GlossaryActivity level - The generalized measurement of the movement of one's body. In The DINE System, five levels of activity are described from "sedentary" to "very active."
Adult-onset diabetes - An abnormal functioning of carbohydrate metabolism, characterized by excess blood glucose that occurs in adults. Technically, this type is classified as "non-insulin dependent" or "type 2" diabetes. The majority of patients improve with weight loss and are maintained on diet therapy, sometimes assisted by an oral blood-glucose lowering medication.
Aerobic activity - Activities that elevate the heart rate.
Amino acids - The structural units of proteins. There are eight "essential" amino acids, that is, those that cannot be synthesized by the body and are required in the diet. The remainder is considered "nonessential", that is, they can be manufactured by the body.
Anabolic steroid - A drug that functions in a manner similar to that of the male hormone testosterone specifically by contributing to male secondary sec characteristics such as increased strength and muscle mass.
Anaerobic activity - Activities using muscle groups at high intensities that exceed the body's capacity to use oxygen to supply energy.
Anorexia - A psychological condition in which one is overly concerned with weight loss and possesses a distorted body image.
Appetite - The psychosocial desire to eat.
Arteriosclerosis - Disease characterized by hardening and thickening of the walls of the arteries.
Atherosclerosis - A type of arteriosclerosis in which cholesterol, fat, and other blood components build up on the inner lining of the arteries. As atherosclerosis progresses, the arteries to the heart may narrow so that oxygen-rich blood and nutrients have difficulty reaching the heart.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) - The rate at which the body uses energy for maintaining minimal bodily functions, such as body temperature, respiration, and heart beat, when at rest.
Biochemical - Characterized by, produced by, or involving chemical reactions in living organisms.
Blood cholesterol - Cholesterol that is manufactured in the liver and absorbed from the food you eat and is carried in the blood for use by all parts of the body. A high level of blood cholesterol leads to atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
Bulimia - A psychological condition in which one alternates binging on large amounts of food then purging by laxatives or self-induced vomiting.
Calcium/phosphorus ratio - The ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the diet. A ratio of 1:1.5 in adults and 1:1 in children in pregnant women is recommended.
Calorie - A measure of the amount of energy required to perform a specific task, expressed as heat produced by the body; specifically, the heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water (at 1 atmosphere of pressure) 1 centigrade degree; also called a kilocalorie. A Calorie differs from a calorie in that the amount of water used in the measure of a calorie is 1 gram; therefore, 1,000 calories equals 1 Calorie. The common term used is Calorie but is often spelled with a lower case "c."
Calorie-dense foods - Foods with a great number of calories per relatively small volume of that food. These calories may be "nutrient dense" (containing many essential nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals) or "empty" (containing little or no essential nutrients).
Carcinogen - Cancer-causing.
Carbohydrate - One of the three nutrients that supply calories (energy) to the body. Carbohydrate provides 4 calories per gram - the same number of calories as pure protein and less than half the calories of fat. Carbohydrate provides 4 calories per gram - the same number of calories as pure protein and less than half the calories of fat. Carbohydrate is essential for normal body function. There are two basic kinds of carbohydrate - simple carbohydrate (or sugars) and complex carbohydrate (starches and fiber). In nature, both the simple sugars and the complex starches come packaged in foods like oranges, apples, corn, wheat, and milk. Refined or processed carbohydrates are found in cookies, cakes, and pies.
Cardiorespiratory fitness - The level of capability of the body's cardiovascular and respiratory systems to continue or persist in strenuous tasks involving large muscle groups for extended periods of time.
Cardiovascular disease - Disease process involving the heart and blood vessels.
Cariogenic - Causing dental caries (cavities).
Carotene - A precursor (a substance from which another substance is formed) of vitamin A, found in plant products.
Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) - a person who has completed a master's or doctoral-level program at an accredited college or university in nutrition science and has meet the standards and passed the certifying examination by the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists (CBNS).
Cholesterol - A soft, waxy substance. It is made in sufficient quantity by the body for normal body function, including the manufacture of hormones, bile acid, and vitamin D. It is present in all parts of the body, including the nervous system, muscle, skin, liver, intestines, and heart.
