Dr Jnanendra Narayan Sengupta

• Health : State of complete physical, mental, and social well being, and not merely
the absence of disease or infirmity."
• Health is a dynamic condition resulting from a body's constant adjustment and
adaptation in response to stresses and changes in the environment for maintaining an
inner equilibrium called homeostasis.
• 3 Major Components : the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit;
• Fitness is defined as the state of being physically fit and healthy. It is the ability to
carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with
ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and respond to emergencies
• Fitness" is a broad term that means something different to each person, but it
refers to your own optimal health and overall well-being. Being fit not only means
physical health, but emotional and mental health, too.
• Types of fitness :
• Cardio fitness is to do with the fitness of your heart and lungs - essentially it is how
efficient they are. After all we basically need air to live and do everything. If the big
pump (heart) and air reservoir (lungs) are optimized then your cardiovascular
fitness is operating well and running (or any exercise) will feel easy.

Structural Fitness is the condition of your muscles, joints and all the other parts of
your body that are doing all the moving when the Cardio engine is pumping.
 Components of Fitness
• Cardiorespiratory endurance - typically measured by how long or fast a person can
perform an activity and how this impacts measurements such as heart rate and oxygen
consumption.
• Muscular endurance - typically measured by how many repetitions of an exercise a
person can perform. Common tests involve push-ups and sit ups.
• Muscular strength - typically measured by how much weight can be moved in relation
to repetitions. Exercises involving multiple joints and muscle groups such as squats or
bench press are often used.
• Muscular power - typically measured by how much force can be generated during a
given activity. Advanced equipment used by biomechanists are often needed to
measure muscular power.
• Flexibility - typically measured by how far a muscle group can be stretched or joint can
be moved. The most common tests involve the hamstrings and shoulders.
• Balance - typically measured by how long a particular position can be held with or
without some type of activity being performed. Simple tests such as standing on one
leg can be used to assess balance. More advanced tests may involve standing on an
unsteady object while trying to catch a ball.
• Speed - typically measured by how quickly an individual can move from one point to
another. The 40-yard dash is often used to assess speed.
• Body composition - this is the amount of fat on the body versus other tissues such as
muscle, bones and skin. Measured using a variety of tests and devices. Simple tests
using mathematical equations or calipers are common and inexpensive. More advanced
tests such as underwater weighing are far less common and much more expensive.
• Nutrition is the science that interprets the interaction of nutrients and other
substances in food in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health and
disease of an organism.
• Component : food intake, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism and
excretion.
• Dietetics is the interpretation and communication of the science of nutrition; it
helps people make informed and practical choices about food and lifestyle in both
health and disease.
• Importance :
• Keeps the cells alive , Building all parts of the body such as muscle, bone, teeth,
and blood, Produce Energy , Provide immunity , growth and development
• Nutrients : a substance that provides nourishment essential for the
maintenance of life and for growth.
• Relationship Between Food and Nutrition and Health :
• Healthy & Nutritious Food ---- Intake ( Timely and as per Body need ) ----
Immunity Power ---- Fight disease + Get Energy --- Stay healthy
 Food Pyramid
The food
pyramid is defined as a
Triangular graphic intended
to illustrate the principles of
good nutrition with fruits and
vegetables on the bottom
representing the bulk of a
30% Grains , 40
healthy diet and fats and oils
% Vegetables, 10
at the top. It represents
% fruits , 20 %
optimal number of serving to
proteins + a be eaten by a healthy
glass/cup of dairy individual each day from
USDA , 2011 each of basic food groups
• A food group is a collection of foods that share similar nutritional properties or
biological classifications. List of nutrition guides typically divide foods into food
groups and Recommended Dietary Allowance recommend daily servings of
each group for a healthy diet
• Five Food Groups :
• Cereals– Grains and Their products ( Rice , Wheat , Maize ) ( Major Source of
Energy , Vitamins , Minerals )
• Vegetables & Fruit-- Leafy ( Green Leafy– Ca , Fe, Beta carotine )
Detoxification of body , Root Vegetable ( Starch + Calories ) , Other (
antioxidants , fibres ) .Vitamins+ Minerals . Green vegetables typically
contain vitamin A, dark orange and dark green vegetables contain vitamin C, and
vegetables like broccoli and related plants contain iron and calcium. V
• Milk & Milk Products–dietary calcium and also provide protein, phosphorus,
vitamin A, and vitamin D.
