1.
Food and Health
Vocabulary
● Nutrition: The process by which the body uses food for the maintenance of life,
growth, normal functioning of organs and tissues, and production of energy.
● Nutrient: A source of nourishment, an ingredient in food (e.g., protein,
carbohydrate, fat, vitamin, mineral, fiber, water).
● Carbohydrate: The starches and sugars present in food.
● Protein: Nutrients that help build and maintain body cells and tissues.
● Calorie: A common unit of measurement used to express the potential energy
from food.
● Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA): The recommendation for the amount of a
nutrient necessary to meet the nutritional needs of a person.
● Adequate Intake (AI): An observed but not scientifically proven RDA.
● Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): The amount of nutrients needed by
specific groups of people.
● Tolerable Upper Level Intake (UL): The maximum amount of a nutrient that a
person can take without risking adverse health effects.
Direct Instruction
● Nutrition, Health, and Wellness:
○ Nutrition fuels the body, allowing it to function, grow, and protect itself
from illness.
○ Balanced nutrition is vital for the growth, repair, and maintenance of
tissues (connective, muscle, nervous, epithelial).
○ Unbalanced nutrition can lead to deficiencies or excesses, both of which
can cause illness.
○ Examples of malnutrition:
■ Insufficient water consumption causes dehydration.
■ A deficiency in sodium can cause cells to malfunction.
■ A deficiency in vitamin D can increase the risk of cancer.
■ A deficiency in zinc can stunt growth.
○ Examples of too much of one nutrient:
■ Too much potassium can profoundly affect the nervous system and
heart.
■ Too much sodium causes cells to malfunction.
■ Too much calcium can weaken the muscles and the function of the
kidneys.
■ Too much of certain B vitamins can cause drowsiness or even liver
damage.
○ Daily nutritional needs should be met from a variety of sources: fruits,
dairy, beans/protein, vegetables, and grains.
○ Proper nutrition improves daily life by decreasing fatigue, increasing
energy levels, and preventing diseases like stroke, osteoporosis, and heart
disease.
Basic Nutrients
● Nutrients: Substances in food that your body needs to grow, repair itself, and
supply energy. There are 6 essential nutrients:
○ Carbohydrates
○ Proteins
○ Fats
○ Vitamins
○ Minerals
○ Water
● Macro- and Micronutrients:
○ Macronutrients: Needed in large quantities (carbs, proteins, fats, water).
○ Micronutrients: Needed in small quantities (vitamins and minerals).
● Carbohydrates:
○ Starches and sugars present in foods.
○ 45-65% of daily calories should come from carbs.
○ Types: Simple carbs (sugars) and complex carbs (starches).
○ Simple carbohydrates: Found in milk, fruit, and candy.
○ Complex carbohydrates: Found in whole grains, seeds, nuts, and root
vegetables.
○ The body must break down complex sugars into simple sugars.
● Fiber:
○ An indigestible complex carbohydrate found in fruits, vegetables, and
whole grains.
○ Helps move waste through the digestive system and reduces the risk of
heart disease.
● Proteins:
○ Nutrients that help build and maintain body cells and tissues.
○ Made up of amino acids (9 essential amino acids).
○ Sources: Meat, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, dairy products, and eggs.
○ Types: Complete proteins (animal sources) and incomplete proteins (plant
sources).
○ Complete proteins: Contain all 9 essential amino acids.
○ Incomplete proteins: Lack one or more essential amino acids.
● Fats:
○ Type of lipid (fatty substance that does not dissolve in water).
○ Should make up 20-25% of daily calories.
○ Types: Saturated fats (animal sources), trans fats (processed foods), and
unsaturated fats (plant sources).
○ Saturated fats: Usually come from animal sources and are solid at room
temperature.
○ Trans fats: Typically unsaturated fats found in margarine, fast food, and
processed food.
○ Unsaturated fats: Usually come from plant sources and are liquid at room
temperature.
○ Monounsaturated fats: Found in olives, groundnut oil, and avocados.
○ Polyunsaturated fats: Found in oily fish, safflower oil, and sunflower oil.
● Vitamins:
○ Compounds that regulate vital body processes (digestion, absorption,
metabolism).
○ Types: Fat-soluble (A, D, E, K) and water-soluble (C, B vitamins).
○ Fat-soluble vitamins: Stored in the body's fatty tissues.
○ Water-soluble vitamins: Not stored in the body and need to be consumed
regularly.
● Minerals:
○ Substances that the body cannot manufacture.
○ Needed for healthy bones, teeth, and regulating body processes.
