Nutrition

Name

Lab14 Date

Section

The saying “You are what you eat” does have scientific support. What you eat and put
into your body now can affect your body for years to come. Your body digests what you
choose to eat, and 95% of the absorption will take place in the small intestines. Excess
calories will be placed into adipose and cause weight gain. Negative calorie intake will
cause weight loss. In addition, excessive intake of saturated fats and cholesterol, with or
without smoking, can lead to long-term atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in the arter-
ies, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Understanding your current calorie needs
and general body health makeup can help you make changes that will keep you at your
optimum for years to come.

In this lab you will:

• Calculate total daily calorie consumption.

• Calculate BMR and the effects of exercise.

• Calculate and understand BMI.

• Calculate and understand waist to hip ratio.

• Assess your current body composition and your associated health status/risk.
• Learn to make healthy food choices at a fast food restaurant.

Total Calorie Consumption

Prior to your laboratory meeting keep a diary of ALL items that you consume over a
24-hour day. Log the item even if it is “a little taste.” Use package nutritional listings or
websites such as Caloriecount.com or MyFitnessPal.com to help complete the calorie
content. Be honest about everything you eat, including portion size. Use the log at the
end of this lab.

Total Calorie Consumption Over 24 hours:

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BMR
BMR, or Basal Metabolic Rate, is the amount of energy or calories that is needed to
maintain body functions at rest. To calculate your BMR you need your current weight.
Locate the scales in the laboratory and note your current weight (be honest). Leave on
your shoes and subtract 3 pounds to account for your clothes and shoes.

Current Weight:

Next measure your height in inches (or use your height in cm from Lab 2 and convert
to inches. 1 inch = 2.54 cm). Do not mark on the laboratory walls to determine your
height.

Height in Inches:

Now use the formulas below to calculate your BMR.* The formulas are different for
males and females to account for sex differences in calorie burn or usage.

Males
BMR = 66 + (6.23 # weight) + (12.7 # height) - (6.8 # age)
in pounds in inches in years

Females
BMR = 655 + (4.35 # weight) + (4.7 # height) - (4.7 # age)
in pounds in inches in years

BMR:

170 * http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/bmr-formula.php
 Lab 14

Harris Benedict Equation

The prior BMR calculation only accounts for calories used at rest for your current body
weight. Total calorie usage depends on activity levels. To calculate the effects of activity
on the BMR we will use the Harris Benedict Equation.* This is a general equation and
it does not account for the effects of body type composition. Therefore, if your body type
is very muscular it may underestimate your calorie burn or if your body composition is
more “soft” (contains more body fat) it may overestimate your calorie burn. If needed,
keep those adjustments in mind. Assuming no adjustments are needed for weight loss or
gain, use the formula below.

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activ-
ity factor, as follows: (circle the appropriate level)

1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise):

Calorie Calculation = BMR # 1.2

2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1–3 days/week):

Calorie Calculation = BMR # 1.375

3. If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3–5 days/week):

Calorie Calculation = BMR # 1.55

4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6–7 days a week):

Calorie Calculation = BMR # 1.725

5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports and physical job or 2# training):

Calorie Calculation = BMR # 1.9

Total Daily Calorie Need:

* http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/ 171
 Nutrition

Review the American Heart Association’s Recommendations to promote Heart Health.*

How do you compare?

AHA Recommendations
For Overall Cardiovascular Health:

• At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least 5 days per

week for a total of 150 minutes

OR

• At least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity at least 3 days per week for
a total of 75 minutes; or a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity
aerobic activity

AND
• Moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days per
week for additional health benefits.

For Lowering Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

• An average 40 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity 3

or 4 times per week

Assessing Calorie Consumption versus

Usage on Body Composition
Compare your calorie burn or usage for your current weight to your calorie consumption.
Answer the following questions.

Total Calories consumption over 24 hours - Total Calorie Daily need =

- =

Is your calculated value above a positive number, negative number, or zero?

If you consistently ate in this manner, how would this affect your body composition?
i.e., would you gain weight, lose weight, or maintain your weight?

In order to gain 1 pound of fat, a person needs to consume an excess of 3500 calories. If a
person consumes on average 500 extra calories a day, how many days of this type of eating
will it take to gain 1 pound?

* http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/American-Heart-
172 Association-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-in-Adults_UCM_307976_Article.jsp
 Lab 14

Now consider daily habits. If you consume one mocha latte per day (without considering
adjusting your calorie intake) at an average of 240 calories per 16 oz, how many days of
this activity until you gain 1 pound?

