Chapter One
The Art of
Understanding
Nutrition
What is Nutrition?

The study of foods,
their nutrients &
other chemical
components, their
actions &
interactions in the
body & their
influence on health
& disease.
I. Nutrition & Health Promotion
A.
B.
C.
D.
General factors that influence health
Nutrition factors that influence health
Degenerative Diseases
Diet Recommendations
A. General Factors that
Influence Health






Regular, adequate sleep
Regularity of meals
Regular physical activity
Abstinence from smoking
Abstinence or moderation
in alcohol use
Weight control
B. Nutrition Factors that
Influence Health

Malnutrition: any
condition caused by an
excess, deficiency, or
imbalance of calories or
nutrients
–
Undernutrition: severe
underconsumption of
calories or nutrients
leading to disease or
increased susceptibility to
disease
Cont’d
–
Overnutrition:
calorie or nutrient
overconsumption
severe enough to
cause disease or
increased risk to
disease
C. Degenerative Diseases


Degenerative Diseases are chronic
diseased characterized by
deterioration of body organs as a
result of misuse & neglect.
Environmental, behavioral, social,
genetic & dietary factors combine to
determine one’s likelihood of
suffering from a degenerative
disease.
Cont’d

Disease risk can be altered by
changing habits that can be
controlled.
– Poor eating habits
– Smoking
– Lack of exercise
– Alcohol consumption
– Other lifestyle habits
The Ten Leading Causes of Death
in the United States
31
3
Diabetes
1
1
1
Kidney
Disease
Liver
Disease
4
Suicide
4
Pneumonia
5
Lung
Disease
Stroke
Cancer
7
Accidents
23
Heart
Disease
Percent of
total deaths
(out of 100%)
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
D. Diet Recommendations



Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition &
Health
NRC’s Diet & Health
Healthy People 2010: National Health
Promotion & Disease Prevention
Objectives
Disease-related objectives
b. Nutrition objectives
c. Food Safety objectives
www.health.gov/healthypeople
a.
II. Fast Guide to Eating on the Run





Hold the mayo
Don’t be fooled with
“chicken” & “fish”
Frozen yogurt
Hold the butter
Side salad
III. Understanding Our Food
Choices
A.
Appetite vs. Hunger
 Appetite: the
psychological desire
to eat, which is not
always accompanied
by hunger
 Hunger: the
physiological need for
food
Cont’d
B.
Social
Influences
 Availability
 Income &
Food Prices
 Advertising &
the Media
 Social Groups
Social Groups
Cont’d
C.
Cultural Influences
 Traditions
 Beliefs & Values
 Cultural Norms
 Religion
IV. Separating Nutrition Fact
from Fiction
Reading About Nutrition
 Common Nutrition Frauds
 Clues to Quackery
 Likely Victims
 How to Find a Qualified Nutritionist
http://www.eatright.org/

www.wemarket4u.net/fatfoe
FTC on bogus weight loss claims