○ Important minerals: Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron.
● Water:
○ Vital for every body function (transporting nutrients, carrying waste,
maintaining body temperature).
○ Need around 8 cups each day.
○ Can come from milk, juices, fruits, and vegetables.
Nutrition Terminology
● Calorie: A unit of measurement for the potential energy from food.
○ Fat: 9 calories/gram
○ Carbohydrates: 4 calories/gram
○ Proteins: 4 calories/gram
● Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The rate at which the body burns food and nutrients
to perform normal bodily functions at rest.
○ Females: ~1200 calories/day
○ Males: ~1500 calories/day
○ Calculating BMR: 1 calorie per hour for every kilo (2.2 lbs) of body weight.
● Determining Caloric Intake:
○ Sedentary person: Add 200-300 calories per day.
○ Average person: Add about 1000 calories per day.
○ Extremely active person: Add 1800 to 3800 calories per day.
● Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): The amount of a nutrient necessary to
meet nutritional needs.
● Adequate Intake (AI): An interim RDA used when specific data is insufficient.
● Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): The amount of nutrients needed by
specific groups.
○ Example: Niacin EAR
■ Children ages 4-8: 6mg/day
■ Pregnant women ages 19-30: 14mg/day
■ Men 31-50: 12mg/day
■ Women ages 31-50: 12mg/day
● Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): The maximum amount of a nutrient that can
be taken without risking adverse health effects.
○ Includes foods, fortified foods (e.g., calcium-enriched bread), and
nutritional supplements.
2. Guidelines for Healthy Eating
Vocabulary
● United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Government organization that
regulates meat and agricultural products to ensure safety.
● Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Government organization that regulates
food and health-related items to ensure safety.
● Foodborne illness: An illness caused by eating or drinking contaminated foods.
Direct Instruction
● Nutritional Labels:
○ Serving size: The measure of a single serving.
○ Serving per container: The number of servings in a package/container.
○ Calories: Number of calories in one serving.
○ Calories from fat: Number of calories that come from fat in one serving.
○ Percent Daily Value: The amount of nutrients an average person will get
from one serving based on a 2000-calorie diet.
■ Low: 5%
■ Good: 10-19%
■ Excellent: 20%
○ Nutrients: Amounts of total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol,
sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugars, and protein.
○ Major vitamins and minerals: Included on the label.
○ Footnote: Contains advice on the amounts of certain nutrients that should
be eaten each day.
○ Ingredient lists: List of food ingredients based on weight (greatest amount
listed first).
○ Food additives: Substances intentionally added to foods to produce a
desired effect (e.g., enhance flavor, color, or shelf life).
● Nutrient Content Claims:
○ Light/Lite: Total calories reduced by at least 1/3 or fat/sodium reduced by
50%.
○ Less: Contains 25% less of a nutrient than a comparable item.
○ Free: Contains no amount or an insignificant amount of a nutrient or
calories.
○ More: Contains 10% more of the daily value for a vitamin, mineral, protein,
or fiber.
○ High/Rich in/Excellent source of: Contains 20% more of the daily value for
a vitamin, mineral, protein, or fiber.
○ Lean: Meat, poultry, or fish product with less than 10g total fat, less than
4g saturated fat, and less than 95mg cholesterol.
● Dating Information:
○ Pack date: The date on which the food was packaged.
○ Sell by date: The last date on which the product should be sold.
○ Freshness date: The last date on which the product should be used to
ensure quality.
○ Expiration date: The last date on which the product should be used before
the chance of spoiling increases.
Foodborne Illness
● Foodborne illness: Caused by eating or drinking contaminated food (commonly
known as food poisoning).
○ Common pathogens: Salmonella, E. coli, Norwalk virus, Campylobacter.
○ Symptoms: Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, fever, vomiting,
dehydration.
○ Treatment: Increase fluid intake, stomach medications, antidiarrheal
medication.
○ Consulting a doctor: If high fever, blood in stool, prolonged vomiting,
dehydration, or diarrhea lasting more than 3 days.
○ Prevention: Clean, separate, cook, chill.
■ Clean: Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces before and after
preparing food.
■ Separate: Keep raw meat, seafood, and poultry separate from other
foods.
■ Cook: Cook foods to appropriate temperatures.
■ Chill: Refrigerate foods promptly.
Nutritional Myths
● Low-fat myths:
○ Low-fat or fat-free does not mean no calories.
○ Low-fat diets are not necessarily good for you.
○ Low-fat milk has more calcium than regular milk.
○ Low-fat foods may have added sugars, which can interfere with weight
loss.