This scenario can be applied to any favorite item, be it a mocha latte, a chocolate shake
or a daily order of fries. Look up the calorie count of your favorite splurge and see how it
affects your daily calorie consumption, and how many days of the activity it would take to
gain one pound.

BMI—Calculation and Evaluation

BMI, Body Mass Index, is a calculation that helps to evaluate if your body composition
is ideal, underweight, overweight, or obese.

Calculate your BMI

(weight in pounds)
BMI = # 703
(height in inches) 2

BMI:

Using the chart below, find your BMI classification

BMI Classification
18.5 or less Underweight
18.5–24.9 Normal
25–29.9 Overweight
30–39 Obese
Over 40 Morbidly obese

BMI Classification:

BMI is not without its faults. Let’s investigate why. In the laboratory locate the “to scale”
fat and muscle models.

Without touching the models, which appears to weigh more, the fat or skeletal muscle?

Next, lift the two models and compare. Does the fat weigh more, the skeletal muscle weigh
more, or are they the same weight?

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Using your knowledge from the Tissue Lab 6 and lectures, describe the appearance or
structure of an adipose cell.

Describe the appearance or structure of a skeletal muscle cell.

How do you think the difference in cell structure would affect their weight?

Using your knowledge and notes from the skeletal lab 7 and lectures, how does weight-
bearing exercise affect bone structure and therefore weight?

Now create your conclusion. Using the above answers, what group or type of individuals
will be inaccurately labeled as being overweight or obese if only the BMI chart is used and
not a visualization of the body itself?

Waist to Hip Ratio

A more accurate health assessment is to calculate the Waist to Hip ratio. Individuals
who carry excess weight around their waist, apple shaped, are at an increased risk to de-
velop health problems such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and diabetes.

Calculate your Waist to Hip ratio.

Waist to Hip ratio = Waist circumference in inches / hip circumference

Obtain a measuring tape and measure the following circumferences in inches.

Waist circumference at the belly button in inches:

Hip circumference at top of hip bones in inches:

Waist to Hip Ratio:

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Table 14.1 Waist to Hip Ratio Chart*

Health Risk Based
Male Female
Solely on WHR
0.95 or below 0.80 or below Low Risk
0.96 to 1.0 0.81 to 0.85 Moderate Risk
1.0+ 0.85+ High Risk

Health Risk Based on Waist to Hip Ratio:

Eating Out and Choosing Healthy

Eating out is a factor of today’s busy lifestyles. It is still possible to make healthy choices.
This exercise will assist you in making better food choices. This is only a start in the
proper direction toward healthy nutrition. There are more factors that need to be as-
sessed such as vitamin and mineral content, quality of protein, types of fats, and quantity
of fiber. A website to consult to assist in creating daily meal plans whether eating in or
out is www.choosemyplate.gov.

You have already calculated your Total Daily Calorie Need using the Harris Benedict
Equation on page 171.

Now select a Fast Food Menu available in the laboratory. Create a daily meal plan keep-
ing to your Total Daily Calorie needs. In addition, try to keep Carbohydrates between
45 to 65%, Lipids (fats) between 20–35% (choose unsaturated if possible), and Proteins
at 15% of the total daily calories. It is also important to look at Sodium levels and keep
those below 2,300 mg per day. If needed, tell the restaurant to “hold the salt.”

Fill these values in on the chart at the end of the lab creating a Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
and Snack if calories allow.

Conclusion
By completing this lab you should now have a better understanding of your body health
status and the importance of healthy eating. This is only the start to a healthier life style
and it is encouraged that you investigate these principles further to improve your overall
health.

* http://www.bmi-calculator.net/waist-to-hip-ratio-calculator/waist-to-hip-ratio-chart.php

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Fast Food Menu Planning

Restaurant:

Meal
Carbo-
Item Calories Sodium Protein Fats
hydrates
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snack

Totals:

Does your total calorie count fall into the ratios of Carbohydrates between 45–65%,
Lipids between 20–35%, and Proteins at 15% of the total daily calories?

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Nutrition Lab 14

Use package nutritional listings or websites such as Caloriecount.com or My FitnessPal.

com to help complete the calorie content.

Table 14.2 Total Daily Calorie Consumption Over 24 Hours

Item Eaten Size or Quantity Calories

Total Calories Consumed:

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