Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR) with their

purposes;
4. Explain how each of the dietary ideals can be used to
plan a healthy diet;
5. Enumerate the daily kCalorie needs for adults; and, 6.
Compare the information on food labels to make selections
that meet specific dietary and health goals.

STUDENT ACTIVITY SHEET

LESSON TITLE: Overview of Nutrition and Health SUBJECT ORIENTATION
Nutrition and Diet Therapy - Lecture Pen, paper, index card, and class list
BS NURSING / SECOND YEAR
Session # 1

Materials:

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, you can:
1. Describe how various factors influence Reference:
personal food choices; DeBruyne, L.K., Pinna, K., & Whitney E., (2016). Nutrition
2. Name the six major classes of nutrients and identify and diet therapy: Principles and practice (9th ed.). USA:
which are organic and which yield energy; Cengage Learning.
3. Define the four categories of the DRI, the Estimated
Energy Requirement (EER), and the Acceptable

Your classroom instructor for this subject, Nutrition and Diet Therapy – Lecture, is ____________________________.
(You write in this area the vital policies, rules & regulations to be noted in this class. You may also refer to the Course
Outline to be distributed by your instructor.)

MAIN LESSON
You will study and read their book, if available, about this lesson.

Basic Concepts in Nutrition and Diet Therapy

Food is that which nourishes the body. Food may also be defined as anything eaten or drunk, which
meets the needs for energy, building, regulation and protection of the body. In short, food is the raw
material from which our bodies are made

Nutrition the science of foods and the nutrients and other substances they contain, and of their ingestion, digestion,
absorption, transport, metabolism, interaction, storage, and excretion. A broader definition includes the study of the
environment and of human behavior as it
relates to these processes

Nutrients are components of food that are needed by the body in adequate amounts in order to grow, reproduce and lead
a normal, healthy life. Nutrients include water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.
This document and the information thereon is the property of
PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 1 of 10
Food Choices

Food choices become an integral part of people’s lifestyles; people sometimes find it difficult to change their eating habits.
Health care professionals who help clients make diet changes must understand the dynamics of food choices, because
people will alter their eating habits only if their preferences are honored. Developing cultural competence is an important
aspect of honoring individual preferences, especially for health care professionals who help clients to achieve a nutritious
diet.

Factors that influences personal food choices:

⎯ Preference
⎯ Habits
⎯ Associations
⎯ Ethnic Heritage and Regional Cuisines
⎯ Values
⎯ Social Interaction
⎯ Availability, Convenience, and
Economy
⎯ Age, Body Weight and Image
⎯ Medical Conditions, Health and Nutrition

The Nutrients

Six Classes of Nutrients: Water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals are the six classes of nutrients
commonly found in spinach and other foods. Some of the other materials in foods, such as the pigments and other
phytochemicals, are not nutrients but may still be important to health.

The body can make some nutrients for itself, at least in limited quantities, but it cannot make them all, and it makes some
in insufficient quantities to meet its needs. Therefore, the body must obtain many nutrients from foods. The nutrients that
foods must supply are called essential nutrients.

Organic Nutrients (Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins and Vitamins)

⎯ During metabolism provides energy the body can use [except vitamins]. These energy-yielding nutrients continually
replenish the energy you spend daily.
⎯ Vitamins facilitate the release of energy from the three energy-yielding nutrients
⎯ The amount of energy that carbohydrates, fats, and proteins release can be measured
in calories (kilocalories or kcalories = 1000 small calories) - tiny units of energy so small that a single
apple provides tens of thousands of them.

Inorganic Nutrient (Minerals, and Water)

⎯ Minerals yield no energy in the human body, but, like vitamins, they help to regulate the release of energy, among
their many other roles. As for water, it is the medium in which all of the body’s processes take place.

Nutrient Recommendations

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) - set of standards that define the amounts of energy, nutrients, other dietary
components, and physical activity that best support health.

4 DRI Categories:
1. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) - a set of values reflecting the average daily amounts of nutrients
considered adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy people in a particular life stage
and gender group; a goal for dietary intake by individuals.
2. Adequate Intakes (AI) - a set of values that are used as guides for nutrient intakes when scientific evidence is
insufficient to determine an RDA
3. Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) - the average daily nutrient intake levels estimated to meet the
 requirements of half of the healthy individuals in a given age and gender group; used in nutrition research and
policymaking and as the basis on which RDA values are set.

This document and the information thereon is the property of

PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 2 of 10
4. Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) - a set of values reflecting the highest average daily nutrient intake levels that
are likely to pose no risk of toxicity to almost all healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group. As
intake increases above the UL, the potential risk of adverse health effects increases.

Each of the four DRI categories serves a unique purpose. For example, the EAR is most appropriately used to develop
and evaluate nutrition programs for groups such as schoolchildren or military personnel. The RDA (or AI, if an RDA is not
available) can be used to set goals for individuals. The UL help to keep nutrient intakes below the amounts that increase
the risk of toxicity.

Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) - Enough energy is needed to sustain a healthy, active life, but too much energy
leads to obesity. The EER is therefore set at a level of energy intake predicted to maintain energy balance in a healthy
adult of a defined age, gender, weight, height, and physical activity level. * Another the difference between the
requirements for other nutrients and those for energy is that each person has an obvious indicator of whether energy
intake is inadequate, adequate, or excessive: body weight. Because any amount of energy in excess of need leads to
weight gain, the DRI committee did not set a Tolerable Upper Intake Level.

Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR) - As noted earlier, the DRI committee considers prevention of
chronic disease as well as nutrient adequacy when establishing recommendations. To that end, the committee established
healthy ranges of intakes for the energy-yielding nutrients—carbohydrate, fat, and protein—known as Acceptable
Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR). Each of these three energy-yielding nutrients contributes to a person’s total
energy kcalorie) intake, and those contributions vary in relation to each other.

The DRI committee has determined that a diet that provides the energy yielding nutrients in the following proportions
provides adequate energy and nutrients and reduces the risk of chronic disease:
❚ 45 to 65 percent of kcalories from carbohydrate
❚ 20 to 35 percent of kcalories from fat
❚ 10 to 35 percent of kcalories from protein

Dietary Guidelines and Food Guides

Overnutrition: overconsumption of food energy or nutrients sufficient to cause disease or increased

susceptibility to disease; a form of malnutrition.

Undernutrition: under consumption of food energy or nutrients severe enough to cause disease or
increased susceptibility to disease; a form of malnutrition.

Dietary Ideals
1. A nutritious diet has the following six characteristics:
2. Adequacy is the characteristic of a diet that provides all the essential nutrients, fiber, and energy necessary to
maintain health and body weight.
3. Balance is the dietary characteristic of providing foods in proportion to one another and in proportion to the body’s
needs.
4. kCalorie (energy) control: Foods provide the amount of energy needed to maintain a healthy body weight—not
more, not less. The key to kcalorie control is to select foods that deliver the most nutrients for the least food
energy
5. Nutrient density is a measure of the nutrients a food provides relative to the energy it provides. The more nutrients
and the fewer kcalories, the higher the nutrient density.
6. Moderation is the provision of enough, but not too much, of a substance.
7. Variety is consumption of a wide selection of foods within and among the major food groups

USDA Food Patterns

 ● the USDA’s food group plan for ensuring dietary adequacy that assigns foods to five major food groups.

This document and the information thereon is the property of

PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 3 of 10

Recommended Daily Amounts from Each Food Group

All food groups offer valuable nutrients, and people should make selections from each group daily. The table above
specifies the amounts of food needed from each group daily to create a healthful diet for several energy (kcalorie) levels. A
person needing 2000 kcalories a day, for example, would select 2 cups of fruit; 2½ cups of vegetables; 6 ounces of grain
foods; 5½ ounces of protein foods; and 3 cups of milk or milk products. Additionally, a small amount of unsaturated oil,
such as vegetable oil or the oils of nuts, olives, or fatty fish, is required to supply needed nutrients.

This document and the information thereon is the property of

PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 4 of 10
Estimated Daily kCalorie Needs for Adults

Sedentary describes a lifestyle that includes only the

activities typical of day-to-day life.

Active describes a lifestyle that includes physical activity

equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at a rate of
3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the activities typical of
day-to-day life.

Food Labels

The Ingredient List

All packaged foods must list all ingredients on the label in descending order of predominance by weight. Knowing that the
first ingredient predominates by weight, consumers can glean much information. Compare these products, for example: ❚
A beverage powder that contains “sugar, citric acid, natural flavors . . .” versus a juice that contains “water, tomato
concentrate, concentrated juices of carrots, celery . . ..”
❚ A cereal that contains “puffed milled corn, sugar, corn syrup, molasses, salt . . .” versus one that contains “100 percent
rolled oats. . ..”

In each comparison, consumers can tell that the second product is the more nutrient dense.

Nutrition Facts Panel

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food labels to include key nutrition facts. The “Nutrition Facts” panel
provides such information as serving sizes, Daily Values, and nutrient quantities. Because knowledge about nutrition
science has advanced greatly during the two decades or more since food labels were first introduced, the FDA has
recently proposed updates to the Nutrition Facts panel to make it easier for consumers to make informed decisions about
the foods they eat.

The Daily Values

The “% Daily Value” column on a label provides a ballpark estimate of how individual foods contribute to the total diet. It
compares key nutrients in a serving of food with the daily goals of a person consuming 2000 kcalories. Although the Daily
Values are based on a 2000-kcalorie diet, people’s actual energy intakes vary widely; some people need fewer kcalories,
and some people need many more.

Claims on Labels

Nutrient claims: statements that characterize the quantity of a nutrient in a food.

