Unit 10 Nutrition and Diets

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10:1 Fundamentals of Nutrition

Most people know there is a relationship between food and good health

Many do not know what nutrients are needed to maintain good health– Because of this, many people are not able to

choose proper foods for optimum health– Health care workers must understand basic

nutrition

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Fundamentals of Nutrition Nutrition: all body processes relating to food

– Include digestion, metabolism, circulation and elimination

– Help the body to use food for energy, health and growth Nutritional status: state or condition of one’s nutrition Role of nutrition in physical, mental, emotional, and

psychological affects Goal is to maintain wellness – good health with optimal

body function

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Effects of Good Nutrition

Healthy appearance Good attitude Proper sleep and bowel habits High energy level Enthusiasm and freedom from anxiety

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Effects of BAD Nutrition

Hypertension– High blood pressure, caused by excess of fatty/salty food

Atherosclerosis

– Narrowed arteries, caused by excess of saturated fats and cholesterol (LDL)

Osteoporosis– Porous, brittle bones, caused by deficiencies in minerals

Malnutrition – State of poor nutrition, caused by poor diet or illness

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10:2 Essential Nutrients Essential Nutrients – chemical elements in foods

used by body to perform many different body functions Carbohydrates

– Major source of energy, easy to break down during cellular respiration

– Ex – starches, sugars, bread, cereal, pasta, crackers

– Cellulose – fibrous, indigestible carb, allows for regular bowel movements

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Essential Nutrients

Lipids– Storage form of energy for our body, difficult to

break down– Provide insulation, cushioning, help maintain

body temp, carry fat soluble vitamins to tissues– Ex – saturated and unsaturated fats, butter,

margarine, cheese, egg yolk– Cholesterol – important lipid, used to make

steroid hormones, vitamin D, cell membrane

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Essential Nutrients

Proteins– Structural component of body as well as enzymes– Build and repair tissue, regulate body functions, provides

some energy and heat– Made up of amino acids

• “Complete proteins” contain the amino acids our body doesn’t produce

Vitamins – Help enzyme activity, used for metabolism, tissue building

and body process regulation– Can be water or fat soluble– See table 10-2 (pg 232)

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Essential Nutrients

Minerals– Inorganic compound essential for life– Regulate body fluids, contribute to growth and tissue building– Needed in small amounts– Table 10-3 (pg 232)

Water– Found in all body tissues – Needed for digestion, absorption, movement of wastes– Need to drink 6 – 8 glasses of water a day

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10:3 Utilization of Nutrients

Digestion – process where body breaks down food, changes food chemically, moves food through digestive system– Mechanical – food broken down by teeth & moved through

GI tract by peristalsis• Peristalsis – wavelike motion of digestive tract muscles

– Chemical – food broken down by digestive juices secreted by mouth, stomach, small intestine and pancreas

Absorption – nutrients absorbed into small intestine capillaries– Nutrients carried through body by circulatory system – Water, salts and some vitamins absorbed in large intestine

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10:3 Utilization of Nutrients

Metabolism– Actual use of nutrients– Process in which nutrients are used by the

cells for body functions– Cellular respiration occurs to break down

nutrients to produce ATP– Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – amount of

energy needed to maintain life– Extra nutrients are stored to use in the future

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Measuring Food Energy

When the body metabolized nutrients to produce ATP, heat is also generated– Amount of heat produced is how we measure energy content

of the food– Calorie – unit used to measure heat released

• Lipids – 9 calories per gram• Carbs & proteins – 4 calories per gram• Vitamins, Minerals and Water – 0 calories per gram

Individual’s caloric requirements– How many calories are needed in a 24-hour period– Varies from person to person as well as age, activity, size

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Measuring Food Energy General guidelines for weight maintenance

– 1 pound body fat = 3,500 calories• To lose 1 pound – decrease of 3,500 calories or use

3,500 calories during exercise– Decrease 500 calories per day, person would lose 1

pound in a week• To gain 1 pound – increase 3,500 calories

– Increase 500 calories per day, person would gain 1 pound in a week

Slow steady gain/loss of 1 – 2 pounds per week is an efficient and safe form of weight control

