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Lecture 02

Vitamins

Organic substances

Essential nutrients required in small amounts by the body for health.

There are 13 different vitamins, 9 are water-soluble, 4 are water-insoluble (fat-soluble).

The Inorganic Nutrients: Minerals & Water

Minerals: Inorganic elements or compounds, some of which are essential nutrients.

Two groups:

1. The major minerals: Ca2+; P; K+; Na+; Cl-; Mg2+

2. The trace elements: For example, Fe. More than 13 trace elements are essential to good
health

Water:

Humans are aqueous systems containing about 60% water by weight (adults).

Lean tissue is 75% water; fat tissue contains less than 25% water.

Recommended water intake is 1 to 1.5 mL/kcal expended/day, so if a person expends 2,000

kcal/day, 2 to 3 liters (about 2 to 3 quarts) of water are recommended.

Macronutrients versus Micronutrients

Macronutrients: Nutrients needed by the body in large amounts.

These include water and the nutrients that provide energy and building blocks: carbohydrates, fats,
and protein.

Micronutrients: Nutrients needed by the body in small amounts.

These include vitamins and minerals.
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The Science of Nutrition

The Scientific Method

Observation Hypothesis Experiment Theory

The first step in science is to make an observation.

"A greater percentage of people in the U.S. get colon cancer than in Japan"

The second step is to propose one or more explanation(s) for your observation.

This explanation is called a hypothesis or a series of hypotheses. Several possible hypotheses:

1.

2.

3.

The third step is to carry out experiments to test the various hypotheses:

Experiment 1: Review the medical records of Japanese people living in the U.S.

Result:

Experiment 2: Feed a group of native Japanese a diet similar to the American diet.

Result:

The fourth step is to propose a theory based on the evidence gained from experiments:

Theory: "Some aspect of the American ___________ contributes to the development of colon
cancer."

Theories are validated hypotheses, hypotheses that are viewed as probable in light of experimental
evidence. With an overwhelming preponderance of experimental evidence supporting a theory, the
theory acquires acceptance as scientific fact (Figure 1-3).
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Nutrition Research: Figure 1-4: research designs

Epidemiological studies

Case-control studies

Animal studies

Human Intervention (Clinical trials)

Experimental Design:

*Two groups: the experimental group and the control group

*Large sample size

*Placebos

*Double blind experiments

*Correlations and Causes. For example, vitamin C and colds

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Dietary Reference Intakes:

Estimated Average Requirements (EARs)

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs)

Adequate Intakes (AIs)

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels

Estimated Average Requirement - Figure 1-5

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) - Figure 1-5

The nutrient RDA versus the energy RDA:

The nutrient RDA is set so to satisfy nearly everyone's requirement for the particular nutrient.

The energy RDA is set at the average energy need for a population.

Adequate Intake: Adequate Intakes are set when insufficient scientific information is available to
estimate an EAR or specify an RDA.

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels - Figure 1-6

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Nutrition Assessment of Individuals:

*Historical information

*Anthropometric data

*Physical examination

*Laboratory tests

Primary versus Secondary Nutritional Deficiency (Figure 1-8)

Primary deficiency -

Secondary deficiency -

Diet and Disease:

Four of the ten leading causes of death (Table 1-6) in the U.S have
relationships with diet, the first 3 leading causes:

1.

2.

3.

and the seventh leading cause

Internet Activity: check out www.quackwatch.com This site exposes lots of fraudulent
health and medical claims (among other things), some of which are relevant to nutrition.