2. Outline
• Definition of human nutrition
• Definition of terms
• Discovery of nutrition as a science
3. Introduction
• Human Nutrition : A scientific discipline, concerned with the
access and utilization of food and nutrients for life, health,
growth, development and well-being of persons.
• Nutrition is the process by which people can ingest, digest,
absorb, transport, utilize and excrete food substances.
• Is study of food in relation to man, and vise versa
5. Definition of terms
• Nutrition is about the nutrients contained in food, their action,
interaction and balance in relation to health and disease.
• Nutrition deals with the nutrients
– characteristics & functions,
– body’s quantitative need for them
– their food sources,
– the effect of an inadequate/ excessive intake
6. Definition of terms
• Food: -is defined as any solid or liquid which when ingested
will enable the body to carry out any of its life function.
• Diet: is the sequence of meals in a day
• It is concerned about the eating style of individuals or a
group.(culture, religion, Geography, climate, economy....can
affect it)
• Malnutrition: - is the condition that results from an imbalance
between dietary intake and requirements.
– It includes under nutrition, which results from less food
intake and hard physical work and over nutrition results
from excess food intake and less physical activities.
7. • Nutrient: is an active ingredient in the food that play specific
structural or functional role in the body’s lively activities.
– Nutrients are the substances in food that the body uses to
function properly.
– Nutrients are used by the body to provide energy and to
support growth, maintenance and repair of body tissues.
– Over 50 nutrients are essential to health & growth
8. Cont…
• There are several ways to classify the classes of nutrients.
– Essential or nonessential
– Organic or inorganic
– Macronutrient or micronutrient
– Energy yielding or not
9. Exciting journey of development of
nutrition
• The idea of nutrition existed during the ancient times
• Hippocrates (460-359 B.C)
• “Persons who are naturally very fat are apt to die earlier than
those who are slender.”
• Leonardo daVinci (1452-1519).
• “--- If you do not supply nourishment equal to the nourishment
departed, life will fail in vigor ---”
10. Origin & Development
• Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794) “father of nutrition”
compiled previous findings to explain the phenomenon of
respiration.
• 19th century-notable discoveries in nutrition:
- Isolation of glycogen & different amino acids
- Chemical methods for analysis of foodstuffs developed
- Studies on protein composition & energy studies in animals…
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11. Origin & Development
20th century-great advancements
Researches:
- vitamins discovered; essential amino acids & certain minerals
found to be essential; nutrition studies at cellular level…
- Gained emphasis in the international agenda:
World food & Nutrition Summits, UN Declarations & Commitments
International agencies working on food & nutrition
Nations with food & nutrition policies
The end of the 20th century gave priority for the role of nutrition through the
MDG.
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12. Significance of Nutrition in general
• To grow physically & develop mentally, it is the right of every child to
be well fed and well nourished
• Malnutrition in the womb and between birth and age 2 years (the “first
1000 days”) has largely irreversible consequences: it damages a
child’s physical growth and mental development.
• Young children and their mothers need special attention.
• Important to ensure that all household members, especially sick and
old people eat healthy sustainable diets.
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13. Significance of Nutrition…
• However, climate change, increasing urban populations, unstable
food prices, and changing lifestyles are affecting nutrition, thus
nutrition is higher up the political agenda than previous time.
• In every country, there are undernourished children and adults,
increasing number of obese adults and children, an ageing
population, and growing number of NCDs.
This indicates that all health and nutrition workers around the world
must share skills and experiences.
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