This chapter introduces key concepts in nutrition science including the definition of nutrition, major nutrient classes, how foods provide energy, and how nutrition research is conducted. It discusses that nutrition involves a variety of scientific disciplines focused on foods and their impact on human health. Nutrition is defined as the organic and inorganic substances obtained through foods that are necessary for growth, maintenance of life, and prevention of disease. The major nutrient classes that provide energy and support life include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, water, vitamins, and minerals. Nutrition research uses the scientific method and different study designs to understand relationships between nutrients and health outcomes.

1. The Science of Nutrition
Chapter 1

2. Introduction
• Quality of life
• Foods we choose to eat
• Immediate health
• Risk of disease
• Science
• Hope and controversy
• Nutrition and human health
• Deficiencies and abundance

3. What Do We Mean by
“Nutrition”?
• Nutrition
• Variety of scientific disciplines
• Nutritional scientists
• Dietitians
• RD credential
• Nutritional sciences

4. What Do We Mean by
“Nutrition”?
• Nutrients
• Evolving definition
• Six categories
• Macronutrients
• Micronutrients
• Essential nutrients
• Nonessential nutrients
• Conditionally essential nutrients

5. Micronutrients vs.
Macronutrients

6. What Do We Mean by
“Nutrition”?
• Nutrients
• Organic compounds
• Inorganic compounds
• “Certified Organic”
foods
• National Organic
Standards Board
(NOSB)
• Reading labels

7. What Do We Mean by
“Nutrition”?
• Phytochemicals
• Health-promoting substances found in plants
• Zoonutrients
• Health-promoting substances found in animal
foods
• Functional foods
• Enhanced amounts of traditional nutrients
• Phytochemicals
• Zoonutrients

8. What Are the Major Nutrient
Classes?
• Carbohydrates
• Elements
• Types
• Glucose
• Primary source of energy
• Roles

9. What Are the Major Nutrient
Classes?
• Proteins
• Sources
• Elements
• Roles
• Lipids
• Sources
• Types
• Elements
• Roles

10. What Are the Major Nutrient
Classes?
• Water
• Roles
• Vitamins
• Elements
• Roles
• Types
• Minerals
• Roles

11. How Do Foods Provide Energy?
• Energy
• Capacity of a physical system to do work
• Energy-yielding nutrients
• Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
• Energy measurement
• Calorie
• Bomb calorimeter

12. Bomb Calorimeter

13. How Do Foods Provide Energy?
• Estimating food calories
• Carbohydrates and proteins – 4 kcal/gram
• Lipids – 9 kcal/gram
• Alcohol – 7 kcal/gram
• Percentage of energy from energy-yielding
nutrients
• Recommendations

14. How Is Nutrition Research
Conducted?
• Scientific method
• Step 1: making an observation
• Appropriate and accurate observation
• Step 2: proposing a hypothesis
• Two types of hypotheses
• Simple vs. complex relationships
– Interactions

15. Simple Relationships vs.
Complex Relationships

16. How Is Nutrition Research
Conducted?
• Scientific method
• Step 3: testing the hypothesis
• Epidemiological studies
– Correlational relationships only
– Framingham Heart Study
– NHANES
– Advantages and limitations

17. • Scientific method
• Step 3: testing the hypothesis
• Intervention studies
– Test for causality
– Control group
– Types of biases
– Controlling for biases
– Advantages and limitations of human studies
– Animal and cell culture studies

18. The Ideal Nutrition Intervention
Study

19. Are All Nutrition Claims
Believable?
• Determine the source of the information
• Primary sources
• Reputable publications
• Credibility of the researchers
• Qualified and knowledgeable
• Who paid for the research?
• Evaluate the experimental design
• Do public health organizations concur?

20. Some Reliable Source of
Nutrition Information

21. Nutrition and Health: What Is the
Connection?
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
• Use of rates
• Mortality rate
• Infant mortality rate
• Morbidity rates
• Incidence and prevalence
• Life expectancy
• Graying of America

22. Changes in Life Expectancy and
IMR Since 1900

23. Nutrition and Health: What Is the
Connection?
• Disease
• Infectious
• Noninfectious
• Autoimmune diseases
• Chronic degenerative diseases
• Disease etiology
• Leading causes of death
• Risk factors
• Nutrition transition

24. Five Leading Causes of Death in
1902, 1950, and 2007