9.NPA.1

What does this standard mean a child will know and be able to do?

9.NPA.1.1 Attribute the prevention of chronic diseases to healthy nutrition and physical activity.
When analyzing the leading causes of death, students observe that most deaths are due to chronic diseases as compared to communicable diseases. Chronic diseases are more preventable than curable. Smoking has long been the largest behavioral factor in chronic disease, but as smoking has declined in the general population, the combined problem of poor diet and physical inactivity now tops the list of underlying causation. Heart disease, the leading cause of death, is largely affected by poor diet and physical inactivity. Large cohort studies show that people with lowest rates of heart disease consume diets lower in total calories and with less saturated fat, salt, and meat consumption, with heavier consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, monounsaturated fats, fish, poultry and low-fat milk products. These preferred eating patterns along with aerobic (cardio) activity most days of a week slow the process of atherosclerosis. They also reduce risk for obesity and hypertension that lead to diabetes and specific blood vessel events including coronary artery occlusion, stroke and embolisms. Better eating patterns and physical activity ward off most risk factors for heart disease that are not congenital or genetic.

Physical activity including aerobic capacity, strength, and flexibility seem to reduce the incidence of certain cancers, particularly colon and breast cancer, by regulating body composition. Load bearing activity also increases absorption of calcium, warding off premature osteoporosis and bone fractures. Walkers have fewer respiratory illnesses such as colds and infections such as pneumonia and influenza. Preliminary evidence suggests that lifetime exercise delays the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The good news is that moderate activity produces significant health benefits. Studies show that people who move from inactivity to moderate endurance activity (30 minutes of walking 5 days a week) make greater health gains than those who move from moderate to high intensity exercise. In fact, marathon runners and high intensity exercisers are more prone to injuries and temporary weakening of their immune systems after competition.
 * The student will outline the leading causes of death in the US and identify the underlying causative factors.
 * Utilizing heart disease or cancers, the student will explain how healthy eating patterns and activity prevents underlying causative factors.
 * The student will analyze a week of food and activity patterns, making suggestions for improvement in activity and nutrition.
 * The student will trouble shoot excuses for inactivity or poor nutrition practices.

9.NPA.1.2 Organize meal plans to meet special dietary needs for athletes, pregnant women, diabetics and those experiencing allergies.
Individuals with special needs such as athletes, pregnant women, diabetics and those with allergies need to modify their food intake and possibly their activity to stay healthy. Maintaining hydration (water) and fuel (carbohydrates) are the two major needs of endurance athletes while strength athletes need power. Many athletes falsely believe they need to take supplements and have extra protein in their diets to improve performance. A better strategy is to eat a normal level of lean protein (fish, chicken, egg, meat) and lift graduated weights to build power and endurance. Extra dietary or supplemented protein is stored as fat and requires more water to remove the nitrogen component, both undesirable for an athlete. Since a normal carbohydrate-proportioned meal provides sufficient fuel for 90-120 minutes of endurance activity, there is no benefit and some discomfort to carbohydrate loading. Consequently, athletes should consume 2-3 servings or 6-8 ounces of lean protein, 3 servings of milk or milk products with the balance of foods coming from grains, vegetables and fruits. Being underweight is a problem for some women athletes that can produce anemia (creating fatigue), bone loss, and amenorrhea. Eating smaller but more frequent meals and snacks can offset this problem. Pregnant women must eat for two. With teen pregnancies, nutrition problems are amplified because a young woman is growing herself as well as the developing child. Deficiencies in iron, calcium, folic acid and insufficient calorie intake are common in pregnant teenagers. Nutrition education and foods are provided to teen mothers through WIC programs in most communities. Prenatal care through clinics or physicians can guide young women in their pregnancies and provide the necessary supplements and recommendations to encourage healthy pregnancies. Consuming a nutrient-dense diet with four servings of milk or calcium/mineral supplements is recommended.

Diabetes and food allergies can also affect teens. Diabetic students must monitor their blood to maintain a steady blood glucose level. Diabetics often require more regular but smaller meals, combining whole grain, starchy and sugary foods with protein foods or fats to dampen the insulin effect. Foods with more fiber moderate glucose shifts. Many diabetics learn to consume limited amounts of sugar or use sugar substitutes for greater sweetness in foods.

Allergy sufferers often react to offending foods with skin irritations, sneezing, runny nose, itching, or diarrhea. More severe reactions include nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, or anaphylaxis (airway closing). While there are other allergens, 90% of the food allergies are caused by milk, eggs, peanuts and other nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. Persons with allergic reactions should see an allergist to determine the cause and plan ways to acquire nutrients by substituting other foods.
 * The student will identify the two exceptional nutrition needs of athletes and how to meet them throughout the day, before and after practice or events.
 * The student will refute nutrition myths surrounding athletic performance.
 * The student will describe the triad often affecting underweight female athletes and its long-range consequences.
 * The student will explain the unique nutritional needs of pregnant teens, diabetic teens, and young people with food allergies
 * The student will plan modifications to a day’s typical menu of foods for an athlete, pregnant teen, diabetic, or identified food allergy sufferer.

9.NPA.1.3 Recognize the benefits of folic acid and other vitamins and minerals.
Water, carbohydrates, fats and proteins make up the macronutrients in the diet, meaning humans need these nutrients in larger amounts. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients, meaning they are still essential, but we need them in much smaller quantities than the macronutrients. Micronutrients are found in so many different foods that dietitians recommend eating as wide a variety of foods as possible. Multi-vitamin and mineral supplements are recommended for picky eaters, vegetable haters, people with identified nutrient deficiencies, vegans, people on certain medications, women with heavy menstrual flows, infants, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with very low calorie diets.

Calcium, the most commonly identified deficiency among young people, is best absorbed after puberty through age 25. The body’s goal is to get enough calcium in its bones to last a lifetime. Once bones begin to lose calcium, osteoporosis sets in causing bones to fracture easily. Calcium is best absorbed when a person eats or drinks good calcium and vitamin D foods like 2% milk several times a day; does weight bearing activity; and has good estrogen or testosterone blood levels after puberty. Calcium and its cousins, potassium and magnesium, are found in milk, soymilk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, tofu, beans, seeds and sardines.

A mineral that noticeably affects how a person feels is iron with its deficiency, anemia. Blood cells low in iron are less effective in carrying oxygen, resulting in exceptional fatigue. Iron is plentiful in liver, red meats, baked beans, peas, cream of wheat, and fortified cereals. Women are more likely to experience iron anemia than men.

Bodies also need water soluble (dissolve in water) and fat soluble (dissolve in lipids) vitamins. Common ones are A (for eye and skin health), B complex (used in energy pathways), C and E (for skin health and antioxidant functions) and D (for bone growth). One notable B vitamin, Folic acid, is extremely important in forming DNA of new cells. Babies born to mothers without adequate folic acid are at risk for a neural tube defect called spina bifida. Good sources of Folate include rice and pasta, all kinds of beans, peas, lentils and seeds, and dark green vegetables.
 * The student will differentiate between macro and micronutrients.
 * The student will explain why he/she is/is not a candidate for a multi-vitamin or mineral supplement.
 * The student will discuss three micronutrients with deficiencies that might affect some teens and ways to decrease that risk.