Intro to Nutrition, Metabolism & Energy Balance

Are you a food lover? We are too. In fact, most people fall into one of two groups—those who live to eat and those who eat to live. The saying “you are what you eat” is true in that part of the food we eat is converted to our living flesh. In other words, our bodies use some nutrients to build cell structures, replace worn-out parts, and synthesize functional molecules. However, most nutrients we ingest are used as metabolic fuel. That is, they are oxidized and transformed to ATP, the chemical energy form used by cells (pp. 55–56).

In Chapter 23, we talked about how foods are digested and absorbed, but what happens to these foods once they enter the blood? We will answer this question as we examine both the nature of nutrients and their metabolic roles.

Module Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

Define nutrient, essential nutrient, and calorie.
List the five major nutrient categories. Note important sources and main cellular uses.
Distinguish between simple and complex carbohydrate sources.
Distinguish between saturated, unsaturated, and trans fatty acid sources.
Distinguish between nutritionally complete and incomplete proteins.
Define nitrogen balance and indicate possible causes of positive and negative nitrogen balance.
Indicate the major uses of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins in the body.
Distinguish between fat- and water-soluble vitamins, and list the vitamins in each group.
For each vitamin, list important sources, body functions, and important consequences of its deficit or excess.
List minerals essential for health.
Indicate important dietary sources of minerals and describe how each is used.
Define metabolism. Explain how catabolism and anabolism differ.
Define oxidation and reduction and indicate the importance of these reactions in metabolism.
Indicate the role of coenzymes used in cellular oxidation reactions.
Explain the difference between substrate-level phosphorylation and oxidative phosphorylation.
Summarize important events and products of glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and electron transport.
Define glycogenesis, glycogenolysis, and gluconeogenesis.
Describe the process by which fatty acids are oxidized for energy.
Define ketone bodies, and indicate the stimulus for their formation.
Describe how amino acids are metabolized for energy.
Describe the need for protein synthesis in body cells.
Summarize important events of the absorptive and postabsorptive states, and explain how these events are regulated.
Describe several metabolic functions of the liver.
Differentiate between LDLs and HDLs relative to their structures and major roles in the body.
Explain what is meant by body energy balance.
Describe several theories of food intake regulation.
Define basal metabolic rate and total metabolic rate. Name factors that influence each.
Describe how body temperature is regulated, and indicate the common mechanisms regulating heat production/retention and heat loss from the body.

All module objectives align with (CLOs: #3, 6).

(CLO = Course Learning Outcome)

To Do

Please read/watch all of the module learning materials (readings, presentations, videos, etc.) and complete all assignments/assessments listed below. If you have questions, please contact the course instructor or ask in the Questions About This Course forum.

Readings and Presentations:

Text: pages 926-973*
Lab Manual: Anatomy of the Digestive System & Digestive System Processes
Nutrition_Metabolism_Outline, Readings Page - Chs. 23 & 24

Videos:

Videos/Animations - Digestive System

Additional Learning Materials:

Nutrition_Metab_PPTA, Nutrition_Metab_PPTB

*Use the Ch. 24 reading materials (text, PPTs, etc.) sparingly to help you answer lab/homework questions. In other words, there is no need to read the entire chapter, as it includes detailed chemistry that is beyond the scope of this class.

Assignments/Assessments:

Complete the following assignments by the date and time indicated on each assignment page.

MAP Lab Activity (Anatomy of the Digestive System)
MAP Lab Activity (Digestive System Processes)
Study for and/or Complete Post-Lab Activities and Quizzes (as assigned)

Click the Next ▶ button to continue.