Health claims: statements that characterize the relationship between a nutrient or other substance in food and a disease
or health-related condition.
Structure-function claims: statements that describe how a product may affect a structure or function of the body; for
example, “calcium builds strong bones.” Structure-function claims do not require FDA authorization.
This document and the information thereon is the property of
PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 5 of 10

Nutrient claims Health claims Structure-function claims

This document and the information thereon is the property of
PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 6 of 10
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
You will answer and rationalize this by yourself. This will be recorded as your quiz. One (1) point will be given to the
correct answer and another one (1) point for the correct ratio. Superimpositions or erasures in your answer/ratio is not
allowed.

1. When people eat the foods typical of their families or geographic area, their choices are influenced
by: a. occupation.
b. nutrition.
c. emotional state.
d. ethnic heritage or regional cuisine.
D
ANSWER: ________
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
The families who lives at a certain geographic location eats meals that are most likely affected by their ethnic heritage or regional cuisine, which
ethnic cuisines in a prticular group consider their own since they are prepared locally and commonly by their neighborhoods.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. The energy-yielding nutrients are:

a. fats, minerals, and water.
b. minerals, proteins, and vitamins.
c. carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins.
d. carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
D
ANSWER: ________
Carbohydrates, fats, and protein are reffered to as energy-yielding macronutrients because they supply the body with energy.
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. The inorganic nutrients are:

a. proteins and fats.
b. vitamins and minerals.
c. minerals and water.
d. vitamins and proteins.
C
ANSWER: ________
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
The only inorganic nutrients are minerals and water.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Alcohol is not a nutrient because:

a. the body derives no energy from it.
b. it is organic.
c. it is converted to body fat.
d. it does not contribute to the body’s growth or repair.
D
ANSWER: ________
Alcohol is not a nutrient because it does not contribute to the body's growth or repair. It actually inhibits the absorpotion and usage of vital
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
nutrients such as thiamin.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. The nutrient standards in use today include all of the following except:
a. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA).
b. Adequate Intakes (AI).
c. Daily Minimum Requirements (DMR).
d. Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL).
C
ANSWER: ________
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
The nutrient standard in use today only includes recommended dietary allowances, adequate intakes, estimated average requirements, and
tolerable upper intake levels.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. This is a form of malnutrition in which there is overconsumption of food energy or nutrients sufficient to cause
disease or increased susceptibility to disease like hypertension and coronary artery disease. a. Obesity
b. Malnutrition

This document and the information thereon is the property of

PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 7 of 10
c. Overnutrition
d. Undernutrition
C
ANSWER: ________
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
It is a kind of malnutrition in which nutrients are consumed in excess, resulting in the build up of body fat that affects health and causes certain
illness.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. In a food group plan such as the USDA Food Patterns, foods within a given food group are similar in their contents of:
a. energy.
b. proteins and fibers.
c. vitamins and minerals.
d. carbohydrates and fats.
C
ANSWER: ________
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
The USDA food group classifies items to five primary groups in order to guaramtee nutritional adequacy. Food within a given food group are similar
in their contents of vitamins and minerals.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. A slice of apple pie supplies 350 kcalories with 3 grams of fiber; an apple provides 80 kcalories and the same 3 grams
of fiber. This is an example of:
a. kcalorie control.
b. nutrient density.
c. variety.
d. essential nutrients.
B
ANSWER: ________
Nutrients in apple is being evaluated as well as the energy it gives. Thust, the greater the nutrient density, the more nutrients&less kcalories it offers.
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. According to the USDA Food Patterns, which of the following fruits/vegetables should be limited?
a. Carrots
b. Avocados
c. Baked beans
d. Potatoes
C.
ANSWER: ________
It includes fiber and other ingestible carbohydrates, which one fermented by bacteria.
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. Food labels list ingredients in:

a. alphabetical order.
b. ascending order of predominance by weight.
c. descending order of predominance by weight
d. manufacturer’s order of preference.
C.
ANSWER: ________
In all packaged foods, all list of ingredients on the label should be in descending order of predominance by weight.
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

This document and the information thereon is the property of

PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 8 of 10
RATIONALIZATION ACTIVITY
The instructor will now provide you the rationalization to these questions. You can now ask questions and debate among
yourselves. Write the correct answer and correct/additional ratio in the space provided.

1. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

2. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
6. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
7. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
8. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
9. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
10. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

This document and the information thereon is the property of

PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 9 of 10
LESSON WRAP-UP

You will now mark (encircle) the session you have finished today in the tracker below. This is simply a visual to help you
track how much work you have accomplished and how much work there is left to do.

You are done with the session! Let’s track your progress.
AL Activity: CAT 3-2-1

This strategy provides a structure for you to record your own comprehension and summarize your learning. Let us see
your progress in this chapter!

Three things you learned:

1. __________________________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3.
__________________________________________________________________________________________ Two
things that you’d like to learn more about:
1. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________ 2.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

One question you still have:

1. __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

This document and the information thereon is the property of

PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing) 10 of 10