Nutrition – First Year Second Term (2021/2022) – Complete Lecture Notes and Study Guide Description.

This document provides comprehensive lecture notes for the First-Year Nutrition course, Second Term 2021/2022. It covers foundational topics such as definitions of food and nutrition, characteristics of good and poor nutritional status, and the relationship between nutrition and health. Detailed explanations are given for macronutrients and micronutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, as well as their biological functions and deficiencies. Additional sections focus on malnutrition, obesity, protein-energy malnutrition (kwashiorkor, marasmus), anemia, rickets, and the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. Ideal for students preparing for exams in medical, nursing, or health sciences programs. first pages Nutrition FIRST YEAR SECOND TERM 2021/2022 Outlines:- 1. Introduction 2. Definition 3. Vitamins 4. Malnutrition 5. Nutrition Disorders a)Obesity b) Protein-Energy malnutrition c)Anemia d) Rickets Nutrition and Health Introduction Nutrition is a critical determinant of immune responses and malnutrition the most common cause of immunodeficiency worldwide. Protein-energy malnutrition is associated with a significant impairment of cell-mediated immunity, phagocyte function, complement system, secretory immunoglobulin A antibody concentrations, and cytokine production. Deficiency of single nutrients also results in altered immune responses: this is observed even when the deficiency state is relatively mild. Of the micronutrients, zinc; selenium; iron; copper; vitamins A, C, E, and B- 6; and folic acid have important influences on immune responses. Overnutrition and obesity also reduce immunity. Low-birth-weight infants have a prolonged impairment of cell-mediated immunity that can be partly restored by providing extra amounts of dietary zinc. In the elderly, impaired immunity can be enhanced by modest amounts of a combination of micronutrients. These findings have considerable practical and public health significance. Definitions Food is that which nourishes the body. Food may also be defined as anything eaten or drunk, which meets the needs for energy, building, regulation and protection of the body. Intake of the right kinds and amounts of food can ensure good nutrition and health Nutrition “Nutrition is the science that interprets the interaction of nutrients and other substances in food in relation to maintenance of growth, reproduction, health and disease of an organism. It includes food intake, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism, and excretion”. Nutritional status is the state of our body as a result of the foods consumed and their use by the body. Nutritional status can be good, fair or poor. The characteristics of good nutritional status are an alert, good natured personality, a well developed body, with normal weight for height, well developed and firm muscles, healthy skin, reddish pink colour of eyelids and membranes of mouth, good layer of subcutaneous fat, clear eyes, smooth and glossy hair, good appetite and excellent general health. General good health is evident by stamina for work, regular meal times, sound regular sleep, normal elimination and resistance to disease. The characteristics of Poor nutritional status :- is evidenced by a listless, apathetic or irritable personality, undersized poorly developed body, abnormal body weight (too thin or fat and flabby body), muscles small and flabby, pale or sallow skin, too little or too much subcutaneous fat, dull or reddened eyes, lustreless and rough hair, poor appetite, lack of vigour and endurance for work and susceptibility to infections. Poor nutritional status may be the result of poor food selection, irregularity in schedule of meals, work, sleep and elimination. The WHO (World Health Organization) has defined health as the ‗state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity‘. Malnutrition :- means an undesirable kind of nutrition leading to ill-health. It results from a lack, excess or imbalance of nutrients in the diet. It includes undernutrition and overnutrition. Undernutrition is a state of an insufficient supply of essential nutrients. Malnutrition can be primarily be due to insufficient supply of one or more essential nutrients; or it can be secondary, which means it results from an error in metabolism, interaction between nutrients or nutrients and drugs used in treatment. Overnutrition refers to an excessive intake of one or more nutrients, which creates a stress in the bodily function. Diet refers to whatever you eat and drink each day. Thus it includes the normal diet you consume and the diet people consume in groups (hostel diet). Diet may also be modified and used for ill persons as part of their therapy (therapeutic diets). Nutritional care is the use of nutritional knowledge in planning meals and the preparation of these meals in an acceptable and attractive manner to feed people. It involves assessment of the exiting meal patterns and improving these in an acceptable manner. While the nutritional plan may be general for a group of people, the actual execution is individualized to suit the person‘s needs and background. Thus one has to use a lot of ingenuity to succeed in making nutritional care effective in practical terms. Why it's important:- Most people know good nutrition and physical activity can help maintain a healthy weight. But the benefits of good nutrition go beyond weight. Good nutrition can help: Reduce the risk of some diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis Reduce high blood pressure Lower high cholesterol Improve your well-being Improve your ability to fight off illness Improve your ability to recover from illness or injury Increase your energy level What is good nutrition? "Good nutrition means your body gets all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to work its best. Plan your meals and snacks to include nutrient-dense foods that are also low in calories". The foods we eat contain nutrients. Nutrients are substances required by the body to perform its basic functions. Nutrients must be obtained from diet, since the human body does not synthesize them. Nutrients are used to produce energy, detect and respond to environmental surroundings, move, excrete wastes, respire (breathe), grow, and reproduce. There are six classes of nutrients required for the body to function and maintain overall health. These are: 1. Carbohydrates 2. Lipids 3. Proteins 4. Water 5. Vitamins 6. And minerals Foods also contain no nutrients that may be harmful (such as cholesterol, dyes, and preservatives) or beneficial (such as antioxidants)