Cirrhosis of the liver - A serious and chronic disease of the liver characterized by the formation of lumps on the liver, as well as reduction and death of liver cells, faulty blood circulation in the liver and scarring of remaining tissues in the liver. It can result from malnutrition and excessive alcohol intake.
Constant factors - Factors that cannot be changed through behavior, such as age, sex, and height.
Coronary heart disease - Heart ailment caused by narrowing of the coronary arteries (arteries that supply oxygen and nutrients directly to the heart muscle). Coronary heart disease is caused by atherosclerosis, which decreases the blood supply to the heart muscle. The inadequate supply of oxygen-rich blood and nutrients may damage the heart muscle and can lead to chest pain, heart attack, and death.
Daily Reference Value (DRV) - Level of recommended intake for adults and children over age four for macronutrient sources of energy including fats, carbohydrates, protein, and cholesterol, sodium and potassium.
Daily Value (DV) - Comprises the Daily Reference Values (DRV) and Reference Daily Intakes (RDI). The daily values on the food label are based on a daily diet of 2000 and 2500 calories. These numbers help consumers assess how a food fits into a healthy diet.
Dehydration - Excessive loss of water from body tissues.
Dental caries - A progressive destruction of teeth.
Diabetes Mellitus - An abnormal functioning of carbohydrate metabolism characterized by excess blood sugar, caused by a lack of the hormone insulin which is secreted by the pancreas.
Diet - Foods and beverages regularly consumed; a prescribed course or allowance of food.
Dietary Analysis - Analysis of the nutrient components of foods and beverages consumed. This may be performed manually or with the use of a computer.
Dietary cholesterol - Cholesterol that is in the food you eat. It is present only in foods of animal origin, not in foods of plant origin. Dietary cholesterol, like saturated fat, tends to raise blood cholesterol, which increases the risk for heart disease.
Dietary fiber - The parts of plants that are indigestible by the human body. These plant fibers include cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, mucilages and gums, and pectin.
Eating behavior - Consists of those behaviors related to the ingestion of food.
Energy balance - The intake of calories (energy) that meets the body's requirement for maintenance of body weight.
Energy overbalance - The intake of calories (energy) that exceeds the body's requirement for maintenance of body weight. The result is an increase in body weight (increased energy storage). Also called "positive energy balance."
Energy underbalance - The intake of calories (energy) that does not meet the body's requirement for maintenance of body weight. The result is weight loss (use of stored energy). Also called "negative energy balance."
Epidemiology - Branch of medicine dealing with the study of various factors that determine the frequency and distribution of disease in given populations.
Essential amino acids - Those amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that the human body cannot synthesize, and therefore must be obtained from the diet.
Etiology - The causes of a specific disease.
Exercise - Planned and structured, repetitive body movements to improve or maintain flexibility, strength, cardiovascular health, or physical skills. Exercise involves bodily exertion for the sake of developing and maintaining physical fitness.
Fat - One of the three nutrients that supply calories to the body. Fat provides 9 calories per gram, more than twice the number provided by carbohydrate or protein. In addition to providing calories, fat helps in the absorption of certain vitamins. Small amounts of fat are necessary for normal body function.
Fat soluble vitamins - Vitamins which are soluble in a lipid medium, namely, vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Fatty tissue - Technically called adipose, it is connective tissue in which fat is stored and which has the cells distended by droplets of fat.
Fiber - A non-digestible type of complex carbohydrate. High-fiber foods are usually low in calories. Foods high in fiber include whole grain breads and cereals, whole fruits, and dried beans. The type of fiber found in foods such as oat and barley bran, some fruits like apples and oranges, and some dried beans may help reduce blood cholesterol.
Fitness - The ability to carry out your normal everyday tasks without undue fatigue and still have ample energy remaining to enjoy your scheduled daily physical activities and/or exercise.
Food environment - Locations, sights, sounds, smells, situations, etc. in which food is purchased, prepared and consumed.
Food Record - The form used to record foods and beverages consumed for a 24-hour period.
Food supplementation - Addition of macronutrients or micronutrients to the diet beyond that of normal food intake.
Gram (gm) - A unit weight. There are about 28 gm in one ounce. Dietary fat, protein, and carbohydrate are measured in grams.