● Organic food myths:
○ Organic foods are not always healthier than regular foods.
○ The amount of pesticides is reduced by 1/3 in organic foods.
○ Most reports claim no difference between organic and non-organic foods.
● Metabolism myths:
○ A slower metabolism does not prevent weight loss.
○ Overweight people tend to have faster resting metabolisms.
○ Weight gain occurs when the number of calories eaten is greater than the
amount used for energy.
● Meal myths:
○ Extra protein is not needed for strength development.
○ Diet does not cause acne.
○ Eating late at night does not cause weight gain.
● Approaching nutritional myths:
○ Be skeptical.
○ Do your own research.
○ Talk to medical professionals.
○ Use your common sense.
3. Nutritional Needs
Vocabulary
● Saturated fat: A fat, most often of animal origin, that is solid at room
temperature.
● Serving size: The recommended amount of food in one serving as set forth by
the USDA.
Direct Instruction
● Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate:
○ Dietary guidelines: Advice on how good dietary habits can promote health
and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
○ High-level guidelines:
■ Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
■ Drink fat-free or low-fat milk.
■ Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
■ Diet should be low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and
added sugars.
○ MyPlate: A visual tool for understanding a healthy diet, promoting a
balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and
low-fat dairy.
■ Developed in 2011 by the US Department of Agriculture.
■ Encourages people to eat more of some foods and less of others.
● MyPlate Food Groups:
○ Grains: Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or other
cereal grains.
■ Categories: Whole grains (contain the whole grain kernel) and
refined grains (grains that have been milled).
■ Examples: Oatmeal, whole cornmeal, brown rice, whole wheat
pasta, white bread, white rice, cornbread, noodles.
■ Recommendations: 6 oz/day (3 oz whole grains, 3 oz refined
grains).
■ 1 oz equivalents: 1 slice bread, 1 cup dry cereal, 1/2 cup cooked
rice, pasta, or cereal.
○ Vegetables: Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice.
■ Categories: Dark green (broccoli, spinach), orange vegetables
(carrots, pumpkin), dry beans and peas (black beans, lentils),
starchy vegetables (corn, potatoes), other vegetables (asparagus,
eggplant).
■ Recommendations: 2.5 cups/day (5 varieties).
■ 1/2 cup equivalents: 1/2 cup raw or cooked vegetables, 1 cup raw
leafy vegetable, 1/2 cup vegetable juice.
○ Fruits: Any fruit or 100% fruit juice.
■ Examples: Apples, berries, melons, oranges, peaches, raisins.
■ Recommendations: 2 cups/day.
■ 1/2 cup equivalents: 1/2 cup fresh, canned, or frozen fruit, 1
medium fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit, 1/2 cup fruit juice.
○ Dairy: Any fluid milk products and many foods made from milk.
■ Types: Milk (fat-free, low-fat), cheese (cheddar, ricotta), yogurt
(fat-free, low-fat), milk-based desserts (pudding, ice cream).
■ Recommendations: 3 cups/day.
■ 1 cup equivalents: 1 cup fat-free milk, 1 cup yogurt, 1.5 oz fat-free
natural cheese.
○ Proteins: Any foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, peas, eggs,
nuts, and seeds.
■ Types: Meats (pork, beef), poultry (chicken, turkey), eggs, dry beans
and peas (pinto beans, soybeans), nuts and seeds (almonds,
peanuts), fish (shellfish, finfish).
■ Recommendations: 5.5 oz/day.
■ 1 oz equivalents: 1 egg, 1/4 cup dry beans, 1 oz cooked meats, 1
tbsp peanut butter.
● Healthy Eating Plans:
○ Focus on nutrient-dense foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean
meats, and low-fat dairy).
○ Avoid junk foods (high in calories, fats, sugars, or salts with few nutrients).
○ Examples of junk foods: Soda, cake, pizza, creamy chip dip, frosted
cereals.
○ Examples of nutrient-dense foods: 100% fruit juices, fresh fruit, brown rice,
salsa, oatmeal.
● Choosing Healthy Snacks:
○ Snacking can help maintain a healthy weight.
○ Plan ahead and pack healthy snacks (e.g., fruit, yogurt, granola bar).
○ Avoid unhealthy snacks like chips or candy from vending machines.
● Summary:
○ Know serving sizes.
○ Select a variety of foods.
○ Choose nutrient-dense foods.
○ Avoid junk foods.
○ Plan healthy snacks.
● Changes in Nutritional Needs:
○ Nutritional needs change throughout life (infancy, childhood, adolescence,
adulthood).
