Name: Diamond Richardson Section: _______________
Chapter 11: Nutrition and Chronic Disease Critical Thinking Questions
1. Describe how a deficiency of vitamin A and protein can compromise the body’s
defenses against infection.
A vitamin A deficiency causes a decline in the integrity of the skin, decreasing its ability
to serve as a barrier to pathogenic, disease-causing microbes. Vitamin A deficiency can
also impair the membranes that protect the body passages from infectious pathogens.
Proteins are not stored in the body and must be supplied by the diet each day.
2.
a. Describe in your own words how obesity can increase the risk of diabetes
and cardiovascular disease.
Central obesity is associated with insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, and hypertension.
Insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis can lead to heart disease.
Diabetes and hypertension both promote atherosclerosis themselves
b. How can diabetes increase the risk of cardiovascular disease?
Poorly controlled diabetes can increase the risk of high blood pressure because of
changes that can happen in the blood vessels that make them less elastic. It can also
increase the risk of atherosclerosis which can cause changes in the blood vessels that
could increase blood clot formation due to the effects of excess blood glucose and
inflammation
c. How does high blood pressure increase the risk of stroke?
High blood pressure can cause the arteries to become less elastic and can place an added
stress on the blood vessels. This could result in an aneurysm or weakening of the blood
vessel, leading to the loss of blood flow to areas of the brain tissue.
3.
a. Describe how elevated LDL levels can increase the risk of atherosclerosis.
LDL can form deposits on the walls of the arteries. These areas of the blood vessels can
become vulnerable to oxidative stress and inflammation. These processes often attract
white blood cells to the area of the blood vessel damage, and white blood cells engulf
LDL and become part of the fatty deposits in the vessel walls. This can cause stiffening
and narrowing of the blood vessels as seen in atherosclerosis.
b. What other diseases are more likely as a result of developing
atherosclerosis?
High blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks are more likely as a result of unresolved
atherosclerosis. Also, reduction of blood flow to the kidneys can lead to damage and
kidney failure
4. List any three lifestyle factors that can contribute to the development of
cardiovascular disease, and discuss how people can adjust their lifestyles to
Chapter 11: Nutrition and Chronic Disease Critical Thinking Questions
1. Describe how a deficiency of vitamin A and protein can compromise the body’s
defenses against infection.
A vitamin A deficiency causes a decline in the integrity of the skin, decreasing its ability
to serve as a barrier to pathogenic, disease-causing microbes. Vitamin A deficiency can
also impair the membranes that protect the body passages from infectious pathogens.
Proteins are not stored in the body and must be supplied by the diet each day.
2.
a. Describe in your own words how obesity can increase the risk of diabetes
and cardiovascular disease.
Central obesity is associated with insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, and hypertension.
Insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis can lead to heart disease.
Diabetes and hypertension both promote atherosclerosis themselves
b. How can diabetes increase the risk of cardiovascular disease?
Poorly controlled diabetes can increase the risk of high blood pressure because of
changes that can happen in the blood vessels that make them less elastic. It can also
increase the risk of atherosclerosis which can cause changes in the blood vessels that
could increase blood clot formation due to the effects of excess blood glucose and
inflammation
c. How does high blood pressure increase the risk of stroke?
High blood pressure can cause the arteries to become less elastic and can place an added
stress on the blood vessels. This could result in an aneurysm or weakening of the blood
vessel, leading to the loss of blood flow to areas of the brain tissue.
3.
a. Describe how elevated LDL levels can increase the risk of atherosclerosis.
LDL can form deposits on the walls of the arteries. These areas of the blood vessels can
become vulnerable to oxidative stress and inflammation. These processes often attract
white blood cells to the area of the blood vessel damage, and white blood cells engulf
LDL and become part of the fatty deposits in the vessel walls. This can cause stiffening
and narrowing of the blood vessels as seen in atherosclerosis.
b. What other diseases are more likely as a result of developing
atherosclerosis?
High blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks are more likely as a result of unresolved
atherosclerosis. Also, reduction of blood flow to the kidneys can lead to damage and
kidney failure
4. List any three lifestyle factors that can contribute to the development of
cardiovascular disease, and discuss how people can adjust their lifestyles to
