Introduction to Nutrition

The 7 Functions of Life that characterise living organisms

• Movement

• Respiration

• Sensitivity

• Nutrition

• Excretion

• Reproduction

• Growth
 Life Functions: What organs are involved?

• Movement Bone, muscle and nerves

• Respiration Food + oxygen = energy

• Sensitivity Special senses, nerves and the brain

• Nutrition Gut, liver and many other organs

• Excretion Liver and kidneys and also skin, gut and lungs

• Reproduction Eggs, sperm and baby

• Growth All tissues

• Defence Immune system (white cells + antibodies), skin

Each life function and organ have different nutrient requirements

 Essential Nutrients
There are two types of nutrients essential to life:

• Macronutrients
Nutrients required in large amounts - proteins, fats,
carbohydrates.
They are needed for energy production
Protein is needed for growth and maintenance functions
Water and fibre are also needed in significant amounts

• Micronutrients
Nutrients required in small amounts - vitamins, minerals
and essential fatty acids.
They are needed for numerous functions
 Essential Nutrients - Macronutrients

Macronutrient Energy Provision in

average adult diet

• Carbohydrates 50%
sugars and complex carbohydrates

• Fats 35%
saturated and unsaturated fats

• Protein 15%
provide essential and non-essential amino acids

• Alcohol (non-essential) 0%-5%

 Essential Nutrients - Micronutrients

• Minerals:
Bulk Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, P
Trace Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, I, Se,? others

• Vitamins:
fat-soluble A,D,E, and K
water-soluble B group and C

• Essential Fatty Acids:

n-3 series Linoleic acid and derivatives
n-6 series Linolenic acid and derivatives
 Essential Nutrients and Life Functions
Life Functions Key Essential Nutrients

• Movement Calcium and vitamin D – bones,

Protein and potassium - muscles
• Respiration Vitamin B – metabolism, iron – oxygen transport,
Iodine – thyroid hormone and metabolic rate
• Sensitivity B vitamins - central and peripheral nerves
Iron and iodine - intellectual development

• Nutrition Zinc and iron - appetite

• Excretion Water, sodium and potassium - urine excretion

• Reproduction Iron and B vitamins – fertility and pregnancy outcome

• Growth Energy, protein, iron, zinc, vitamin A – infant growth

• Defence Protein, vitamin A and zinc - immune function
 Nutrition and Health
• Nutrition plays a central role in all life functions

• Animals often spend a large amount of time and energy obtaining

food and feeding, but we humans do not

• Nowadays we can choose between nutritious/non-nutritious foods

• Food choice makes a big difference to our health and the risk of:
deficiency – undernutrition
excess – overnutrition

• Our food choices are determined by:

- habits usually established in childhood
- personal likes and dislikes
- cost of food
- convenience of shopping and preparing
- education about what is nutritious and healthy
What are the Common Nutritional Problems?

These can be classified relating to the supply of macro and micronutrients:

• Undernutrition
iron, calcium, vitamin D, folate, vitamin B12 and protein-energy

• Overnutrition
energy – obesity, sodium salt, saturated fats, sugar, vitamin
 Problems of Undernutrition

Nutrient At-Risk Group(s) Consequences

Water All ages Dehydration, collapse and death
Protein/Energy Infants/Teenagers Reduced growth/Anorexia Nervosa
Iron Infants Anaemia, poor learning ability
Zinc Children/Teenagers Reduced height and poor immunity
Fibre All ages Constipation
Iron Menstruating women Anaemia
Folate Pregnant women Birth defects
Vitamin D Pregnant Asian women Reduced bone development in infants
Vitamin B12 Vegetarians and elderly Fatigue, poor concentration, anaemia
Calcium and Elderly Osteoporosis and increased risk of
vitamin D fracture
Vitamin C Elderly Increased risk of stroke
 Common Problems of Overnutrition
Nutrient At- Risk Group(s) Consequences
Energy All ages Obesity
Sugar - sucrose All ages Dental caries

Sugar - fructose Adults Gout, liver disease

Saturated Fats Adults Heart disease

Animal Protein Adults Osteoporosis

Sodium All ages High blood pressure

Sodium Elderly Heart failure and osteoporosis

Iron Genetically predisposed Haemochromatosis
Vitamin A from Adults and elderly Osteoporosis
food/supplements
Water Elderly and those on Sodium depletion - hyponatraemia
antidepressants
Development of a Nutritional Deficiency

• Adequacy
• State of Negative Balance
• Decline in Tissue Stores
• Alteration in Function
Symptoms
Physical Signs
Organ Failure
• Death
State of Negative Nutrient Balance: Causes
1. Inadequate Intake Loss of appetite
Poor quality diet

2. Reduced Absorption Diet: tea inhibits iron absorption

Diseases causing malabsorption
3. Increased Losses Heavy periods – iron
Sweating – sodium loss
Diarrhoea – sodium, potassium
4. Increased Need Growth and pregnancy

