ANC- 01

1st Part

Q  List 4 aspects of the study of nutrition.

A  a) food and nutrients 

b) processes of ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, and utilization of nutrients and disposal of end products 

c) social implications of eating 

d) economic implications of eating

 e) psychological implications of eating.

Q  Define health.

A  The state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Q  List the four dimensions of health. 

A  Physical, mental, social, spiritual

Q  "Good health cannot be achieved without good food." Comment on this statement in 2-3 sentences.

A  Good health cannot be achieved without good food. This statement is true because food provides us essential nutrients that are required to perform various body processes in our body. Since food is the source of nutrients, selecting and consuming the right types of food in the right amounts becomes important. If the diet is poor, it will lead to malnutrition (under-nutrition or over-nutrition) thus leading to ill health. 

Q  List three different aspects of the interrelationship between nutrition and health.

A  # Causation of diseases due to deficiency or excess amounts of nutrients;

 # effect of nutrients in preventing disease and quick recovery from diseases,

# good nutrition as one of the major factors ensuring good health.

Q  What do we mean by protein-sparing action of carbohydrates?

A  Both proteins & carbohydrates can be broken down in the body to provide energy. The main function of carbohydrates is to furnish energy for the body; this is not the case with proteins. The presence of carbohydrates in the diet takes care of the energy needs of the body and hence spares proteins for their chief function of growth and body-building. This function of carbohydrates is termed protein-sparing action.

Q  How are starches different from table sugar?

A  Starch is a very large molecule that is made up of many basic carbohydrate units or glucose. It is made of long chains of glucose (either straight or branched) whereas the table sugar which we commonly use at home is a much smaller molecule and made up of only two basic units-one units of glucose and one unit of fructose.

Q  Why are substances like cellulose or dietary fiber indigestible in the human digestive tract?

A  Substances like cellulose are termed indigestible because enzymes capable of bringing about their digestion are not present in the human digestive tract.

Q  What is the role of fiber in relieving constipation?

A  Dietary fiber present in food cannot be digested in the body. The unabsorbed food residue chiefly containing indigestible fiber absorbs water, gives bulk to the stools, and helps in their easy elimination from the body. Thus, fiber plays a vital role in relieving constipation.

Q  Define water balance 

A  Intake of water in the body (i.e. water as such and in the form of beverages, water from foods, water produced in the body from the metabolism of nutrients) is termed ingestion. Some amount of water is lost from the body during various body processes. This is termed as the excretion of water. Usually, in normal conditions, the body maintains a balance between the ingestion of water and the excretion of water. This is termed water balance. 

Q  How can we improve the protein quality of cereals?

A  Cereals are lacking in one of the essential amino acids (lysine). Their protein quality can be improved by combination with other foods that are rich in lysine i.e. pulses or animal foods like milk, egg, meat.

Q  How are saturated fatty acids different from unsaturated fatty acids?

A  Saturated fatty acids contain all the hydrogen atoms which the carbon chains can hold whereas in unsaturated fatty acids some of the hydrogen atoms are missing from the carbon chain. The degree of unsaturation will vary according to the number of missing hydrogen atoms. The two essential fatty acids are also unsaturated in nature.

Q  Name the two essential fatty acids.

A  Linoleic acid and linolenic acid.

Q  What are carotenoids? List the rich sources of beta carotene.

A  Carotenoids are yellow and orange colored pigments present in plant foods. These carotenoids can be converted to vitamin A in the body and hence are termed precursors of vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables, yellow and orange vegetables like carrot and pumpkin, and fruits like mango, papaya are rich sources of beta carotene.

Q  What are coenzymes?

A  Coenzymes are the substances which are required by enzymes to perform various activity in the body. They are also termed as helpers of enzymes. Specific coenzymes are needed for specific enzyme's actions. Most of the B vitamins act as coenzymes and help in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Q  Which B vitamins play a significant role in blood formation?

A  Folic acid and vitamin B12

Q  Give reasons for the following:

i)  Refined flours like maida and suji have less thiamine as compared to atta or whole wheat flour

A  Whole wheat flour has most of the bran and part of the germ layer in it and is a good source of thiamine. However, maida or refined flour has very little bran and germ. Since bran and germ are rich in thiamine and other B-complex vitamins, whole wheat flour is rich in thiamine while refined flour is poor in thiamine.

ii)  Milk can help to meet niacin needs

A  Milk is a rich source of tryptophan. Tryptophan can be converted to niacin. This is why milk can help to meet niacin needs.

iii)  Ascorbic acid is termed the "fresh food vitamin".

A   Ascorbic acid is called the 'fresh food vitamin' because it is present in substantial quantities in fresh fruits and vegetables.

iv)  Deficiency of thiamine in the diet can interfere with carbohydrate metabolism.

A  Thiamine is a part of coenzymes that play a role in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Deficiency of thiamine in the diet can, therefore, interfere with carbohydrate metabolism.

Q  Define the following.

a)  Extracellular fluid

A  Extracellular fluid is a fluid present outside the cell. Examples are blood plasma and the fluid surrounding the cell

b)  Intracellular fluid

A  Intracellular fluid is a fluid present inside the cells. 

c)  Fluid balance

A  Fluid balance refers to the balance between the fluids circulating within the cells and that circulating outside the cells. 

Q  List the foods containing inhibitors/enhancers that decrease/increase absorption of iron 

A   Foods containing enhancers-  protein-rich foods like milk; vitamin C-rich foods like oranges, lime.

Foods containing inhibitors-  green leafy vegetables, cereals

Q  Differentiate between requirement and recommended dietary intake.

A  Requirement refers to the minimum amount of a nutrient required to prevent deficiency and maintain satisfactory body levels of that nutrient for the majority of people. An additional safety margin for individual variation, cooking losses, periods of low intake is added to the required figure to arrive at the RDI.

Q  List four specific characteristics of an individual that determine the planning of balanced diets.

A  age, sex, activity, income, socio-economic/ religious/ regional considerations.