KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

HW220 Contemporary Diet and Nutrition

Nutrition
Education
Guide
1

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

Nutrition Education Guide

By

CutressaM.Williams

KaplanUniversity

HW220:ContemporaryDietandNutrition

03November2015

Table of Contents

Introduction
UNIT 1 DIETARY TRENDS AND NUTRITION

Information to Remember
Resources
UNIT 2 FOOD CHOICES

Information to Remember
Resources
UNIT 3 FOOD CHOICES: ECONOMICS

Information to Remember
Resources
UNIT 4 FOOD CHOICES: FOODBORNE ILLNESSES

Information to Remember
Resources
UNIT 5 GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD

Information to Remember
Resources
UNIT 6 THE ORGANIC FOOD MOVEMENT

Information to Remember
Resources
UNIT 7 GLOBAL FOOD MARKETS

Information to Remember
Resources
UNIT 8 CONTEMPORARY WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS

Information to Remember
Resources

Appendices
A) Diet and physical activity assessment: Include your unit 2 screen shots and your
personal diet and physical activity assessment write-up.
Despite knowing better, my diet of late has not reflected the healthy eating
methods I know to be true. The USDA recommendations listed on
www.choosemyplate.gov
, as pictured below, show a meal consistingofprotein,
grains, fruitsand vegetables, along withdiary in onesetting,asthemosthealthy
choice (2015). Itis no excuse, however, Ihave been dealingwith a more stress
than usual, due to changing conditions at work, personal relationships and a
medical condition and, my eating has suffered. I have a plan to completely
detox my physical body, mymindandmyspirit,tohelpmegetbackontrackand
grow even more in my healthy lifestyle. While the foods recommended by
Choose My Plate are excellent options, the foodsshouldnot beconsumedallin
onemeal and at one time.Ibelieveitisimportantforvitalnutrition,thatOneeats
not only the healthiest food options, but also eats said foods in the correct
combinations,quantitiesandtiming.
The foods I ate over the last days of tracking had many influences. I was
working, and as a flight attendant, there are some unfortunate times when
healthy eating can be challenging and this past weekend was such an
experience. Due to scheduling conflicts due to weather, Iwas delayed in being
able to acquire good food in a timely manner to be the most nourishing. My

dinner on Thursday evening was spectacular.I wasinvitedto a mini feastbya

wonderfulnewfriendandtheatmospherewasfestiveandentertaining.
Again, I feel it would be best if the guidelines were more inclusive of proper
eatingtechniques, alongwith advocating thehealthiestfoodchoices.Evenwhen
One eats the best foods, if those foods are not 100% digested and able to
provide the vital nutrients as energy for the body, it does no good. Food is the
bodys energy source,and as such, it is critical that as much energyaspossible
ismadeavailablefromthefoodshumansconsume.

{PleaseseeaccompaniedPDFsofmyfoodandphysicalactivitytracking}

B) Conduct an Internet search on the dietary habits of a community in which you are
interested. You can choose from the list below or select your own community.
Prepare a 100-150 word summary of the information that you found on their cultural
food preferences. You can use a search engine like Google or the Health Sciences
Resource Room. Properly cite the website in your write up.
African American
Appalachian
Amish
Hmong
Mexican-American
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Middle Eastern
Puerto Rican
Vietnamese

As a Black American woman, I can easily attest to the accuracy of the

information concerning our cultures eating habits & tendencies, on a general
basis. A staple in the Black American diet is
soul food
, which
traditionally
depend on fat, sugar and sodiumfor their flavor (Andrews, 2007). Soul Foodis
typically eaten at the Sunday afternoon meal, but, of course can be eaten at
anytime. Sundays, whether the family is religious or not, tends to be a family
meal day. It is usually a time for sharing, as if it was a holiday, similar to
Thanksgiving or Christmas, but on a smaller scale. The combinations of food,
along with the chosen cooking processes (frying, especially) contribute greatly,
yet negatively to the serious health problems experienced by so many in our
community.

Vegetables are another considerationthat needto be addressedin our overall

diets. Many meals donot includeanyat all. So many mealsconsistofaprotein
and a carbohydrate, for example, chicken and rice, which canbehealthy when
eating separately, is illcombinedand therefore notgood towards contributing to
Ones best health. 60% ofAfricanAmerican men and 78% of African American
womenidentifiedasoverweight. Inaddition, 28.8%ofmen and50.8%ofAfrican
American women are considered obese (Andrews, 2007).In ordertodecrease
these horrific statistics, it is necessary to make some simple changes. The
biggest and most impactful change would be to greatly reduce the amount of
friedfoodseatenandthequantitiesoffoodsduringonemeal.

