PHYSIOLOGY 344
NUTRITION
Why is understanding nutrition important
Health and disease prevention
Optimal health:
▪ Maintaining health & well-being – economic, cultural and religious
▪ Supports growth, repairs tissue & sustains life
▪ Proteins denature when have fever affecting hormones and enzymes
Disease prevention:
▪ Prevent chronic diseases of lifestyle (obesity, diabetes and cancers)
▪ Diets in fruits, vegetables & whole grains lowers cardiovascular disease risks
Growth and development
Child development:
▪ Physical and cognition development
▪ Nutrient deficiencies lead to developmental delays
▪ Omega-3 for brain development and cognitive function for developing child
o Folate during pregnancy for neural tube
Lifespan nutrition:
▪ Nutritional needs change through life stages
▪ Appropriate nutrient intake from infancy to old age
Mental health
Cognitive function:
▪ Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals vital for brain health and cognition
functions
Mood regulation:
▪ Nutrients influence mood, physiology and emotional well-being
o High GI food = increase release glucose = spike blood sugar = increase
insulin = drop glucose levels = fatigue
▪ Deficiencies vitamin D & B and omega-3 fatty acids linked to mood disorders
Economic impact
Healthcare costs:
▪ Good nutrition reduces healthcare costs preventing diet-related diseases
▪ Food recommendations change depending on economic status
▪ Food more processed when travelling long distances = not adequate nutrition
, PHYSIOLOGY 344
Productivity:
▪ Adequate nutrition eating healthy is linked to higher productivity as less time
sick or hospitalised
▪ Malnutrition affects physical and cognitive capabilities
▪ Cytoskine secretions when immune system stimulated affecting satiety centre
Body triaging, not important in food intake as need to fight infection, but food
is required
Public health and policy
Dietary practices:
▪ Lifestyle affects individuals regarding cultural and social influences on diet
Behavioural changes:
▪ Empowering individuals to make informed dietary choices
Historical development and significance
Ancient times
Prehistoric era:
▪ Diet rich in natural foods – fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and animal products
Ancient civilisations:
▪ Recognition of diet importance in health
Middle ages to renaissance
Middle ages:
▪ Diets influence by social class and geography
Renaissance:
▪ Revival of interest in science and study of human anatomy & physiology
18th and 19th centuries
Scurvy and vitamin C:
▪ Citrus fruits prevent scurvy linking nutrients to health
Industrial revolution:
▪ Changes in food production and processing
▪ Identification of macronutrients and calorie intake concepts
, PHYSIOLOGY 344
20th century
Vitamin discoveries:
▪ Role of vitamins in preventing diseases – rickets, pellagra and beriberi
▪ Vitamin K for blood clotting
Dietary guidelines:
▪ Governments issue dietary guidelines – food pyramid and MyPlate
Nutritional science:
▪ Advances in biochemistry and molecular biology
21st century
Personalised nutrition:
▪ Tailored dietary recommendations based on individual factors
Global health:
▪ Focus on malnutrition, obesity and diet-related chronic diseases
Interaction between nutritional science and molecular biology
Genes -> nutrigenetics -> food
Food -> nutrigenomics -> genes
Nutrigenetics: nutritional genomics
▪ Examines genetic variation and dietary responses
▪ Explains different reactions to same diet
Nutrigenomics
▪ Studies how nutrients influence gene expression and cellular function
▪ Omege-3 fatty acids modulate gene expression in inflammation and lipid
metabolism
Key concepts
Gene-diet interaction
▪ Nutrients modify gene expression impacting health outcomes
Science of Nutrition – specialized field that focuses on the study of how nutrients in
food impact human health and well-being
Nourishment – process of providing essential substances i.e. nutrients and energy to
the body to support growth, repair, and well-being
, PHYSIOLOGY 344
Beyond sustenance – food provides basic nutrients for survival and influence health,
culture, social interactions, & emotional well-being therefore essential for human life
and experience
Synergy between nutritional science and molecular biology – synergy between
nutritional science and molecular biology enriches understanding of how dietary
components interact with biological processes at molecular level
Far-reaching implications – improving nutritional recommendations, developing
personalized interventions and functional foods aimed at optimizing health and
preventing disease
1. Food enters the gut microbiota providing nutrients
2. SNPs and ligands for transcription factors for gene expression
3. Methylation and epigenetic modification
4. Lipidome, metabolome and proteome
5. Cardiovascular risk
Epigenetics
▪ Dietary components cause heritable gene expression changes
▪ Influence by folate nutrients
