Ch. 11 Nutrients and Diets
Anorexia nervosa
A psychological disorder where a person drastically reduces food intake or refuses to eat at all.
Hypertension
high blood pressure
Underweight
Body weight that is 10–15% less than the average recommended weight.
Digestion
The process by which the body breaks down food into smaller parts and changes its chemical composition.
Carbohydrates
Major source of readily usable human energy, often called starches or sugars.
Atherosclerosis
A condition where arteries are narrowed by the accumulation of fatty substances on their inner surfaces.
Malnutrition
A state of poor nutrition caused by a diet that is inadequate or improperly balanced.
Absorption
The process by which the blood or lymph capillaries pick up digested nutrients.
Metabolism:
The process in which nutrients are used by the cells for building tissue, providing energy, and regulating various body functions.
Cellulose
A fibrous, indigestible form of plant carbohydrate.
Bulimarexia
An eating disorder that combines characteristics of both bulimia and anorexia.
Obesity
Excessive body weight, often defined as being 20% or more above the average recommended weight.
Basal metabolic rate (BMR):
The rate at which the body uses energy just to maintain its own tissue, without doing any voluntary work.
Peristalsis
A rhythmic, wavelike motion of involuntary muscles that moves food through the digestive tract.
Cholesterol
A sterol lipid found in body cells and animal products.
Bulimia
A psychological disorder in which a person alternately binges (eats excessively) and then fasts or refuses to eat.
Osteoporosis
A condition in which bones become porous and brittle, often due to a lack of calcium and other minerals.
Body mass index (BMI):
A calculation that measures weight in relation to height and correlates this with body fat.
Wellness
A state of good health with optimal body function.
Essential nutrients
Chemical elements found in food that are used by the body to perform many different functions.
Diabetes mellitus
A metabolic disease caused by an insufficient secretion or use of insulin.
Overweight
Body weight that is 10–20% greater than the average recommended weight for a person's height.
Calorie
A unit of measurement for the fuel value of food.
Antioxidants
Organic molecules that help protect the body from free radicals.
Minerals
Inorganic elements found in all body tissues that regulate body fluids and assist with various body functions.