Health Educator - A professional who develops, implements, and conducts research on programs of information and persuasion designed to improve health behavior. A Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) has had their program of study approved by the National Commission For Health Education Credentialing.
Heart Disease - An abnormal condition of the heart or of the heart and circulation that interferes with the function of the organ.
High blood cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) - An elevated blood cholesterol level. High blood cholesterol is one of three main controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease.
High blood pressure (hypertension) - An abnormally high reading of the pressure exerted by the blood against the inner walls of the blood vessels. Over time this can cause a variety of problems including kidney disease and stroke.
High density lipoproteins (HDL) - Lipoproteins that contain a small amount of cholesterol and carry cholesterol away from body cells and tissues to the liver for excretion from the body. Low levels of HDL are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. The higher the HDL level, the better.
Hunger - The physiological need for food.
Hydrogenation - A commercial process that changes liquid vegetable oils (unsaturated fat) into a more solid fat. This process improves the shelf life of the product - but also decreases the polyunsaturated fat content. Many commercial food products contain hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Hypertension - An elevated blood pressure (see high blood pressure).
Hypothalamus - A part of the mid-brain containing vital autonomic regulatory centers, including that which regulates hunger.
Ideal Caloric Level (ICL) - The amount of calories that an individual needs daily to maintain a specific body weight.
Ideal Caloric Range - Personalized guidelines for daily caloric intake. The range is 5% above and 5% below an individual's ICL.
Lean body mass (LBM) - Total body mass minus total fat mass. Lean body mass is comprised of muscle, bones, and internal organs.
Lipids - Fatty substances.
Lipoproteins - Protein-coated packages that carry fat and cholesterol through the blood. Lipoproteins are classified according to their density.
Longevity - The length of life.
Longevity studies - Research related to the factors affecting length of life.
Low density lipoproteins (LDL) - Lipoproteins that contain the largest amount of cholesterol in the blood. LDL is responsible for depositing cholesterol in the artery walls. High levels of LDL are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
Macronutrients - The nutrients needed by the body in relatively large amounts; the nutrients that supply energy (calories), namely, protein, fat, and carbohydrate.
Metabolism - Chemical changes involved in the utilization of nutrients and the functioning of the body. General term for both anabolism and catabolism.
Micronutrients - The nutrients needed by the body in relatively small amounts, these include vitamins and minerals. Micronutrients do not supply energy (calories) themselves but are needed for the utilization of the macronutrients.
Milligrams (mg) - A unit of weight equal to one-thousandth of a gram. There are about 28,350 mg in one ounce. Most vitamins and minerals are measured in milligrams.
Milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL) - A way of expressing concentration: in blood cholesterol measurements, the weight of cholesterol (in milligrams) in a deciliter of blood). A deciliter is about one-tenth of a quart.
Minerals - Inorganic compounds, some of which are vital to human nutrition. Three examples are iron, calcium, and phosphorus.
Monounsaturated fat - A slightly unsaturated fat that is found in greatest amounts in foods from plants, including olive and canola (rapeseed) oil. When substituted for saturated fat, monounsaturated fat helps reduce blood cholesterol.
Muscle mass - The amount of tissue in the body that is capable of motion. Muscle is considered to be "metabolically active tissue," that is, it requires energy to exist. Therefore, the more muscle one has, the more energy (calories) that is needed.
Nitrogen - A colorless, tasteless, odorless element that is a constituent of all living tissues.
Nutrient analysis - The separation of the nutrient components of a food or foods for examination.
Nutrient composition - The nourishing chemical substances that make up a food.
Nutrient-dense foods - The ratio of the nutritive value of a food or diet to its caloric contribution; that is, a very nutrient dense food contains a high proportion of essential nutrients in relationship to its calories.
Nutrients - Nourishing organic or inorganic substances in food that can be digested, absorbed and metabolized by the body.
Nutrition - (1) The sum of the processes by which an animal or plant takes in and utilizes food substances: ingestion, digestion, absorption and assimilation. (2) The scientific study of these processes.
Nutritional environment - Includes the nutrient composition of one's diet as well as the behavioral dimensions of that diet.
Nutritional intake - The ingestion of nutrients that contribute to the nourishment of the body.
Nutritional science - The study of the processes involved in the utilization of food substances.