• Non Veg Products , Pulses, legumes, Nuts -- Proteins , Irons . Meat is a major
source of protein, as well as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12
• Sugars , Fats and Oils --- Rich in calories , ( Hearth Disease )
• Importance of Food Pyramid :
• This gives you a choice of different foods from which to choose a healthy diet.
• Following the Food Pyramid as a guide will help you get the right balance of
nutritious foods within your calorie range.
• Studies show that we take in too many calories from foods and drinks high in fat,
sugar and salt, on the top shelf of the Food Pyramid. They provide very little of
the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs. Limiting these is essential
for healthy eating.
• So in a nutshell, healthy eating involves:
• plenty of vegetables, salad and fruit
• a serving of wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice at every meal
- go for wholegrain varieties wherever possible
• some milk, yoghurt and cheese
• some meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts
• a very small amount of fats, spreads and oils
• and a very small amount or no foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt
 Nutrient Types
• Human nutrition, process by which substances in food are transformed into
body tissues and provide energy for the full range of physical and mental
activities that make up human life.
• The seven major classes of nutrients are carbohydrates , fats , fiber , minerals
, proteins , vitamins, and water.
• Nutrients can be grouped as either macronutrients ( Needed in large quantities )
or micronutrients (needed in small quantities).
• Macronutrients provide structural material (amino acids from which proteins are
built, and lipids from which cell membranes and some signaling molecules are
built), and energy. Some of the structural material can also be used to generate
energy internallyprovide energy, they are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
• The micronutrients are minerals and vitamins
• Carbohydrate : Energy --- Food --- Digestion ---Sugar--- produces energy ( Cereals ,
Fruits , Veg ). Carbohydrates may be classified as monosaccharides
, disaccharides or polysaccharides depending on the number of monomer (sugar) units
they contain. Monosaccharides include glucose , fructose and galactose.Disaccharides
include sucrose, lactose, and maltose; purified sucrose, for instance, is used as table
sugar. Polysaccharides, which include starch and glycogen. Simple carbohydrates are
absorbed quickly, and therefore raise blood-sugar levels more rapidly than other nutrients
• Fibres/ Roughage : the fibrous indigestible portion of our diet --Undigested Carbohydrate
--- helps throw waste material --- stool ( Weight+ blood sugar = Cholesterol control ) (
Whole cereals+ Fruit + veg ) . Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate, specifically a
polysaccharide, which is incompletely absorbed in humans and in some animals. Like all
carbohydrates, when it is metabolized, it can produce four Calories (kilocalories) of
energy per gram
• The two subcategories are insoluble and soluble fiber.
• Insoluble dietary fiber: Consists mainly of cellulose, a large carbohydrate polymer that is
indigestible by humans, because humans do not have the required enzymes to break it
down, and the human digestive system does not harbor enough of the types of microbes
that can do so.
