Key Terms
Nutrition
all body processes relating to food
Osteoporosis
Bones become porous and break easily
Cellulose
fibrous, indigestible form of plant carbohydrates
Vitamins
organic compounds that are essential to life
Absorption
Process in which blood or lymph capillaries pick up the digested nutrients
Nutritional status
state or condition of one’s nutrition
Diabetes mellitus
metabolic disease caused by an insufficient secretion or use of insulin leading to an increased level of glucose in the blood
Lipids
fats and oils, organic compounds
organic molecules that help protect the body from harmful chemicals
Metabolism
Nutrients are used by the cells for building tissue
Wellness
state of good health with optimal body function
Malnutrition
the state of poor nutrition; may be caused by poor diet or illness
Fats
Oils, organic compounds
Minerals
inorganic elements found in all body tissues
Basal metabolic rate (BMR)
rate at which the body uses energy just for maintaining its own tissue, without doing any voluntary work
Hypertension
High blood pressure
Essential nutrients
chemical elements found in food
Cholesterol
sterol lipid found in the body cells and animal products
Digestion
Process by which the body breaks down food into smaller parts
Body mass index(BMI)
calculation that measures weight in relation to height and correlates this with body fat
Atherosclerosis
arteries are narrowed by the accumulation of fatty substances on their inner surfaces
Carbohydrates
major source of readily usable human energy
Proteins
Basic components of all body cells
Peristalisis
rhythmic, wavelike motion of the muscles
Underweight
body weight that is 10-15% less than the average recommended body weight for a person’s height