UNDERSTANDING

NUTRITION SCIENCE
 INTRODUCTION
LIFE CAN BE SUSTAINED ONLY WITH ADEQUATE NOURISHMENT. MAN NEEDS
FOOD FOR GROWTH DEVELOPMENT AND TO LEAD ACTIVE, PRODUCTIVE AND
HEALTHY LIFE.
FOOD IS ESSENTIAL IT PROVIDES VITAL NUTRIENTS FOR SURVIVAL, AND
HELPS THE BODY FUNCTION AND STAY HEALTHY. FOOD IS COMPRISED OF
MACRONUTRIENTS INCLUDING PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATE, FAT AND
MICRONUTRIENTS WHICH INCLUDES VITAMINS AND MINERALS. THESE
NUTRIENTS NOT ONLY OFFER CALORIES TO FUEL THE BODY AND GIVE IT
ENERGY BUT PLAY SPECIFIC ROLES IN MAINTAINING HEALTH.
 DEFINATIONS:-
• NUTRITION:- IS THE SCIENCE OF FOOD, THE NUTRIENTS AND OTHER SUBSTANCE
THEY CONTAIN, AND OF THEIR ACTIONS WITHIN THE BODY INCLUDING INGESTION,
DIGESTION, ABSORPTION, TRANSPORT, METABOLISM, AND EXCRETION.

• A BROADER DEFINITION ALSO INCLUDES THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATION OF FOOD AND EATING.

• FOOD:- PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM PLANTS OR ANIMALS THAT CAN BE TAKEN

INTO BODY TO YIELD ENERGY AND NUTRIENTS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE
LIFE AND THE GROWTH AND REPAIR OF TISSUES.

• NUTRIENTS:- ARE THE CONSTITUENTS IN FOOD THAT MUST BE SUPPLIED TO THE

BODY IN SUITABLE AMOUNTS. THESE INCLUDE CARBOHYDRATES, FATS, PROTEINS,
MINERALS, VITAMINS, WATER.

• DIET:- THE FOODS AND BEVERAGES A PERSON EATS AND DRINKS

 NUTRITION SCIENCE
• NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE ALSO KNOWN AS NUTRITION SCIENCE IS THE SCIENCE THAT
STUDIES THE PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESS OF NUTRITION (PRIMARILY HUMAN NUTRITION),
INTERPRETING THE NUTRIENTS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES IN FOOD IN RELATION TO
MAINTENANCE, GROWTH, REPRODUCTION, HEALTH AND DISEASE OF AN ORGANISM. IN
ADDITION NUTRITION IS CONCERNED WITH SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF FOOD AND EATING.

• HEALTH IS DEFINED AS STATE OF COMPLETE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL WELL BEING
AND NOT MERELY THE ABSENCE OF DISEASE AND INFIRMITY.

• NUTRIENTS ARE THE CONSTITUENTS IN FOOD THAT MUST BE SUPPLIED TO THE BODY IN
SUITABLE AMOUNTS. THESE INCLUDE CARBOHYDRATES, FATS, PROTEINS, MINERALS,
VITAMINS AND WATER.

• NUTRITIONAL STATUS IS THE CONDITION OF HEALTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL AS INFLUENCED

BY THE UTILIZATION OF THE NUTRIENTS.

• OPTIMAL NUTRITION IS THE CONDITION WHEN ALL THE REQUIRED NUTRIENTS ARE MET.
• NUTRITION SECURITY IS AN ACCESS TO ALL NUTRIENTS IN OPTIMUM QUANTITY.
• MALNUTRITION IS A PATHOLOGICAL STATE RESULTING FROM A RELATIVE
OR ABSOLUTE DEFICIENCY OR EXCESS OF ONE OR MORE ESSENTIAL
NUTRIENTS. IT COMPRISES FOUR FORMS:

• UNDER NUTRITION

• OVER NUTRITION

• IMBALANCE

• SPECIFIC DEFICIENCY

• PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION FOCUSES ON THE PROMOTION OF GOOD