References
Andrews, Lisa Cicciarello. (2007). African Americans and Diet. NetWellness.
Informationretrievedfrom
http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/aahealth/healthybody.cfm

Unit

Dietary Trends and

Nutrition
Unit 1 Dietary Trends and
Nutrition
Information to Remember:

Health begins and ends with food.Exercise,of course, is important but,the

saying is true, You are what you eat. To better keep up with Ones food
intake, to ascertain thecorrectfoodsand portions,is towrite downtheitems
eatenduring eachmeal.TheSuperTrackerisanexcellenttoolforkeepingup
with what has been eaten and for proper meal planning as well. [See
Resourcessectionformoreinformation]

Professionalism is critical to success. Dictionary.com describes it as the

standing, practice, or methods of a professional, as distinguished from an
amateur (2015). One must ensure they are adequately prepared, both
academically and socially to properly engage with and have the best
outcomesforboththeirclientsandthemselves.

Resources:

WebSite (1):
https://supertracker.usda.govThis siteis a projectoftheUSDA
(United States Department of Agriculture). It is an excellent resource for
keeping up with meals, including their nutritional values. This information is
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helpful indetermining the foods nutritional value, ifany,andwhetherornotit

shouldbeincludedinfuturemeals.

Web Site (2):

www.Dictionary.com This site is invaluable for professionals.
Knowing the meanings of words is imperative for proper explanation and
sharing information. It is professionalwhen One can offer examplesofterms
andconceptsthatmaybenewtotheirclients.

Web Site (3):

www.bing.com The advent andmatriculation ofinformation via
the World Wide Web is simply a must for professionals (and lay people)
today. Everyone goes to theweb toresearch, learn andgather information
to share on various topics. Being able to quickly and easily access quality
informationiscritical.

Article, Essay, or Book(1)

Howto Win Friends and InfluencePeople,
Dale Carnegie. Originally published in 1936, this work is a classic for
professional development. Influence and Communication are two of themost
foundational skillsnecessaryfor true success. Mr. Carnegie providesoptions
and examples, plenty enough, to encourage and propel One towards
success.

Article, Essay, Book, or Software/Tool (2)

Think and Grow Rich,
Napoleon Hill.
Originally published in 1937, this is the goto manual for
ultimate success. Mr. Hill shares ten keys that when applied by ANYONE,
their efforts,nomatterthearena,willbesuccessfullyrewarded.Themindand
outlook of a person is vitally important to how they see themselves, and in
turn,howtheytreatothers.

Unit

Dietary Trends and

Nutrition
Unit 2 Dietary Trends and
Nutrition
Information to Remember:

Food is BIG Business. Like so many other industries, many peoples

livelihoodsarefoundedupon providing basissocietalneeds.Thebusinessof
food is not always simple. There are factors, which because money and
profits are involved, cause some providers toofferless than stellar products
andservicestotheirclientsandcustomers.

Food
can
be political.Wetend,ofcourse,tothinkoffoodintermsofnutrition,
or basichuman survivalevenbut,frankly,it(food)hasanotherlife.Thelifeof
the food that is provided to multitudes of people has influences other than
simply where and how it was grown. There are multiple laws, statues and
sometimes sanctions that dictate the movement of the food, to be available
forpurchaseandadequateconsumption.

Resources:

Web Site (1):

www.choosemyplate.gov This site is a service of the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It is the U.S.s version of sharing
the idea of an ideal meal for health. While the effort to share healthful
information isadmirable,regrettablythisinformationisnotcorrect.Itsuggests
eating proteins, grains, vegetables, fruits and dairyallin one meal. Because
these food groups/types are not the same, the body must process these
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foods indifferent waysto be able toproperly utilize thefoodfor energy.Soif

One eats an acid and analkalineenvironmentrequired food,forexample,
inthesamemeal,nothinggetsdigestedandthemealwasworthless.

Web Site (2):

www.usda.gov United States Department of Agriculture. This
siteandagency deals withfood andhow it affects a society.Everythingfrom
food safety, to energy, to education and research are provided as valuable
informationfromtheUSDA.

Article,Essay,orBook(1):

Evich, Helena Bottemiller. (08/02/2015). Good Food vs. Big Food. Politico
magazine.Retrievedfrom
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/goodfoodcompaniesleavelobbyingoffhe
menu120878
This article speaks briefly concerning the topic of direct consumer education
about a foods quality and what makes it good. Simply because a food is
suggested or provided by a BIG FOOD company or manufacturer, does not
indicateitisawiseandproperchoice.Consumerawarenessisnecessary.

Article,Essay,Book,orSoftware/Tool(2):
Nestle, Marion. (2013). Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences
NutritionandHealth.1stEdition.

This book delves deep into the other world of food, its political life. The
influencesoffoodrunvastanddeep.