5. Altered Metabolism Disease: liver and kidney

Drugs, alcohol, genetic variation
 Time Scale for the Development of a
Deficiency State
• Days
Water; 2-7days - dehydration, renal and circulatory failure
• Weeks
Protein/Energy 8 weeks - death from respiratory failure if BMI<12.0 kg/m 2
Vitamin B1; 2-8 weeks - fatigue, neurological deficit and cardiac failure
• Months
Potassium; 2 months - fatigue, muscle weakness and necrosis
Zinc; 4 months - loss of appetite, loss of night vision and infections
Vitamin C; 4 months - fatigue, haemorrhage and sudden death
Vitamin B 2-6 months - fatigue, skin changes, inanition and infection
• Years
Vitamin A; 2 years - loss of night vision, infections
Vitamin B12; 4 years - fatigue, pernicious anaemia, SACD ( sub acute
combined degenaration)
• Decades
Calcium; 3-4 decades - osteoporosis and fractures
Chromium; decades - glucose intolerance, type II diabetes and CHD
 Movement and Undernutrition

• Movement requires:
muscles, bones and nerves to muscles

• Muscles, bones and motor nerves need:

protein – 0.8g of dietary protein per kg body weight per day
vitamin B - energy release in muscles
calcium, sodium and potassium - muscle contraction
magnesium – muscle relaxation
calcium and vitamin D – bone formation
vitamin B – motor nerve function

• Deficiency = loss of muscle bulk and weakness

osteoporosis
loss of motor nerve function
resulting in reduced mobility, falls and fractures
 Respiration and Undernutrition

• Respiration:
food + oxygen = energy + waste

• Energy sources are macronutrients:

fats, carbohydrates and protein (plus alcohol)

• Respiratory processes need micronutrients:

vitamin B – for energy releasing enzymes liver and muscles
magnesium – for the same enzymes
iodine – controls rate of metabolism through thyroid hormones
iron and vitamin B – haemoglobin for oxygen transport in the blood

• Deficiency = fatigue and loss of many functions

 Excretion and Undernutrition

• Excretion eliminates the waste products of respiration,

drugs, toxins and some nutrients
• Waste is excreted by:
kidneys – water-soluble compounds: urea, drugs, sodium & other minerals
liver – fat-soluble drugs, hormones and some minerals
and also the lungs, intestines and skin

• Excretion processes need:

water – adequate blood volume and urine output
vitamins B, C and potassium – many enzyme processes in kidneys and liver
zinc – in cells for CO2 excretion (enzyme carbonic anhydrase)
excretion process require lots of energy

• Deficiency = reduced renal function

altered liver function
accumulation of waste products especially drugs
 Nutrition and Undernutrition
• The metabolism of nutrients are interlinked
• Being adequately nourished makes it easier to
obtain food and maintain a healthy metabolism:
vitamin D - absorption of calcium
zinc - metabolism of vitamin A
copper - absorption of iron

• Deficiency = changes in:

Appetite: iron - loss or alteration in appetite (pica),
zinc - loss of taste
vitamin B1 - nausea and delayed stomach emptying
Growth: protein/energy – reduced child growth and adult size and
reduced lifelong demand for all nutrients
Metabolism: one nutrient deficiency can cause another
Mobility: reduced ability to obtain food and feed themselves
 Sensitivity and Undernutrition

• Awareness of the external environment requires an

intact nervous system and specialized organs
• The sensory functions require different nutrients:
vitamin A – retinal function and health of the cornea
iodine - hearing and mental development in infants
zinc – taste and vision
vitamin B1 - touch sensitivity
vitamin B12 – vibration sense and position sense
iron, essential fats and vitamin B – higher mental function

• Deficiency = loss of sensory or neurological function

The loss is often characteristic of the specific nutrient
 Reproduction and Undernutrition

• Reproduction is a vital biological goal and

mammals have only a few (high quality) offspring
• Successful reproduction needs many nutrients
protein-energy, body weight (>40 kg) - age of menarche
protein-energy - regularity of periods
folic acid and vitamin B12 - miscarriage
folic acid and vitamin B12 – birth defects
protein-energy and iron – low birth weight
many nutrients in maternal diet - breast milk quality and infant nutrition
zinc and folic acid - male sperm quality

• Deficiency = infertility, reduced fertility

poor pregnancy outcome
The full consequences of nutritional deficiency on reproduction and
growth may take several generations to undo
 Growth and Undernutrition
• Growth is one of the four main uses of nutrients
(reproduction, maintenance and storage)

• Many nutrients are essential for good growth:

protein-energy essential at all ages for good growth
calcium and vitamin D – for skeletal growth from birth to early 20s
vitamin A – influences production of growth hormone in infants
iodine – deficiency results in reduced height and poor mental development
zinc – deficiency causes poor longitudinal growth and delayed puberty

• Deficiency = smaller birthweight

reduced growth
increased health risks in adult life
Catch-up growth is possible if deficiencies are corrected quickly
 Defence and Undernutrition
• Defence is a life characteristic for most organisms
• Defence mechanisms involve different organs:
protein-energy, vitamin A, vitamin B, zinc, copper – immunity (antibody
production and white cells)
vitamin C, zinc, essential fatty acids – skin quality and wound healing
iron, vitamin B – healthy gut wall
vitamin A - reduces the ability of bacteria to adhere to the respiratory tract
many nutrients - physical defence (muscles, skeleton, nerves)
many nutrients – needed for internal protection against cancer developing

• Deficiency = decline in defence mechanisms

death from infection, injury or cancer