HEALTH THROUGH NUTRITION, PRIMARY PREVENTION OF NUTRITION
RELATED ILLNESS AND MAINTAINING THE NUTRITIONAL HEALTH OF
POPULATIONS.
 HISTORY OF NUTRITION
• BEFORE 1785 MANY SCHOLARS HAD PUBLISHED THEIR IDEAS ABOUT HOW THE FOOD WE ATE WAS
IN OUR BODIES, BUT IT WAS ONLY WITH THE SO CALLED “CHEMICAL REVOLUTION” IN FRANCE
AT THE END OF THE 18TH CENTURY, WITH ITS IDENTIFICATION OF THE MAIN ELEMENTS AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS, THE OLD AND NEW IDEAS BEGAN TO BE
TESTED IN A QUANTITATIVE, SCIENTIFIC WAY.
• THE FINDING WITH IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS THAT WAS REPORTED TO FRENCH ACADEMY
OF SCIENCES IN 1785 BY CLAUDE BERTHOLLET. HE HAD FOUND THAT THE VAPOUR THAT
CAME FROM DECOMPOSING ANIMAL MATTER WAS AMMONIA, AND THAT THIS GAS WAS
COMPOSED OF THREE VOLUMES OF HYDROGEN AND ONE VOLUME OF NITROGEN.
• MANY OF THE CHEMISTS INVOLVED IN THE “CHEMICAL REVOLUTION” IN FRANCE, INCLUDING ITS
MOST FAMOUS MEMBER ANTONIE LAVOISIER, ALSO HAD AN INTEREST IN METABOLISM. HE IS
OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE ‘FATHER OF SCIENCE OF NUTRITION .
• IN COLLABORATION WITH HIS ASSISTANT ARMAND SEGUIN , HE MEASURED HUMAN RESPIRATORY
OUTPUT OF CARBONIC ACID (WHICH WE NOW KNOW AS CARBONDIOXIDE , BOTH AT REST AND
WHEN LIFTING WEIGHTS AND SHOWED HOW IT INCREASED WITH ACTIVITY. THE STUDIES OF
LEIBIG IN 1842, SHOWED THAT IT WAS NOT CARBON AND HYDROGEN WHICH WERE BURNT IN THE
BODY BUT CARBOHYDRATES, FATS AND PROTEINS.
• REGNAULT (1849) FIRST DETERMINED THE RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT, THAT IS, RATIO
OF VOLUME OF CO2 EXPIRED TO O2 CONSUMED IN ANIMALS. CARL VOIT (1862)
DETERMINED THE ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF HUMAN ADULTS. ATWATER STUDIED
THE ENERGY OUTPUT OF HUMAN SUBJECTS USING THE HUMAN RESPIRATION
CALORIMETER AND RELATED THE ENERGY OUTPUT TO OXYGEN CONSUMPTION.

• PROTIEN NUTRITION. CARL VOIT AND CO-WORKERS CARRIED OUT PIONEERING

STUDIES ON PROTEIN METABOLISM AND PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS. THEY SHOWED
THAT PROTEIN CONSUMED IN EXCESS, WAS NOT STORED BUT OXIDISED TO UREA
AND EXCRETED IN URINE. VOIT AND CHITTENDEN CARRIED OUT EXTENSIVE
STUDIES ON THE PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS. FOLIN CONDUCTED STUDIES ON PROTEIN
METABOLISM .
 IDENTIFICATION OF FOOD FACTORS
• BIOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS SUCH AS HUNGER, APPETITE, AND TASTE
• ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS SUCH AS COST, INCOME, AVAILABILITY
• PHYSICAL DETERMINANTS SUCH AS ACCESS, EDUCATION, SKILLS (E.G. COOKING) AND TIME
• SOCIAL DETERMINANTS SUCH AS CULTURE, FAMILY, PEERS AND MEAL PATTERNS
• PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS SUCH AS MOOD, STRESS AND GUILT
• ATTITUDES, BELIEFS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT FOOD.
1. BIOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS

HUNGER AND SATIETY:

•HUMANS NEED ENERGY AND NUTRIENTS IN ORDER TO SURVIVE AND WILL RESPOND TO THE
FEELINGS OF HUNGER AND SATIETY (SATISFACTION OF APPETITE, STATE OF NO HUNGER BETWEEN
TWO EATING OCCASIONS). THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IS INVOLVED IN CONTROLLING THE
BALANCE BETWEEN HUNGER, APPETITE STIMULATION AND FOOD INTAKE.