Nutritionist - An expert in the field of nutrition science who has successfully completed an education program approved by the American College of Nutrition or the American Dietetic Association. However, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist without being qualified. It is wise to check the qualifications of anyone claiming to be a nutritionist (see Certified Nutrition Specialist or Registered Dietitian).
Obesity - The condition of weighing at least 20% more than one's ideal body weight, with the excess consisting of fat rather than water, muscle, or bone.
Omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) - A type of polyunsaturated fat found in fish, seafood, and some other foods. It is found in greatest amounts in fatty fish.
Osteoporosis - A clinical disorder characterized by the reduction in the total quantity of bone in the body.
Overweight - A condition in which the body weighs more than the norm. The excess weight can technically be water, fat, or muscle, but the term is most commonly used in reference to excess fat.
P/S ratio - The ratio of polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat in the diet. A ratio of 1:1 or greater or recommended.
Percent Daily Value (DV) - Percentage DV on a food label shows how a food fits into the overall daily diet based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Phenylketonuria (PKU) - Condition in which phenylalanine (an amino acid) is not metabolized properly because of an inborn error, and thus accumulates in the blood, causing brain damage early in life.
Physical activity - Bodily movement produced by muscles that require energy expenditure at a level that enhances health that is quantifies by the amount of motion performed by the body.
Physical inactivity - A level of inactivity that is less than what is needed to maintain good health.
Physiological hunger - The body's need for food stimulated by internal body processes.
Polyunsaturated fat - A highly unsaturated fat that is found in greatest amounts in foods from plants, including safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. When substituted for saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat helps reduce blood cholesterol.
Protein - One of the three nutrients that supply calories to the body. Protein provides 4 calories per gram, which is less than half the calories of fat. Protein is an essential nutrient that becomes a component of many parts of the body, including muscle, bone, skin, and blood.
Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) - The levels of intake of essential nutrients considered, in the judgment of the Committee on Dietary Allowances of the Food and Nutrition Board, on the basis of available scientific knowledge, to be adequate to meet the nutritional needs of practically all healthy persons.
Refined sugar - A sweet substance manufactured from sugar cane or sugar beet. Refined sugar is used as table sugar or used in food processing and preparation. This differs from "naturally occurring" sugars such as those which occur in fruits (fructose) and in milk (lactose).
Registered Dietitian (RD) - An individual who has completed an undergraduate degree in the field of nutrition and diet science and who has successfully completed a 12-month internship and has met the requirements for registration by the American Dietetic Association.
Respiratory infections - A viral or bacterial contamination of the organs involved in breathing.
Retinol - The active form of vitamin A.
Risk factor - A factor related to a disease but not necessarily a cause of that disease.
Satiety - The feeling of fullness and satisfaction after ingestion of food.
Saturated Fat - A type of fat found in greatest amounts in foods from animals such as meat, poultry, and whole milk dairy products like cream, milk, ice cream, and cheese. Other examples of saturated fat include butter, the marbling and fat along the edges of meat, butter, and lard. And the saturated fat content is high in some vegetable oils - like coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils. Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol more than anything else in the diet.
Serum cholesterol - The amount of cholesterol found in the blood (serum).
Sodium/potassium ratio - The ratio between sodium and potassium in the diet. The recommended ratio equals 1.00 or less.
Stroke - An interruption of circulation in one of the arteries supplying the brain. It may be caused by a hemorrhage, blood clot, or by part of a clot or atherogenic plaque breaking off and being carried to the brain from a distant site.
Total fat - The sum of the saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats present in food. A mixture of all three in varying amounts is found in most foods.
Toxic - Poisonous to the body.
Triglycerides - A fat made of glycerol and three fatty acids. Sometimes called a "neutral fat," it is synthesized from carbohydrate and stored in adipose tissue.
Unsaturated fat - A type of fat that is usually liquid at refrigerator temperature. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are two kinds of unsaturated fat.
Variable factors - Factors that can be modified by behavior, such as weight and activity level.
Vitamins - Organic compounds the body requires in very small amounts to perform its essential functions.
Water-soluble vitamins - Those vitamins that are soluble in water, namely, the B-vitamins and vitamin C.
Submenu
|