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Unit

Dietary Trends and

Nutrition
Unit 3 Dietary Trends and
Nutrition
Information to Remember:

Food is affordable. Yes, while some proper planning and organization are
required in order to take advantage of the savings available that makes
affordability possible, the effort is worth the work. Taking advantage of
manufacturers coupon, rebates and offer incentives, along with those from
specificstores,areeffectivetools.

Specific meal times & customs are important. They contribute to the
enjoymentof foods,whichleadsto proper digestion, whichin turnaidsinthe
development and promotion of foodrelated social skills, especially for
children. So much of society life involves eating and sharing meals with
strangers.Havinggoodfoodetiquetteandmannersiscritical.

Resources:

Web Site (1):

www.savingstar.com This site provides cash back for grocery
purchases, even produce. It is an excellent tool to aid One or a family in
helpingtoaffordabetterfoodoption.

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Web Site (2):

www.checkout51.com Similar to Savings Star, this site offers
canincentives forpurchasingcertainitems at specifictimes. Excellent toolin
helpingOnetosave.

Article,Essay,orBook(1):
Kirby, Carrie. (2014). 20 Easy Ways to Stretch Your Grocery Dollars.
WiseBread.Informationretrievedfrom
http://www.wisebread.com/20easywaystostretchyourgrocerydollars

This articleprovides some valuable tips concerning simple waystosaveonfood

purchases. Creative ideas like drinking water before meals to help curb the
appetiteand,inturn,eatingless,aresuggestedhere.
Article,Essay,Book,orSoftware/Tool(2):
Sloane, Martin. (2011).Couponing:Sites for savinghelpstretchgrocerydollars.
Chron.Informationretrievedfrom
http://www.chron.com/life/food/article/CouponingSitesforsavingshelpstret
chgrocery2003578.php
This articlehighlights thephenomenon of couponingandhowitisrevolutionizing
how
people shop forgroceriesand otherhouseholditems. It providesresources
ofavailableonlinesitesandapplicationstousefortracking,planningandsaving.

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Unit

Dietary Trends and

Nutrition
Unit 4 Dietary Trends and
Nutrition
Information to Remember:

Key learning point from the unit

each point should be several sentences and referenced as
appropriate. These points should be information that you learned that was of particular importance to
your learning; your life; your current or future Go

Food labels provide valuable information about ingredients and processes for foods. It is
an essential skill to understand these labels, to be able to make the best available food
choices.

Hand-washing is vital important to health. While it is critical during meal preparation,

especially to guard against cross contamination, it is equally as important to ensure the
hands are cleans before eating meals also.

Resources:

Web Site (1):

www.cdc.gov The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the
number agency for all things health. It focuses on prevention and treatment/cure. The
importance of food safety is encouraged, yet, how to overcome such a malady should
one eat anything unsafe.

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Web Site (2):

www.fda.gov The Food and Drug Administration provides tons of useful
information concerning how to adequately read and understand food labels, among
many other useful truths.

Article, Essay, or Book (1): Understanding Food Nutrition Labels.

www.heart.org The
American Heart Association seeks to share preventive and post information concerning
issues that relate to heart health, and understanding food labels is critical.

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Unit

Dietary Trends and

Nutrition
Unit 5 Dietary Trends and
Nutrition
Information to Remember:

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are everywhere (regrettably). It is

moreimportantthaneverthatOneknowstheoriginofthefoodseaten.

I must activelyparticipateinmyhealth.Itisunacceptabletosimplyacceptthe
word of the crowd as gospel for myself. IF I sufferadverseconsequences
becauseofpoorchoices,Iamtheonlyonetoblame.

Resources:

WebSite (1):
http://nongmoproject.orgOn a mission tosharewhichproducts
are NONGMOsandtoeventuallyremoveALLGMOsfromthemarketplace.I
advocatetheworkofthisorganization.

Web Site (2):

http://gmoawareness.org Committed to sharing facts about
GMOs andbringingawareness,sopeoplecan makeinformeddecisions.Itis
one thing topurposefully
chooseto purchaseaGMO, butsomething entirely
differentwhendeceptionisatplay.

Article,Essay,orBook(1):

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Stoffell, Brian. (2013). 10 Foods You'llHave to Give Upto Avoid EatingGMOs.

DailyFinance.com.Informationretrievedfrom
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/11/21/foodsgiveupavoideatinggmo/#!slide=
1585699
Beingfully consciousofOneschoicesis empowering. IF IdecideIamwillingto
risk consuming a frankenfood, that is my choice, but to be deceived is cruel.
This article shares 10 of the most common foods that are now mostly sold as
GMOswithinformingconsumers.