PALATABILITY

•PALATABILITY IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE PLEASURE SOMEONE EXPERIENCES WHEN EATING A

PARTICULAR FOOD. IT IS DEPENDENT ON THE SENSORY PROPERTIES OF THE FOOD SUCH AS TASTE,
SMELL, TEXTURE AND APPEARANCE.
SENSORY ASPECTS
• ‘TASTE’ IS CONSISTENTLY REPORTED AS A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON FOOD BEHAVIOUR. IN REALITY
‘TASTE’ IS THE SUM OF ALL SENSORY STIMULATION THAT IS PRODUCED BY THE INGESTION OF A
FOOD. THIS INCLUDES NOT ONLY TASTE PER SE BUT ALSO SMELL, APPEARANCE AND TEXTURE OF
FOOD. THESE SENSORY ASPECTS ARE THOUGHT TO INFLUENCE, IN PARTICULAR, SPONTANEOUS
FOOD CHOICE.
• ECONOMIC AND PHYSICAL DETERMINANTS OF FOOD
COST AND ACCESSIBILITY
• THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE COST OF FOOD IS A PRIMARY DETERMINANT OF FOOD CHOICE.
WHETHER COST IS PROHIBITIVE DEPENDS FUNDAMENTALLY ON A PERSON’S INCOME AND SOCIO-
ECONOMIC STATUS. LOW-INCOME GROUPS HAVE A GREATER TENDENCY TO CONSUME
UNBALANCED DIETS AND IN PARTICULAR HAVE LOW INTAKES OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.
EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE
• STUDIES INDICATE THAT THE LEVEL OF EDUCATION CAN INFLUENCE DIETARY BEHAVIOUR
DURING ADULTHOOD. IN CONTRAST, NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE AND GOOD DIETARY HABITS ARE
NOT STRONGLY CORRELATED. THIS IS BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HEALTH DOES NOT LEAD TO
DIRECT ACTION WHEN INDIVIDUALS ARE UNSURE HOW TO APPLY THEIR KNOWLEDGE. THUS, IT IS
IMPORTANT TO CONVEY ACCURATE AND CONSISTENT MESSAGES THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA, ON
FOOD PACKAGES AND OF COURSE VIA HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL CLASS:

• POPULATION STUDIES SHOW THERE ARE CLEAR DIFFERENCES IN SOCIAL CLASSES WITH
REGARD TO FOOD AND NUTRIENT INTAKES. POOR DIETS CAN RESULT IN UNDER-
(MICRONUTRIENTS DEFICIENCY) AND OVER-NUTRITION (ENERGY OVER CONSUMPTION
RESULTING IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY);

CULTURAL INFLUENCES

• CULTURAL INFLUENCES LEAD TO THE DIFFERENCE IN THE HABITUAL CONSUMPTION OF

CERTAIN FOODS AND IN TRADITIONS OF PREPARATION, AND IN CERTAIN CASES CAN LEAD TO
RESTRICTIONS SUCH AS EXCLUSION OF MEAT AND MILK FROM THE DIET.

4.PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS

STRESS

• PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS IS A COMMON FEATURE OF MODERN LIFE AND CAN MODIFY

BEHAVIOURS THAT AFFECT HEALTH, SUCH AS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SMOKING OR FOOD CHOICE.
IN GENERAL, SOME PEOPLE EAT MORE AND SOME EAT LESS THAN NORMAL WHEN
EXPERIENCING STRESS.
 DISCOVERY OF OTHER ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS
• CARBOHYDRATES
• JOSEPH LOUIS PROUST, HAD STUDIED THE SUGAR JUICES OF PLANTS FROM 1799 TO 1808
AND HAD IDENTIFIED THREE DIFFERENT SUGARS; SUCROSE, FRUCTOSE AND GLUCOSE.

