NCM 105: NUTRITION AND DIET THERAPY LECTURE
WHAT ARE THE BASIC TERMS TO UNDERSTAND IN THE STUDY OF
NUTRITION
1. A nutrient is a chemical substance that is present in food and
needed by the body.
 The macronutrients include the energy nutrients
carbohydrate, fat, and protein.
 The micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, and water.
 A nutrient defense food is one that has a high proportion of
micronutrients in relation to the macronutrients. Empty
kcalories implies the opposite.
2. Nutrition is the science of the processes by which the body
uses food for energy, maintenance, and growth.
 Good nutritional status implies appropriate intake of the
macronutrients – carbohydrates, proteins,and fats –and the
various vitamins and minerals often referred to as
“micronutrients” because they are needed in small quantities.
3. Malnutrition or poor nutritional status is a state in which a
prolonged lack of one or more nutrients retards physical
development or causes the appearance of specific clinical
conditions (anemia, goiter, rickets, etc.).
4. Optimal nutrition means that a person is receiving and using
the essential nutrients to maintain health and well-being at
the highest possible level.
5. A kilocalorie (or kcal) is a unit of measure used to express the
fuel value of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The large
Calorie (or kcal) used in nutrition represents the amount of
heat necessary to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water 1°C.
One pound of body fat equates to 3500kcal. Carbohydrates,
proteins, fats, and alcohol are the only sources of kilocalories.
Once kcalorie equals approximately 4 kilojoules (kj) in the
metric system.
6. Health is currently recognized as being more than the
absence of disease.
7. Public health is the field of medicine that is concerned with
safeguarding and improving the health of the community as a
whole.
8. Holistic health is a system of preventive medicine that takes
into account the whole individual.
9. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT)(referred to in the past as
“diet therapy”) is the treatment of disease through
nutritional therapy by registered dietitians.
MNT may be necessary for one or more of the following reasons:
 To maintain or improve nutritional status.
 To improve clinical or subclinical nutritional deficiencies
 To maintain, decrease, or increase body weight.
 To rest certain organs of the body
 To eliminate particular food constituents to which the individual
may be allergic or intolerant.
 To adjust the composition of the normal diet to meet the ability
of the body to absorb, metabolize, and excrete certain nutrients
and other substances.
BASIC CONCEPTS IN NUTRITION
A Look at Nutrition:
 Nutrition refers to the processes by which a living
organism ingests, digests, absorbs, transports, uses and
excretes nutrients (food and other nourishing material).
Nutrition as a clinical area is primarily concerned with the
properties of food that build sound bodies and promote
health. Because good nutrition is essential to good health
and disease prevention, any person involved in health care
needs a thorough knowledge of nutrition and the body’s
nutritional requirements through the lifespan. What’s
more, the study of nutrition must focus on health
promotion.
2 Main approaches to health promotion:
1. Traditional approach is reactive; it focuses on treating
symptoms after they present.
2. Preventive approach involves identifying and eliminating risk
factors to stop health problems for developing.
Three parts to prevention
Health promotion and disease prevention efforts can be categorized
into three groups.
 Primary prevention
Examples of primary prevention measures, which focus on health
promotion, include:
- conducting nutrition classes to promote healthy eating
patterns
- modifying menus in restaurants and offering low-fat
alternatives
- Offering fresh fruit and vegetables in workplace cafeterias.
 Secondary prevention
focuses on risk reduction, may include such measures as:
- screening for potential diseases (hypercholesterolemia,
osteoporosis)
- nutritional counseling for people at risk for cardiovascular
diseases and diabetes.
- Immunizations.
 Tertiary prevention
Examples of tertiary prevention measures, which focus on disease
treatment and rehabilitation, include:
- physical rehabilitation for the stroke patient
- cardiac rehabilitation for the cardiac patient
- diabetes education classes for the patient with newly
diagnosed type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
➔ Nutrition and a balance diet
You’re part of a health care team that’s responsible for making sure
the patient maintains optimal nutritional health, even though he
may battling illness or recovering from surgery. It’s also your job to
stress to the patient the importance of good nutrition in maintaining
health and recovering from illness, so that he can continue sound
nutritional practices when he’s no longer under your care.
 Nutritional status
You must use your knowledge of nutrition to promote health
through education and counseling of sick and healthy patients. This
includes encouraging patients to consume appropriate types and
amounts of food. It also means considering poor food habits as a
contributing factor in a patient with chronic illness. Therefore,
assessing nutritional status and identifying nutritional needs to meet
the requirements of a balanced diet are primary activities in
planning patient care. NUTRITION SITUATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
PREVALENCE OF UNDERNUTRITION, BY AGE AND PHYSIOLOGIC AGE
- Assessing nutritional status. GROUP
A patient’s nutritional status can influence the body’s response to
illness and treatment. Regardless of your patent’s overall condition, POPULATION GROUP/INDICATOR PERCENT
an evaluation of his nutritional health is an essential part of your 0-5 years old
assessment. Assessment of the patient’s nutritional status  Underweight 24.61
includesdetermining nutritional risk factors as well as individual  Stunting 26.31
needs.  Wasting 4.81
6-10 years old
- Good nutrition  Underweight 22.81
Good nutrition, or optimal nutrition, is essential in promoting health,  Stunting 32.01
preventing illness, and restoring health after an injury or illness. To 11-19 years old 15.52
achieve good nutrition, a person must eat a varied diet of Adults, 60 years and above 23.62
carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber in  1-20 Pregnant women 26.62
sufficient amounts. Although excesses of certain nutrients can be  2-6th National Nutrition Surveys, DOST-FNRF, 2005 Updating of
detrimental to a patient’s health, intake of essential nutrients should NS
be greater than minimum requirements to allow for variations in
health and disease and to provide stores for later use.

- Poor nutrition
Poor nutrition, or malnutrition, is a state of inadequate or excess
nutritional intake. It’s most common among people living in poverty
–especially those with greater nutritional requirements, such as
elderly patients, pregnant women, children, and infants. It also
occurs in hospitals and longterm care facilities, because the patients
in these situations have illnesses that place added stress on their
bodies, raising nutritional requirements.

➔ Don’t under-estimate undernutrition

Undernutrition occurs when a patient consumes fewer daily

nutrients than his body requires, resulting in a nutritional deficit.
Typically, undernourished patients are at greater risk for physical
illnesses. They may also suffer from limitations in cognitive and
physical status.

Undernutrition can result from:

- inability to metabolize nutrients
- inability to obtain the appropriate nutrients from food
- accelerated excretion of nutrients from the body
- illness or disease that increases the body’s need for nutrients.

➔ Don’t over do it
In contrast, overnutrition occurs when a patient consumes an
excessive amount of nutrients. For example, overnutrition may occur
in patients who self prescribe megadoses of vitamins and mineral
supplements and in those who overeat. These practices can result in
damage to body tissue or obesity.

WHY DO YOU NEED TO TAKE IN PROPER AND ADEQUATE

NUTRITION?

➔ It provides energy and keeps you vibrant

➔Produces and keeps your cells alive and repairs body tissues
➔Prevents disease and good for the heart
➔Necessary during illness and in recuperating
➔Assists your body in eliminating wastes