○ Infant nutrition:
■ 0-6 months: Diet primarily consists of breast milk or formula.
■ 4-6 months: Infants can begin to consume soft foods (cereals,
fruits, veggies).
■ By one year, a healthy infant should triple its birth weight.
○ Childhood nutrition:
■ Children ages 2+ can follow MyPlate recommendations.
■ Focus on whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
○ Adolescent nutrition:
■ The body experiences a major growth spurt during adolescence.
■ Requires more energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
■ Focus on nutrient-dense foods and minimize high-fat and
high-sugar foods.
○ Adulthood nutrition:
■ Growth and development stop during adulthood.
■ Total calories needed to maintain a healthy weight decrease.
■ Nutrient-dense foods become even more important as the body's
ability to absorb nutrients declines.
○ Athlete nutrition:
■ Follow a diet based on MyPlate and drink plenty of fluids.
■ A well-balanced diet will meet the needs of an athlete.
■ Eat a high-carbohydrate snack 2 hours before engaging in activity.
■ Have a snack ready if an activity lasts longer than 60 minutes.
4. Physical Activity Benefits
Vocabulary
● Life expectancy: The expected age an individual will reach before dying.
● Heart disease: Any of several conditions resulting in insufficient blood flow to the
heart, poor pumping, or malfunction of the heart valves.
Direct Instruction
● Benefits of Physical Activity:
○ Improved physical appearance: Toned muscles, healthy body shape,
improved body image.
○ Enhanced self-esteem: Social acceptance, emotional centeredness, family
status, accomplishments, spiritual centeredness, personality, friends,
physical self-control.
○ Improved ability to cope with stress: Regular physical activity can reduce
depression, anger, and anxiety.
○ Better sleeping habits: Physical activity relieves tension, allowing the body
to relax and sleep more soundly.
○ Improved physical and academic performance: Students who participate
in regular physical activity have greater attention spans, higher energy
levels, and fewer missed school days.
○ Improved health and increased life expectancy: Active lifestyles can
increase life expectancy and improve quality of life, especially in older age.
○ Positive influence on cardiovascular disease risk, hypertension,
preventable cancers, obesity, osteoporosis, lower back pain, and longevity.
● Physical Activity and Disease:
○ Cancer: Physical activity can reduce the risk of breast cancer and
colorectal cancer.
○ Type II Diabetes: Strong link to lifestyle and physical fitness. Obesity
increases the risk of developing type II diabetes.
○ High blood pressure: Exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can
prevent hypertension.
○ Heart disease: Combat with diet, exercise, and weight loss.
○ Stroke: Exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can prevent strokes.
● Recommended Physical Activity:
○ Aging and staying healthy:
■ Adolescents: 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
■ Adults: 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
○ Physical activity pyramid:
■ Sedentary activities: Limit time spent on unproductive inactivity
(e.g., watching TV, using the computer).
■ Anaerobic activities and flexibility activities: 2-3 days/week (e.g.,
yoga, pilates, stretching).
■ Aerobic exercise: 3-5 days/week, 20-60 minutes/session (e.g.,
walking, running, cycling).
■ Lifestyle activities: 30 minutes daily (e.g., walking, climbing stairs,
gardening).
● Summary:
○ Sedentary activities: Infrequently.
○ Anaerobic activities: 2-3 days/week.
○ Flexibility activities: 2+ days/week.
○ Aerobic activities: 3-5 days/week, 20-60 minutes.
○ Lifestyle activities: 30 minutes daily.
5. Physical Fitness Attitudes
Vocabulary
● Attitude: A person's opinion, feelings, or stance towards any topic.
Direct Instruction
● Importance of Physical Fitness in the US:
○ More than 50% of American adults do not get enough physical activity for
health benefits.
○ 25% of adults are not active at all (completely sedentary lives).
○ More than one-third of adolescents in grades 9-12 do not engage in
regular physical activity.
○ 38% view 3 or more hours of TV each day.
○ Benefits of physical activity: Improved self-esteem, mood, sleep patterns,
reduced anxiety, tension, and depression, increased energy, endurance,
strength, and flexibility, healthier muscles, bones, and joints, reduced
medical expenses, reduced health risks.
● Getting Active:
○ Physical activity does not have to be strenuous to be beneficial.
○ Risks for chronic disease can be reduced by participating in 20 minutes of
moderate-intensity physical activity two days a week.
○ Additional benefits can be seen with higher intensity and longer durations.
● Moderate-Intensity Activity:
○ Can be measured by the talk test (can talk but can't sing during activity).