• IN 1792,A CARBOHYDRATE WAS ISOLATED FROM HONEY WHICH WAS DIFFERENT FROM
CANE SUGAR IN 1802, A SWEET CARBOHYDRATE WAS FOUND IN GRAPES WHICH WERE
ALSO DIFFERENT FROM SUCROSE.

• THE NAME GLUCOSE WAS COINED BY DUMAS IN 1838.

• IN 1844 A GERMAN CHEMIST, CARL PROPOSED THE NAME CARBOHYDRATE.
• IN 1856,LIVER GLYCOGEN, THE ANIMAL FORM OF CARBOHYDRATE WAS DISCOVERED
BY FRENCH PHYSIOLOGIST CLANDE BERNARD.

• FATS
•IN 1929 GEORGE AND MIDRED BURR REPORTED THAT DIETARY FATTY ACID WAS REQUIRED
TO PREVENT DEFICIENCY DISEASE THAT OCCURRED IN RATS FED WITH FAT FREE DIET.
• VITAMINS
• F.G HOPKINS- ACCESSORY FACTORS OF DIET

• IN 1906 HE POSTULATED THE PRESENCE OF SOME UNKNOWN GROWTH FACTORS IN MILK WHICH ARE
ESSENTIAL FOR THE GROWTH OF RATS AND CALLED THEM 'ACCESSORY FACTORS OF DIET' WHICH
ARE NOW KNOWN AS VITAMINS.

• CHRISTIAN EIJKMAN IN 1897, DISCOVERED THAT CHICKENS FED WITH POLISHED RICE DEVELOPED
A DISEASE RESEMBLING BERI BERI IN HUMANS.

•CASIMIR FUNK - COINED THE NAME VITAMINE- 1912

•VITAMIN C
•JAMES LIND IN 1753 CLEARLY ESTABLISHED SCURVY CAN BE PREVENTED OR CURED BY THE
PROVISION OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AMONG SAILORS IN BRITISH NAVY.IN 1932,VIT C WAS
ISOLATED AND DEFINITELY DOCUMENTED FOR THE FIRST TIME.

•VITAMIN A
•MCCOLLUM AND DAVIS (1913) - EXPERIMENT WITH ALBINO RATS.
•VITAMIN B
•MCCOLLUM AND CO -WORKERS IN 1916 USING PURIFIED DIETS SHOWED THAT WHEY OF MILK
CONTAINED A FACTOR NECESSARY FOR THE GROWTH OF RATS.THEY CALLED IT WATER SOLUBLE B.

•EIJKMAN AND HOPKINS SHARED THE 1929 NOBEL PRIZE FOR PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE FOR THEIR
WORK.
MINERALS
• MINERALS SUCH AS SODIUM , POTASSIUM, MAGNESIUM AND CALCIUM WERE DISCOVERED BY
BRITISH CHEMIST HUMPHRY DAVY IN 1807 BY ELECTOLYSIS OF VARIOUS OXIDES.

• J.F COINDET - ADMINISTRATION OF IODINE WAS ABLE TO DECREASE SIZE OF GOITERS.

• EUGEN BAUMANN(1896) - DISCOVERY OF IODINE WITHIN THE THYROID GLAND.

• PHOSPHORUS WAS DISCOVERED BY A GERMAN CHEMIST HENNING BRAND IN 1669.

• ELEMENTAL PHOSPHORUS WAS FIRST ISOLATED FROM HUMAN URINE AND BONE ASH.
REFERENCE:–
1.SHARONRADYROLFES.KATHRYN PINNA.ELLIE WHITNEY,2008.UNDERSTANDING
NORMAL AND CLINICAL NUTRITION: EIGHTH EDITION.

2. B.SRILAKSHMI.2017, NUTRITION SCIENCE:SIXTH MULTICOLOUR EDITION.

3. HISTORY OF NUTRITION PDF BY KJ CARPENTER.

4. FREDERICK GOWLAND HOPKINS AND HIS "ACCESSORY FOOD FACTORS", BRITANNICA

BLOG,2011.

5.HTTPS://WWW.EUFIC.ORG › ARTICLE › THE FOOD FACTORS.