• Soluble dietary fiber: Comprises a variety of oligosaccharides, waxes, esters, resistant
starches, and other carbohydrates that dissolve or gelatinize in water. Many of these
soluble fibers can be fermented or partially fermented by microbes in the human digestive
system to produce short-chain fatty acids which are absorbed and therefore introduce
some caloric content
• Proteins : Proteins --- Digestion -- AA + AA +AA… ( Amino Acids – Building
blocks ) ( Growth + Development + Protection ) ( Pulses , Dairy , Meat) . basis of
many animal body structures (e.g. muscles, skin, and hair) and form
the enzymes which catalyse chemical reactions throughout the body. Each protein
molecule is composed of amino acids which contain nitrogen and sometimes
sulphur. Amino acids are soluble in the digestive juices within the small intestine,
where they are absorbed into the blood. Once absorbed, they cannot be stored in
the body, so they are either metabolized as required or excreted in the urine
• Essential Amino Acids : Amino acids which an animal cannot synthesize on its
own from smaller molecules are deemed essential. Phenylalanine , valine
, threonine , tryptophan, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, and histidine.
• Conditionally Essential Amino Acids : The synthesis of some amino acids can
be limited under special pathophysiological conditions, such as prematurity in the
infant or individuals in severe catabolic distress, and those are called
conditionally essential. arginine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, proline,
and tyrosine .
• Non Essential Amino Acids : they can be synthesized in sufficient quantities in
the body . alanine, aspartic acid , asparagine , glutamic acid , serine ,
and selenocysteine
• Fats : one source of energy and important in relation to fat soluble vitamins– 20g
of fats/oils required by body + absorption of Vitamin A, D,E,K ( Oil, Butter ,
Cream , Ghee , Nuts etc ). A molecule of dietary fat typically consists of
several fatty acids (containing long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms),
bonded to a glycerol. They are typically found as triglycerides (three fatty acids
attached to one glycerol backbone). Fats may be classified
as saturated or unsaturated depending on the chemical structure of the fatty acids
involved
• Water - essential to normal body function - as a vehicle for carrying other
nutrients and because 70% of the human body is water.
• Role of Water : Cell growth , survival + reproduction , Body temp Regulation ,
formation of saliva, detoxification & removal , Transportation of nutrients in
different body parts , Blood- 83 % , Bones – 22% , Muscles – 75 % , Brains –
90% , Moistens tissues, absorption , lubricate joints , dissolve minerals , hydrates
brain cells
• Minerals - those inorganic elements occurring in the body and which are critical
to its normal functions. Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by
living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen,
and oxygen that are present in nearly all organic molecules.
Minerals Source Function
Potassium a systemic (affects entire body)
electrolyte, essential in co-
regulating ATP (an important
carrier of energy in cells in the
body, also key in making RNA)
with sodium
Chloride key for producing stomach acid,
important in the transport of
molecules between cells, and
vital for the proper functioning
of nerves.
Sodium a systemic electrolyte, and
essential in regulating ATP
with potassium. Important for
nerve function and regulating
body fluid levels
Calcium important for muscle, heart, and
digestive health. Builds bone,
assists in the synthesis and
function of blood cells.
Deficiency/ Excess
Deficiency - hypokalemia - can profoundly
affect the nervous system and heart. Excess -
hyperkalemia - can also profoundly affect the
nervous system and heart
Deficiency - hypochloremia - low salt levels,
which, if severe, can be very dangerous. Excess
- hyperchloremia - usually no symptoms, linked
with excessive fluid loss.
Deficiency - hyponatremia - causes cells to
malfunction; extremely low sodium can be
fatal.Excess - hypernatremia - can also cause
cells to malfunction, extremely high levels can
be fatal
Deficiency - hypocalcaemia - muscle cramps,
abdominal cramps, spasms, and hyperactive
deep tendon reflexes.Excess - hypercalcemia -
muscle weakness, constipation, undermined
conduction of electrical impulses in the
heart, calcium stones in the urinary tract,
impaired kidney function, and impaired
absorption of iron, leading to iron deficiency.
Minerals Source Function
Phosphorus important for the structure of
DNA, transporter of energy
(ATP), component of cellular
membrane, helps strengthen
bones
Magnesium processes ATP; required for
good bones and management of
proper muscle movement.
Hundreds of enzymes rely
on magnesium to work properly.
Zinc required by many enzymes.