○ Activities include: Water aerobics, biking slower than 10 mph, doubles
tennis, ballroom dancing, gardening, walking briskly.
● Vigorous-Intensity Activity:
○ Difficult to say more than a few words without stopping for breath.
○ Activities include: Swimming laps, aerobic dancing, singles tennis, jumping
rope, race walking, jogging, or running.
● Summary:
○ Make physical fitness important to you!
○ Physical activity leads to many health benefits.
○ Physical activity reduces health risks like obesity.
○ Leads to improved mental and physical well-being.
● Positive Attitudes Towards Physical Activity:
○ Physical fitness attitude: Our personal opinion or how we feel about
something influences how active we are.
○ Negative attitudes: "I don't have the time," "I'm too tired," "Exercise is
boring," "I'm too out of shape," "There is no place to work out," "People will
laugh at me."
○ Improving physical fitness attitude: "Exercise improves my health,"
"Exercise increases my energy," "I can enjoy exercise," "There are many fun
activities to do for exercise," "I can exercise anywhere," "Physical activity
makes me feel better."
○ Benefits of a positive attitude: Increased motivation, more activity,
improved mental health, improved emotional health, improved physical
fitness.
6. Your Fitness Plan
Vocabulary
● Personal fitness plan: An individualized plan for achieving fitness, nutrition, and
lifestyle goals.
● Cross-training: The use of a variety of exercise techniques and types to improve
overall performance.
Direct Instruction
● Putting Together a Fitness Program:
○ Personal fitness plan: Links fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle goals.
○ Developing your plan:
■ Set fitness goals (long-term and short-term).
■ Conduct a fitness assessment to determine goals.
■ Consult a physician before any assessment.
○ Select fitness activities: Include activities to develop all areas of
health-related fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength,
endurance, flexibility, healthy body composition).
○ Before selecting an activity, consider: Special health needs, cost, time
commitment, skill and fitness level required, personal interest.
○ Apply FITT principle:
■ Cardiovascular fitness: 3-5 days/week, hit target heart rate zone,
20-60 minute durations.
■ Muscular strength and endurance: 2-3 days/week, fatigue muscle,
maintain proper form, 8-10 exercises, 8-12 repetitions/set.
■ Flexibility: 2-3 days/week, stretch until slight tension, hold for 10-30
seconds, 4 repetitions.
○ Assign smaller steps and rewards:
■ Break goals into smaller steps.
■ Set target dates for completing each step.
■ Assign rewards for meeting steps (e.g., decrease time for running 1
mile by 90 seconds over 5 weeks).
○ Incorporate lifestyle activities: Find opportunities to be more active within
daily routines.
○ Create monitoring tools: Create a log for tracking progress (e.g., table with
each day of the week, type of exercise, and duration).
○ Make it official: Sign a contract and keep it visible.
● Maintaining a Fitness Plan:
○ Starting a personal fitness program is easy, but maintaining it can be
difficult.
○ Strategies:
■ Don't be overzealous: Slowly increase activities to avoid injury.
■ Buddy up: Find a friend with similar goals to exercise with.
■ Add variety: Varying activities makes exercise more enjoyable and
leads to total body fitness.
■ Expect lapses: Progress will naturally fluctuate; adjust the plan and
reward system as needed.
■ Make lifestyle changes: Choose a nutritious diet, avoid harmful
habits (smoking, alcohol), and get enough sleep.
● Tailoring Fitness Programs:
○ Fitness and age: Fitness requirements and abilities change with age and
life stages.
○ Fitness for children and adolescents:
■ Little to no activity during the week (watching TV, playing computer
games).
■ Consequences of sedentary lifestyle: Poor lifetime habits, obesity.
■ Fitness standards: Under 13, at least one hour per day of physical
activity (e.g., three 20-minute blocks of active play).
■ Fitness programs: Keep fitness fun, develop interest in specific "life
sports," parental involvement, family fitness time.
○ Fitness for pregnant women:
■ Exercise is important during pregnancy.
■ Guidelines: Avoid vigorous activity, weight-bearing exercise,
exercises in a supine position, exercises that could increase risk of
injury in the abdomen, and exercise in extreme altitudes.
○ Fitness for older adults:
■ Fitness changes with age: Loss of balance, flexibility, stamina, and
energy; weakened immune system.
■ Fitness plan modifications: Include resistance, endurance, and
flexibility exercises; use lighter weights, higher repetitions; avoid
exercising in extreme weather; stay well hydrated; warm up and
cool down slowly.