NUTRITION
Why is understanding nutrition important
Health and disease prevention
Optimal health:
▪ Maintaining health & well-being – economic, cultural and religious
▪ Supports growth, repairs tissue & sustains life
▪ Proteins denature when have fever affecting hormones and enzymes
Disease prevention:
▪ Prevent chronic diseases of lifestyle (obesity, diabetes and cancers)
▪ Diets in fruits, vegetables & whole grains lowers cardiovascular disease risks
Growth and development
Child development:
▪ Physical and cognition development
▪ Nutrient deficiencies lead to developmental delays
▪ Omega-3 for brain development and cognitive function for developing child
o Folate during pregnancy for neural tube
Lifespan nutrition:
▪ Nutritional needs change through life stages
▪ Appropriate nutrient intake from infancy to old age
Mental health
Cognitive function:
▪ Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals vital for brain health and cognition
functions
Mood regulation:
▪ Nutrients influence mood, physiology and emotional well-being
o High GI food = increase release glucose = spike blood sugar = increase
insulin = drop glucose levels = fatigue
▪ Deficiencies vitamin D & B and omega-3 fatty acids linked to mood disorders
Economic impact
Healthcare costs:
▪ Good nutrition reduces healthcare costs preventing diet-related diseases
▪ Food recommendations change depending on economic status
▪ Food more processed when travelling long distances = not adequate nutrition
, PHYSIOLOGY 344
Productivity:
▪ Adequate nutrition eating healthy is linked to higher productivity as less time
sick or hospitalised
▪ Malnutrition affects physical and cognitive capabilities
▪ Cytoskine secretions when immune system stimulated affecting satiety centre
Body triaging, not important in food intake as need to fight infection, but food
is required
Public health and policy
Dietary practices:
▪ Lifestyle affects individuals regarding cultural and social influences on diet
Behavioural changes:
▪ Empowering individuals to make informed dietary choices
Historical development and significance
Ancient times
Prehistoric era:
▪ Diet rich in natural foods – fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and animal products
Ancient civilisations:
▪ Recognition of diet importance in health
Middle ages to renaissance
Middle ages:
▪ Diets influence by social class and geography
Renaissance:
▪ Revival of interest in science and study of human anatomy & physiology
18th and 19th centuries
Scurvy and vitamin C:
▪ Citrus fruits prevent scurvy linking nutrients to health
Industrial revolution:
▪ Changes in food production and processing
▪ Identification of macronutrients and calorie intake concepts
, PHYSIOLOGY 344
20th century
Vitamin discoveries:
▪ Role of vitamins in preventing diseases – rickets, pellagra and beriberi
▪ Vitamin K for blood clotting
Dietary guidelines:
▪ Governments issue dietary guidelines – food pyramid and MyPlate
Nutritional science:
▪ Advances in biochemistry and molecular biology
21st century
Personalised nutrition:
▪ Tailored dietary recommendations based on individual factors
Global health:
▪ Focus on malnutrition, obesity and diet-related chronic diseases
Interaction between nutritional science and molecular biology
Genes -> nutrigenetics -> food
Food -> nutrigenomics -> genes
Nutrigenetics: nutritional genomics
▪ Examines genetic variation and dietary responses
▪ Explains different reactions to same diet
Nutrigenomics
▪ Studies how nutrients influence gene expression and cellular function
▪ Omege-3 fatty acids modulate gene expression in inflammation and lipid
metabolism
Key concepts
Gene-diet interaction
▪ Nutrients modify gene expression impacting health outcomes
Science of Nutrition – specialized field that focuses on the study of how nutrients in
food impact human health and well-being
Nourishment – process of providing essential substances i.e. nutrients and energy to
the body to support growth, repair, and well-being
, PHYSIOLOGY 344
Beyond sustenance – food provides basic nutrients for survival and influence health,
culture, social interactions, & emotional well-being therefore essential for human life
and experience
Synergy between nutritional science and molecular biology – synergy between
nutritional science and molecular biology enriches understanding of how dietary
components interact with biological processes at molecular level
Far-reaching implications – improving nutritional recommendations, developing
personalized interventions and functional foods aimed at optimizing health and
preventing disease
1. Food enters the gut microbiota providing nutrients
2. SNPs and ligands for transcription factors for gene expression
3. Methylation and epigenetic modification
4. Lipidome, metabolome and proteome
5. Cardiovascular risk
Epigenetics
▪ Dietary components cause heritable gene expression changes
▪ Influence by folate nutrients
