NURS 1013- NUTRITION History & Importance of Nutrition

Definition of terms

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of these sessions students will be able

to:-

Understand basic nutritional terms

Explore the history of nutrition and its importance as

a science

Comprehend the classification, source and human

requirements of food nutrients

2

OBJECTIVES

Discuss the history and importance of nutrition

as a science

Define the terms protein, carbohydrates, fats,

minerals, vitamins, and calories/joules

Describe the classification and sources of the

essential nutrients

3

HISTORY OF NUTRITION

Nutrition has been developed over years (mainly

the last four centuries) and has been built on a

foundation of the basic sciences- biology,

biochemistry, physiology and social anthropology.

Several advances has been made with nutrition

that follows the changes in the populace from a

hunter gatherer format of living to a more

industrialized world. (Margetts, 2004)

4

HISTORY OF NUTRITION

The 17- 18th Centuries saw the developments and

assessment of macronutrients and the relationship of

those nutrients to man’s survival.

In the 19th century many of the discoveries regarding

vitamins- deficiencies and excesses were discovered.

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HISTORY OF NUTRITION

The advent of nutritional databases as well as RDAs,

and other dietary guidelines were noted.

Changing in the economy with the advancement of

mankind brought with it a change in the dietary

patterns and subsequently the disease patterns.

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IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION

Nutrition is the study or science of how food nourishes

the body based on its requirement for growth, energy,

maintenance, reproduction and lactation. (Tucker & Dauffenbach,2011)

Nutrition is the intake of food, considered in relation to

the body’s dietary needs. (WHO, 2013)

Nutrition is a complex Science that involves more than

40 nutrients. (Mitchell, 2003)

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IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION

Nutrition deals with the means by which substances in food are used by body tissues and the diseases that result for insufficiencies or dietary excesses (malnutrition).

Nutrition is also important as it examines the role of food constituents in the development of chronic non-communicable diseases such as CHD, CA.

(Mann & Truswell, 2007)

Nutrition is also about:-

why people choose to eat the food they eat

and the individual’s decisions on whether or not to eat, when, what and how much to eat

(Mann & Truswell, 2007)

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IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION

For Health Care Professionals (particularly

nurses):-

Nutrition is key in the prevention and

modification of lifestyle diseases (valuable in

health promotion).

• (Tucker & Dauffenbach,2011)

9

REFERENCES

Margetts, B. (2004). An overview of public health

nutrition. In M. J. Gibney, B. M. Margetts, J. M.

Kearney & L. Arab (Eds.), Public Health Nutrition (pp 4-

25). Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science Ltd.

Mitchell, M. K. (2003). Nutrition Across the lifespan.

Pennsylvania, USA: W. B. Saunders Company.

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REFERENCES

Nutrition (2013). World Heath Organization Facts

Sheet. Retrieved from

http://www.who.int/topics/nutrition/en/

Truswell, S. & Mann, J. (2007). Introduction. In J.

Mann & A. S. Truswell (Eds.), Essentials of human

nutrition (pp 4-7). New York, USA: Oxford University

Press.

Tucker, S. & Dauffenbach, V. (2011). Nutrition and diet

therapy for nurses. Boston, USA: Pearson.

11

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Carbohydrates:- A macronutrient containing

carbon, hydrogen and oxygen which provides an

Atwater factor of 4 kcal/g (Tucker & Dauffenbach, 2011)

They are stored energy, synthesized by plants

and have the general formula (CH2O)N. The

simplest form is glucose (C6H12O6) and are

readily soluble and can be oxidized to water and

carbon dioxide providing energy for the hosts

tissue. (Cummings & Mann, 2007)

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DEFINITION OF TERMS

Proteins are macronutrients that are composed of multiple amino acids.

• (Tucker & Dauffenbach, 2011)

Proteins are fundamental structural and functional elements within every cell.

