MPU3343 Nutrition and Public Health

Glossary
Chapter 9 Weight Management - Overweight, Obesity and Underweight

No Term / Word Definition / Meaning

Glossary
1 Behavior modification The changing of behavior by the manipulation of antecedents (cues or
environmental factors that trigger behavior), the behavior itself and
consequences (the penalties or rewards attached to behaviour).
2 Brown adipose tissue Masses of specialized fat cells packed with pigmented mitochondria that
produce heat instead of ATP.
3 Clinically severe A BMI of 40 or greater or a BMI of 35 or greater with additional
obesity medical problems. A less preferred term used to describe the same
condition is morbid obesity.
4 Epidemic (ep-ih- The appearance of a disease (usually infectious) or condition that attacks
DEM-ick) many people at the same time in the same region.
Epi = upon
Demos = people
5 Fad diets Popular eating plans that promise quick weight loss. Most fad diets
severely limit certain foods or overemphasize others (for example, never
eat potatoes or pasta or eat cabbage soup daily).
6 Gene pool All the genetic information of a population at a given time.
7 Ghrelin (GRELL-in) A protein produced by the stomach cells that enhances appetite and
decreases energy expenditure.
Ghre = growth
8 Leptin A protein produced by fat cells under direction of the ob gene that
decreases appetite and increases energy expenditure.
Leptos = thin
9 Lipoprotein lipase An enzyme that hydrolyzes triglycerides passing by in the bloodstream
(LPL) and directs their parts into the cells, where they can be metabolized or
reassembled for storage.
10 Obesogenic (oh-BES- All the factors surrounding a person that promote weight gain, such as
oh-JEN-ick) increased food intake, especially of unhealthy choices and decreased
environment physical activity.
11 Set point The point at which controls are set (for example, on a thermostat). The
set-point theory that relates to body weight proposes that the body tends
to maintain a certain weight by means of its own internal controls.
12 Successful weight-loss Achieving a weight loss of at least 10 percent of initial body weight and
maintenance maintaining the loss for at least one year.
13 Underweight A body weight so low as to have adverse health effects; generally
defined as BMI <18.5.
14 Weight management Maintaining body weight in a healthy range by preventing gradual
weight gains over time and losing weight if overweight and by
preventing weight losses and gaining weight if underweight.