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10:4 Maintenance of Good Nutrition

Good nutrition is the best way of achieving and maintaining good health

Balanced diet – Table 10-4 and 10-5 (pg 235 – 236)

If food is not appealing, people will not eat it even if it is healthy – Consider variety, taste, color, aroma, texture,

and general likes and dislikes

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Guidelines for Good Eating Habits

USDA has published a booklet on nutritional principles called Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans– Eat a variety of foods– Maintain healthy weight– Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and

cholesterol– Plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products– Sugars, salt, and sodium in moderation– Alcohol, if consumed, in moderation

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Food Habits Affect Nutrition Habits can be based on cultural or religious beliefs

– Table 10-6 (pg 237) Unusual habits are not necessarily bad; must be

evaluated Suggesting changes takes tact, patience, and

imagination Difficult to change since most habits are formed in

childhood; change can be slow

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10:5 Therapeutic Diets

Modification of normal diet used to improve specific health condition

Normally prescribed by physician and planned by dietitian

May change nutrients, caloric content, and/or texture May seem strange and even unpleasant

to patient

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Regular or Standard Diet

Balanced diet May have slight calorie reduction Omit: rich desserts, cream sauces, salad

dressings, and fried foods Used for: ambulatory patients (outpatient)

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Liquid Diet

Clear and full liquids– Not nutritional, only for short term

Liquid foods at body temperature Clear: carbohydrates and water Full: clear liquids plus other liquid items Uses – after surgery, acute infections,

digestive problems, to replace lost fluids, and in preparation for X-rays of the digestive tract

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Soft Diet

Similar to a regular diet, but foods require little chewing and are easy to digest

Omit: meat, shellfish, coarse cereals, spicy foods, rich desserts, fried foods, raw fruits and veggies, nuts and coconut

Uses – after surgery, patients with infections, digestive disorders, and chewing problems

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Diabetic Diet

Used for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM, type 2)– Body doesn’t produce enough insulin (a hormone,

protein produced in pancreas) to properly metabolize carbs (sugar)

Omit: sugar-heavy foods

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Calorie-Controlled Diet

Low-calorie – used for patients who are overweight; avoid or limit high-calorie foods

High-calorie – used for patients who are underweight, have anorexia nervosa, bulimia, hyperthyroidism (over-active), or cancer– Extra protein and carbohydrates– Avoid high-bulk foods (fibrous foods)– Avoid high-fat foods (fried, pastries, cheese)

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Low-Cholesterol Diet

Restricts foods containing cholesterol Limit foods high in saturated fats

– Beef, pork, egg yolk, cheese, shellfish

Used for - patients with atherosclerosis and heart disease

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Fat-Restricted Diet

Also called low-fat diet Omit: foods high in fat Used for - patients with gallbladder and liver

disease, obesity, and certain heart diseases

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Sodium-Restricted Diet

Also called low-sodium or low-salt diets Avoid or limit addition of salt; avoid salt-rich foods

– Pickles, olives, processed cheese, smoked fish Used for - cardiovascular diseases

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Protein Diet

Protein-rich foods: meats, fish, milk, cheese, and eggs High-protein for children and adolescents for

additional growth, pregnant or lactating women, surgery, burns, fevers, or infections

Low-protein for certain kidney or renal diseases and certain allergic conditions

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Bland Diet

Easily digested foods that do not irritate the digestive tract

Omit: fried food, pastries, raw fruit and veggies, smoked and salted meats, olives, avocado, coffee

Used for - patients with ulcers, colitis, and other digestive diseases

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Low-Residue Diet

Eliminate or limit foods high in bulk and fiber Omit: raw fruit and veggies, whole-grain

breads, seeds, beans, fried foods Used for - patients with digestive or rectal

diseases such as colitis (inflamed colon) or diarrhea

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Other Therapeutic Diets

Other diets may be ordered that restrict or increase certain nutrients

Check prescribed diet and ask questions if foods seem incorrect

Try to include patient’s likes if they are allowed on diet If patient will not eat the foods on diet, the diet will not

contribute to good nutrition