• (Bender & Millward, 2005)

Proteins are polymers of amino acids joined by peptide bonds

(Jackson, 2007)

Amino acids consists of 4 chains- a hydrogen, an amino group, an acid attached to central carbon and a side chain or functional chain which determines the function of the amino acid.

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CHEMICAL REPRESENTATION OF AN

AMINO ACID

Retrieved from:-

http://www.google.com.jm/imgres?imgurl

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FATS

Fats are also called lipids.

They are organic compounds and are insoluble in water

and are made of three elements carbon, hydrogen and

oxygen. (Tucker & Dauffenbach, 2011)

Lipids are a group of compounds that are soluble in

organic solvents such as petrol and chloroform but are

insoluble in water.

They increase flavour and palatability of food and play

a major role in energy contribution. (Mann & Skeaff, 2007) 15

CALORIES

A calorie is a unit of energy used to express the energy yield of foods and energy expenditure by the body

• (Dulloo & Schutz, 2005)

The measure of the chemical form of energy in foods

• (Tucker & Dauffenbach, 2011)

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1g of water through 1⁰C

Nutritionally kilocalorie is sued (1000 calories) heat required to raised 1kg of water through 1⁰C

(Dulloo & Schutz, 2005) 16

VITAMINS

• Vitamins are thirteen organic

substances that are essential in very

small amounts in food • (Bender, 2005)

Organic compounds made up of molecules of

elements such as hydrogen oxygen carbon and

others and are required and minute quantities.

Most cannot be synthesized by the body

• (Tucker & Dauffenbach, 2011)

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MINERALS

Minerals- inorganic salts so called because they

were originally obtained through mining.

Inorganic compounds needed in the bound for

homeostatic regulations. (Sharp, 2005)

Minerals are inorganic elements that originate

from rocks within the earth’s crust. They are

electronically charged and thus cannot gain or

lose electrons.

They are not broken done during metabolism but

combine with other elements or compounds.

(Tucker & Dauffenbach, 2011)

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REFERENCES

Bender, D. A. (2005). Micronutrient function. In C. Geissler & H. Powers (Eds.), Human Nutrition (11th Ed.) (pp 183- 271). Edinburgh, UK: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Bender, D. A. & Millward, D. J. (2005). Protein metabolism and requirements. In C. Geissler & H. Powers (Eds.), Human Nutrition (11th Ed.) (pp 143- 164). Edinburgh, UK: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Dulloo, A. G. & Schutz, Y. (2005). Energy balance and body weight regulation. In C. Geissler & H. Powers (Eds.), Human Nutrition (11th Ed.) (pp 83- 102). Edinburgh, UK: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

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REFERENCES

Cummings, J. & Mann, J. (2007). Carbohydrates. In J. Mann

& A. S. Truswell (Eds.), Essentials of human nutrition (pp 8-

32). New York, USA: Oxford University Press.

Jackson, A. (2007). Protein. In J. Mann & A. S. Truswell

(Eds.), Essentials of human nutrition (pp 53-72). New York,

USA: Oxford University Press.

Mann, J. & Skeaff, M. (2007). Lipids. In J. Mann & A. S.

Truswell (Eds.), Essentials of human nutrition (pp 33-52).

New York, USA: Oxford University Press.

Sharp, P. (2005). Minerals and trace elements. In J. Mann &

A. S. Truswell (Eds.), Essentials of human nutrition (pp 231-

249). New York, USA: Oxford University Press.

Tucker, S. & Dauffenbach, V. (2011). Nutrition and diet

therapy for nurses. Boston, USA: Pearson.

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ASSIGNMENT

I. Describe three factors that influence dietary intake

II. Define the following terms

a) Complete & incomplete protein

b) Essential fatty acids

c) Simple sugars

III. For each group of items in part 2 list two examples

IV. Differentiate among the following groups of terms

a) Kj and Kcal

b) Monosaccharides and polysaccharides

c) Triacylglycerols and steriods

d) Peptide bonds and disulphide bonds

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