Understandings:
- Essential nutrients cannot be synthesized by the body, therefore they have to be included in the diet.
- Dietary minerals are essential chemical elements.
- Vitamins are chemically diverse carbon compounds that cannot be synthesized by the body.
- Some fatty acids and some amino acids are essential.
- Lack of essential amino acids affects the production of proteins.
- Malnutrition may be caused by a deficiency, imbalance or excess of nutrients in the diet.
- Appetite is controlled by a centre in the hypothalamus.
- Overweight individuals are more likely to suffer hypertension and type II diabetes.
- Starvation can lead to breakdown of body tissue.
Applications and skills:
- Application: Production of ascorbic acid by some mammals, but not others that need a dietary supply.
- Application: Cause and treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU).
- Application: Lack of Vitamin D or calcium can affect bone mineralization and cause rickets or osteomalacia.
- Application: Breakdown of heart muscle due to anorexia.
- Application: Cholesterol in blood as an indicator of the risk of coronary heart disease.
- Skill: Determination of the energy content of food by combustion.
- Skill: Use of databases of nutritional content of foods and software to calculate intakes of essential nutrients from a daily diet.
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International-mindedness:
- The Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System (VMNIS), formerly known as the Micronutrient Deficiency Information System (MDIS), was established in 1991 following a request by the World Health Assembly to strengthen surveillance of micronutrient deficiencies at the global level.
Theory of knowledge:
- There are positive effects of exposure to sun such as the production of Vitamin D as well as health risks associated with exposure to UV rays. How can conflicting knowledge claims be balanced?
Utilization:
- Syllabus and cross-curricular links:
- Biology
- Topic 6.1
- Digestion and absorption Geography
- Part 2F The geography of food and health
- Chemistry
- Topic B5 Vitamins
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