After You Complete The Topics Of The Class, Please Read Care

After You Complete The Topics Of The Class Please Read Carefully And

After you complete the topics of the class, please read carefully and answer the following questions: 1. MyPlate definition 2. The goal of MyPlate 3. Nutrients obtained from the diet are further categorized as essential, nonessential, and energy-yielding nutrients. Explain the definition of essential, nonessential and energy-yielding nutrients. Give an example of each one. 4. What are the useful Measurements for Evaluating Nutritional Status?

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Nutrition plays a fundamental role in maintaining health, supporting growth, and preventing disease. Educational tools such as MyPlate provide practical guidance for individuals to make healthier dietary choices. Understanding the core concepts of nutrition, including nutrient classifications and measurement methods, is essential for promoting optimal nutritional status and overall well-being.

MyPlate: Definition and Goals

MyPlate is a nutritional guideline established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help Americans adopt healthier eating habits. It visually represents a balanced plate divided into five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. The primary goal of MyPlate is to encourage individuals to incorporate a variety of nutrient-rich foods into their daily diet, thereby meeting nutritional needs while managing calorie intake. By emphasizing portion control and food diversity, MyPlate aims to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions (USDA, 2011).

Classification of Nutrients: Essential, Nonessential, and Energy-Yielding

Nutrients are substances obtained from food that are vital for health and bodily functions. They are categorized based on their necessity for the body’s functioning and their energy contribution.

Essential Nutrients

Essential nutrients are compounds that the body cannot synthesize in adequate amounts, or at all, and must be obtained through diet. They are crucial for normal physiological processes, growth, and development. An example of an essential nutrient is vitamin C, which the body cannot produce sufficiently, necessitating dietary intake from fruits and vegetables (Gibney et al., 2009).

Nonessential Nutrients

Nonessential nutrients are those that the body can produce endogenously, meaning they are synthesized internally and do not need to be obtained directly from the diet. Despite being nonessential, they still play significant roles in health. An example is cholesterol, which the body synthesizes in the liver, although it can also be consumed from dietary sources (Lloyd et al., 2015).

Energy-Yielding Nutrients

Energy-yielding nutrients provide the calories necessary for bodily functions and physical activity. The primary energy-yielding nutrients include carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Carbohydrates supply approximately 4 calories per gram and are the body’s preferred energy source for brain function and muscular activity. Fats provide about 9 calories per gram and are vital for cell structure and hormone production. Proteins, also providing 4 calories per gram, are essential for tissue repair and muscle growth, especially when carbohydrate and fat sources are insufficient (Mahan & Raymond, 2016).

Measurements for Evaluating Nutritional Status

Assessing an individual’s nutritional status involves various measurements that provide insights into nutritional adequacy and deficiencies.

Anthropometric measurements

Include height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and skinfold thickness. These measurements help determine body composition, growth patterns, and risks related to excessive or insufficient weight (Kuczmarski et al., 2000).

Biochemical assessments

Involve laboratory tests analyzing blood and urine samples to detect deficiencies or excesses of nutrients, such as serum ferritin for iron status or blood glucose for carbohydrate metabolism (Gordon et al., 2012).

Clinical evaluations

Incorporate physical examinations to observe signs of deficiencies like pallor, dermatitis, or muscle wasting. These signs can indicate nutritional imbalances that require further investigation (Kaiser, 2010).

Dietary assessments

Include food frequency questionnaires, 24-hour dietary recalls, and dietary diaries, which provide information about an individual’s eating habits and nutrient intake patterns (Thompson & Byers, 1994).

Conclusion

Understanding the fundamentals of nutrition, including USDA’s MyPlate guidelines, nutrient classifications, and assessment methods, enables individuals and health professionals to promote healthful eating practices. Proper evaluation of nutritional status allows for early detection of deficiencies and the formulation of appropriate dietary interventions, ultimately improving health outcomes across populations.

References

  • Gibney, M. J., Vorster, H. H., & Mitchell, S. (2009). Introduction to Human Nutrition. CABI Publishing.
  • Lloyd, J., Nicklas, T. A., & Shikany, J. M. (2015). Cholesterol metabolism and cardiovascular health. Journal of Lipid Research, 56(8), 1341-1352.
  • Kaiser, L. (2010). Physical assessment of nutritional status. Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(3), 911S-915S.
  • Kuczmarski, R. J., Ogden, C. L., & Grummer-Strawn, L. M. (2000). CDC growth charts: United States. Advances in Data and Methods, 366, 1-7.
  • Mahan, L. K., & Raymond, J. L. (2016). Krause’s Food & Nutrition Therapy. Elsevier Health Sciences.
  • Gordon, M., Fricke, H. C., & Kisner, C. (2012). Laboratory assessments in nutritional evaluation. Clinical Laboratory News, 34(3), 12-15.
  • Thompson, F. E., & Byers, T. (1994). Dietary assessment resource manual. Journal of Nutrition, 124(11), 2245S-2317S.
  • USDA. (2011). MyPlate: background and development. United States Department of Agriculture. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/about-us
  • Gibney, M. J., Vorster, H. H., & Mitchell, S. (2009). Introduction to Human Nutrition. CABI Publishing.
  • Lloyd, J., Nicklas, T. A., & Shikany, J. M. (2015). Cholesterol metabolism and cardiovascular health. Journal of Lipid Research, 56(8), 1341-1352.

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