Nutrient Analysis, Obesity, and Health Risks
Nutrient Analysis
Protein Analysis
Proteins are usually assessed for nitrogen content using the Kjeldahl method. This is a universally accepted method, but a source of inaccuracy. The N protein is not exclusively determined, there is no difference between proteins of different biological quality or bioavailability, and specific coefficients are known only for some foods.
Fiber Analysis
Classification by solubility:
- Insoluble: Cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin
- Soluble: Pectins, hemicellulose, gums, mucilages
Analytical complexity exists to separate, identify, and quantify these components.
Carbohydrate Analysis
Values of analysis of free sugars (glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose) and complex carbohydrates (dextrin, starch, glycogen) are expressed as monosaccharide equivalents per 100 g. It is sometimes expressed as the difference between 100% and water content, protein, fat, and ash, and are sometimes corrected by the fiber content.
Fat Analysis
The value corresponds to total lipids, extractable with ether, present in the food. The value of different fatty acids and cholesterol is usually determined by gas chromatography.
Micronutrient Analysis
The quantification of minerals and vitamins involves the use of separation techniques and quantification, which can be expensive. Sometimes the data on composition tables are from literature sources. Vitamin A and carotenoid to retinol conversion is dependent on food and its bioavailability.
Calculation of Energy Value
Use the Atwater conversion factors: 4 kcal/g for protein and carbohydrates, 9 kcal/g for fat, and 7 kcal/g for alcohol.
Obesity
Fat accumulation is a main nutritional problem in our society, increasing co-morbidity associated with many diseases. Obesity is accompanied by various pathological states and is related, in its intensity, to several levels of mortality.
So devastating is the negative image created by society. However, society is slowly understanding the concept that the overshoot is a complex problem. Among doctors and health professionals, the simplistic criterion that obesity reflects excessive food intake or inadequate physical activity has been gradually abandoned. It has been replaced by the idea that physiological, metabolic, and genetic factors can cause it.
Risks
Obesity is accompanied by a large number of pathological conditions. An increase of 20% in body weight can substantially increase the degree of hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, disorders of lipids, and insulin dependence. Obesity is also considered a risk factor for the appearance of arthropathy, respiratory problems, and vesicular calculi. Some of these chronic disorders have been grouped under the name syndrome X, which includes glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension and vascular problems like myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident.
Adipose Tissue: Fat Deposit
Fat, the primary energy reserve of the organism, is stored as TG deposits in adipose tissue. The adequate fat percentage for an adult is 20-25% of body weight, and of this amount, 12% is essential. In women, essential fat includes 5 to 9% additional body fat in sex-specific regions like the breasts and pelvic thighs.
Causes
Environmental and genetic factors are involved in a complex interaction that includes psychological, cultural, and physiological regulatory mechanisms.
Heredity
Many hormonal and neural factors involved in the regulation of normal weight are determined by genetic mechanisms. This includes long and short-term signals that govern satiety and food intake. Small defects or altered expression could contribute significantly to increased weight. The number and size of adipocytes, their regional distribution, and the metabolism of body fat at rest are genetically determined factors.