Article,Essay,Book,orSoftware/Tool(2):

John Fagan, Michael Antoniou, and Claire Robinson. (2014). GMO Myths and
Truths: An evidencebased examination of the claims made for the safety and
efficacy of genetically modified crops and foods. 2nd edition, Version 1.0.
Informationretrievedfrom
http://www.nongmoproject.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/03/GMOMythsandTrut
hsedition2.pdf
This work exposestheliestoldto the publicconcerningthesafetyandefficiency
of GMOs. Itattempts todebunk the scienceprovidingtheeffectivenessofsuch
products.

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Unit

Dietary Trends and

Nutrition
Unit 6 Dietary Trends and
Nutrition
Information to Remember:

Associations are important for continued professional success. Since

information isdoubling all thetimenow,stayingcurrent,academically,canbe
challenging once One is in the professional arena fulltime and nolonger in
school. Most organizations and associations offer continuing education that
helpskeepprofessionals,professional.

Arethe additionalmonies paid for organicitemsaninvestment,orsimplyjust

more? When comparing apples to apples, for example, is it Better to
purchase organic, for say $3.00, while an nonorganicoption isavailablefor
$1.80?Yes,Ithinkso.

Resources:

Web Site (1):

www.mayoclinic.org Healthful information on all subjects
affectingOneshealth.

Web Site (2):

www.http://americannutritionassociation.org Since 1972,
organization has been a resource of education and helpful nutrition
informationtoprofessionalsandthepublicatlarge.

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Article,Essay,orBook(1):

Mayo Clinic Staff.(2014).

Organic foods:Arethey safer? More nutritious?Mayo
Clinic.Informationretrievedfrom
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthylifestyle/nutritionandhealthyeating/indepth/o
rganicfood/art20043880
This article seeks to share
the real difference between organic foods and their
traditionallygrowncounterpartswhenitcomestonutrition,safetyandprice.

Article,Essay,Book,orSoftware/Tool(2):

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2014). Organic foods: What the labels mean. Mayo Clinic.
Informationretrievedfrom
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthylifestyle/nutritionandhealthyeating/indepth/h
ealthtip/art20048878
With the onset oftheorganiccraze,itisimportanttounderstandwhatthelabels
actuallymean.Isorganic,allnatural,etc.,reallythebestoption?

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Unit

Dietary Trends and

Nutrition
Unit 7 Dietary Trends and
Nutrition
Information to Remember:

The traditional American

diet
is killing us. The miscombinations and
outrageousportionsaresettingusupforhealthdisaster.

The American fast food craze has contributed to lose cuisine identity for
somecountries.

Resources:

Web Site (1):

http://www.globalization101.org Simple, yet excellentresource
forunderstandingexactlywhatGlobalizationisandhowitaffectsourworld.

Web Site (2):

http://eatnoshit.org Dedicated to exposing the dire conditions
surrounding international food companies. The Boycottingof companiesthat
exploit theworkers inthefoodplantsanddeliveralessthanqualityproductto
thepublicisencouragedhere.

Article,Essay,orBook(1):
Schlosser,Eric.(2002).
FastFoodNation
:thedarksideoftheallamerican
meal.HoughtonMifflinCompany,NewYork,NY.
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Powerful and thought provoking work concerning the invasion of American fast
foodallovertheworld,andtheresultinghavocitiswrecking.
Article,Essay,Book,orSoftware/Tool(2):

Holguin,Jaime.(2004).FastFood Linked toChildObesity.CBSNews,January

5.Informationretrievedfrom

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fastfoodlinkedtochildobesity
Arewardoffastfoodforgood behavior is NOTareward.Oursocietalrushand
lack oftime forfamily meals iscreatinganationofobesechildren,whomaynot
livelongenoughtobealltheycanbedevastating.

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Unit

Dietary Trends and

Nutrition
Unit 8 Dietary Trends and
Nutrition
Information to Remember:

Health is much more than merely a skinny body. The risks associated with
diet pills are simply not worth the risk to simply loose weight. The
misconceived mentality that a pill is a magic fix for a longterm problemis
ludicris.

Drugs are not the answer. They tend to cause more issuesthan they solve.
Healthy weight loss should be achieved by clean, correct eating, the
movementofOnesphysicalbodyANDtheproperthinkingofOnesmind.

Resources:

WebSite(1):

http://www.healthreserve.com/diet_pills/over_the_counter_diet_pills.htmAsimple
resourceforeducatingfactsondietpillsandhowtheywork.

Article,Essay,orBook(1):
Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of
Overweight and Obesity in Adults: The Evidence Report. (1998). NHLBI
Obesity Education Initiative Expert Panel on the Identification,Evaluation,
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and Treatment of Obesity in Adults (US). Bethesda (MD). Information

retrievedfrom
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2009
It is important to understandtheseverityof obesity andhow it adversely affects
our nation, as a whole. Whether One, themselves, is obese, or is close to an
obese person, or does not think that obesity affects them directly, this work
showshow,infact,itdoesandhowtochangethisepidemic.

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