Important for reproductive organ
growth. Also important in gene
expression and regulating the
nervous and immune systems
Iron required for proteins and
enzymes, especially
hemoglobin, the oxygen-
carrying compound in blood.
Deficiency/ Excess
Deficiency - hypophosphatemia, an example
is rickets.Excess – hyperphosphatemia , often a
result of kidney failure
Deficiency - hypomagnesemia - irritability of
the nervous system with spasms of the hands
and feet, muscular twitching and cramps,
constipation, and larynx spasms.
Excess - hypermagnesemia - nausea, vomiting,
impaired breathing, low blood pressure. Very
rare, but may occur if patient has renal
problems.
Deficiency - short stature, anemia, increased
pigmentation of skin, enlarged liver and spleen,
impaired reproductive function, impaired
wound healing, and immune deficiency.
Excess - suppresses copper and iron absorption.
Deficiency - anemia. Excess - iron overload
disorder; iron deposits can form in organs,
particularly the heart.
Minerals Source Function Deficiency/ Excess
Manganese a cofactor in enzyme functions Deficiency - wobbliness, fainting, hearing loss,
weak tendons and ligaments. Less commonly,
can be a cause of diabetes.
Excess - interferes with the absorption of
dietary iron
Copper component of many enzymes. Deficiency - anemia or pancytopenia (reduction
in the number of red and white blood cells, as
well as platelets) and neurodegeneration.
Excess - can interfere with body's formation of
blood cellular components; in severe cases,
convulsions, palsy, and eventually death
(similar to arsenic poisoning).
Iodine required for the biosynthesis of Deficiency - developmental delays, enlarged
thyroxine (one type of thyroid thyroid gland (in the neck), and fatigue.
hormone). Excess - can affect the function of the thyroid
gland.
Selenium essential cofactor Deficiency - Keshan disease - myocardial
for antioxidant enzymes necrosis (tissue death in the heart) leading to
weakening of the heart; Kashin-Beck disease -
break down of cartilage.Excess - garlic-
smelling breath, gastrointestinal disorders, hair
loss, sloughing of nails, fatigue, irritability, and
neurological damage.
Molybdenu vital part of three important Deficiency - may affect metabolism and blood
m enzyme systems, xanthine counts, but as this deficiency often occurs at the
• Vitamins : These are organic compounds we require in tiny
amounts.
• An organic compound is any molecule that contains carbon.
• It is called a vitamin when our bodies cannot synthesize
(produce) enough or any of it, so we need to get it from our
food.
• Vitamins are classified as
• water soluble (they can be dissolved in water) . nine water-
soluble vitamins (eight B vitamins and vitamin C).
• fat soluble (they can be dissolved in fat). For humans, there are
four fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and
• Water-soluble vitamins need to be consumed more regularly
because they are eliminated faster (in urine) and are not easily
stored.
• Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed through the intestines with
the help of fats (lipids). They are more likely to accumulate in
the body because they are harder to get rid of quickly. If too
many vitamins build up, it is called hypervitaminosis. A very
low-fat diet can affect the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
• Mycotoxins and alimentary mycotoxicoses
• Aflatoxins – originating from Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus.
They are frequently found in tree nuts, peanuts, maize, sorghum and other
oilseeds, including corn and cottonseeds. Aflatoxin B1 predominantly targets
the liver, which will result in necrosis, cirrhosis, and carcinoma
• Altertoxins – are those of alternariol (AOH), alternariol methyl
ether (AME), altenuene (ALT), altertoxin-1 (ATX-1), tenuazonic acid (TeA),
and radicinin (RAD), originating from Alternaria spp. Some of the toxins can
be present in sorghum, ragi, wheat and tomatoes
• Viruses
• Enterovirus
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis E
• Norovirus
• Rotavirus
• Parasites
• Platyhelminthes , Nematodes, Protozoa
• Safe Drinking Water : purifier , Storede Container , Alum Treatment ,
with lid pot , storage container to b cleaned regularly