Food and Nutrition
What is a nutrient?
A substance in food that the body needs to live and stay healthy.
What does NIP stand for?
Nutritional Information Panel.
What is obesity?
When a person's weight increases beyond a healthy level due to excessive energy intake compared with the energy used.
What is body image?
How a person thinks and feels about their physical appearance, including their size, shape and overall look.
What does the term credibility mean?
The quality of being trusted, reliable and believable.
Name three of the six main nutrients.
Carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Any three.
Name two things you can find on a food label/NIP.
Examples: energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, sodium and serving size.
What is a sedentary lifestyle?
A lifestyle involving little or no physical activity.
Name two factors that can influence body image.
Examples: social media, peers, family, advertising, past experiences and unrealistic beauty standards.
Name two questions you should ask when checking whether health information on social media is reliable.
Examples: Who created it? Are they qualified? Is evidence provided? Is the information trying to sell something? Can it be verified by trusted sources?
Which nutrient is mainly responsible for the growth, repair and maintenance of body tissue?
Protein
When comparing two food products, why is it useful to compare the per 100 g/mL information?
It allows you to make a fair comparison between products even when their serving sizes are different.
Name two lifestyle diseases discussed in the unit.
Cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Any two.
Name the three eating disorders covered in this unit.
Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder.
A fitness influencer claims, “This detox tea removes toxins from your body and guarantees weight loss.” What should you do before believing the claim?
Check who created the information, their qualifications, the evidence supporting the claim, whether they are selling the product, and verify the information using trusted health sources.
What is the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates?
Simple carbohydrates provide quicker energy and should be eaten occasionally, while complex carbohydrates release energy more slowly over a longer period and should make up most carbohydrate intake.
A cereal contains 10 g of sugar per serving, while another contains 2 g. What other information should you check before deciding which cereal is the healthier choice?
Check serving size, energy, protein, fibre, saturated fat, ingredients and sodium, as well as the overall nutritional profile.
What is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?
Type 1: the body cannot produce insulin and is not caused/influenced by lifestyle choices. Type 2: the body still produces insulin, but it does not work properly and can be influenced by lifestyle factors.
What is one key difference between anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa?
Anorexia involves restricting food intake due to an intense fear of gaining weight, while bulimia involves repeated binge eating followed by behaviours intended to compensate, such as vomiting, excessive exercise or laxative use.
Name three trusted Australian organisations/services that can support young people with health, body image or mental wellbeing concerns.
Examples: Kids Helpline, ReachOut Australia, Butterfly Foundation, Healthdirect Australia, eSafety Commissioner.
A teenager is training for a sports competition. Explain why carbohydrates, protein and water are all important to their performance and recovery.
Carbohydrates provide energy/fuel for exercise, protein assists muscle growth and repair, and water supports cell function, temperature regulation and waste removal.
A cereal box says “high in fibre”, but the product also contains a large amount of sugar. Explain why consumers should not rely only on claims on the front of the package.
Front-of-package claims can highlight positive features while not showing the whole nutritional picture. Consumers should check the NIP and ingredients list, compare products, and consider sugar, saturated fat, fibre, protein and serving size.
A teenager spends most of their free time sitting, has a poor diet, gets little sleep and spends several hours each day on screens. Explain three possible health consequences and three protective strategies they could use.
Possible consequences include increased risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, poor sleep, low energy and poorer mental wellbeing. Protective strategies include regular physical activity, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, reducing excessive screen time, managing stress and avoiding smoking/vaping/drugs.
A teenager constantly compares their appearance with edited images on social media and begins avoiding friends, restricting food and feeling increasingly anxious. Explain how negative body image could affect their physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Physically, restrictive eating can lead to inadequate nutrition, weakness and other health problems. Mentally, negative body image can contribute to low self-esteem, anxiety and distress. Socially, the person may withdraw from friends, school or activities. Early support from a trusted adult or professional service can help.
A Year 8 student is spending hours comparing themselves to fitness influencers and has become unhappy with their appearance. Identify two proactive/coping strategies, one help-seeking behaviour and one support service they could use.
Strategies could include limiting social media/comparison, positive self-talk, spending time with supportive people, physical activity for enjoyment or journalling. They could talk to a trusted adult, parent, teacher or counsellor. A suitable service could be Kids Helpline, ReachOut Australia or Butterfly Foundation.