?
M5L1-1
Some Nutrition and Health Web Sites
There are more than 15,000 health-related web sites, and as many as 25% of web searches involve
people looking for health information. Many web sites contain inaccurate or outdated information.
Less than 10% list any professional nutrition credentials. As teachers, you will want to be up-todate and know some quick, reliable sources of information. The following list of health and
nutrition-related web sites includes some of the different categories based on who produced them.
It will help you find more credible information for your teaching and help you know what a credible
web site looks like. The two review sites will help you get to know what else is on the web.
Category
Advocacy
Alternative Medicine and Supplements
Broadcast Media Goes On-line
General Nutrition Information
Government (Federal and State)
Nutrient Data Analysis
Health Organization
Industry (food)
Professional Nutrition
Association/Organization
Publications (magazines, newsletters,
journals, books)
Recipes
(Many of the sites have plenty of recipes to
choose from)
Review
Search Engine
Trade Association
Example
 Center for Science in the Public Interest (www.cspi.org)
 Food Research and Action Center (www.frac.org)
 Office of Dietary Supplements (dietary-supplments.info.nih.gov)
 MSNBC (www.msnbc.com)
 CNN (www.cnn.com)
 Mayo Clinic (www.mayohealth.org)
 Intelihealth (www.intelihealth.com)
 DHHS’ Healthfinder (healthfinder.com)
 NHLBI Live Healthier, Live Longer (rover.nhlbi.hih.gov/chd)
 Nutrient Data Laboratory http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/
 Food & Nutritional Information Centre
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/
 Nutrition Analysis Tool http://spectre.ag.uiuc.edu/~food-lab/nat/
 American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org)
 American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org)
 National Osteoporosis Foundation (www.nof.org)
 International Obesity Task Force (iotf.org)
 Kraft (www.kraftfoods.com)
 Dole Foods (www.dole.com)
 Society for Nutrition Education (www.sne.org)
 American Dietetic Association (www.eatright.org)
 Journal of Nutrition Education (www.jne.org)
 Journal of The American Dietetic Association
(www.eatright.org/journal)
 Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter (www.healthletter.tufts.edu)
 Grateful Med (igm.nlm.nih.gov)
 Amazon (www.amazon.com)
 Mayo Clinic (www.mayohealth.org)
 National Cattleman’s Beef Association (www.beefnutrition.org)
 Quaker Oats (www.quakeroatmeal.com)
 Cooking Light (www.cooklight.com)
 Tufts Nutrition Navigator (navigator.tufts.edu)
 Health Website Evaluator (www.meducation.com)
 Yahoo (www.yahoo.com)
 Altavista (www.altavista.com)
 National Dairy Council (www.nationaldairycouncil.org)
 California Strawberry Commission (www.calstrawberry.com)
M5L1-2