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The-Fat-Project-Section-12-Boys

Page history last edited by Taylor Wright 15 years, 2 months ago

 FAT, CHOLESTEROL, AND OBESITY

  

FAT:

 

Fat

 

Fat, also known as lipids, is mostly made up of triesters, glycerol, and fatty acids. Fat insulates the body and pads its major organs and bones.

 

"Good Fat"

 

Unsaturated fats are "good" because they do not stack up like saturated fats.

 

"Bad Fat"

 

Saturated fats are "bad" because they tend to stack/build up in parts of the body. Trans fats are bad because they are a partially soilidified fat, unsaturated, hydrogenated fat. Because of this it is almost impossible for the body to break them down.

 

Types of fat:

 

                                                                              - A fat with all single bonds is called a saturated fat:

                                                                                 one fatty acid forms a strait chain-solid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                             - A fat with at least one double or triple bond in the fat molecule is called an unsaturated fat                                                                                                                                               This molecule contains one or more "kinks or bends in the given fatty acid chain(s) that contain

                                                                                 the double or triple bond-liquid".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                               -Trans fats are unsaturated fats with trans-isomer fatty

                                                                                  acids. Trans fats are formed by hydrogenating

                                                                                  unsaturated fat making the fat more solid thus increasing its shelf life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish and are essential to the human body but cannot be produced by it so omega must be consumed through food. It is a polyunsaturated fatty acid with its first double bond three carbons from the beginning of the carbon chain. Omega 3 increases good cholesterol and prevents bad cholesterol low.

 

- A monounsaturated fat contains one double or triple bond in a given fatty acid chain(s) within the fat molecule. The one fatty acid with the double or triple bond contains one"kink" or bend.

 

- A polyunsaturated fat contains more than one double or triple bond in a given fatty acid chain(s) within the fat molecule.

 

Partially hydrogenated fats are fats with hydrogens added to their fatty acid chains through the process of hydrogenization. This process solidifies the fat and increases its shelf life. Trans fats are hydrogenated. Unfortunately this process makes it very difficult for our bodies to break down hydrogenated fats.

 

What things contain fat?

 

Dairy, Oils, all meat, eggs, butter, and animal lard contain fat.

 

Saturated v.s. Unsaturated

 

When fat is being digested in the body, the body uses water to break H--C bonds. Saturated fat has more energy becuase it has more H--C bonds to break.  

 

Importance of Fat

 

A human being cannot survive without fat. Fat is an important part of the human body because it insulates the body to keep it warm, pads important muscles, organs, and bones to prevent damage, and stores energy. A human cannot survive without fat.

 

CHOLESTEROL: 

HDL vs. LDL

 

“Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as “bad” cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as “good” cholesterol.”

 

LDL

 

Low density lipoproteins, also referred to as LDL, is known as the "bad cholesterol". LDLs are produced by the liver and carry cholesterol and other lipids (fats) from the liver to different areas of the body, like muscles, tissues, organs, and the heart. It is very important to keep LDL levels low, because high levels of LDL indicate that there is much more cholesterol in the blood stream than necessary, therefore increasing your risk of heart disease. 

 

HDL

 

High density lipoprotein, also known as HDL, is considered the "good" cholesterol. HDL is produced by the liver to carry cholesterol and other lipids (fats) from tissues and organs back to the liver for recycling or degradation. High levels of HDL are a good indicator of a healthy heart, because less cholesterol is available in your blood to attach to blood vessels and cause plaque formation. 

 

High Cholesterol 

 

Low-density lipoprotein is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. A clot (thrombus) that forms near this plaque can block the blood flow to part of the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. If a clot blocks the blood flow to part of the brain, a stroke results. A high level of LDL cholesterol (160 mg/dL and above) reflects an increased risk of heart disease. If you have heart disease, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dL and your doctor may even set your goal to be less than 70 mg/dL. That's why LDL cholesterol is called "bad" cholesterol. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol reflect a lower risk of heart disease.

 

Uses of Cholesterol

 

 Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's normal to have cholesterol. Cholesterol is an important part of a healthy body because it's used for producing cell membranes and some hormones, and serves other needed bodily functions.

     “It may surprise you to know that cholesterol itself isn't bad. In fact, cholesterol is just one of the many substances created and used by our bodies to keep us healthy. Some of the cholesterol we need is produced naturally (and can be affected by your family health history), while some of it comes from the food we eat.”

     HDL cholesterol is good for you. High levels of HDL cholesterol prevent heart attacks. “Low levels of HDL (less than 40 mg/dL) also increase the risk of heart disease.” HDL removes cholesterol from the arteries and carries it to the liver where it is passed from the body.

 

Cholesterol and Lipoproteins

 

Lipoproteins are very important to the existance of cholesterol. Cholesterol does not travel alone in the bloodstream. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance while blood is more like water. The blood and the cholesterol will seperate.  Instead, cholesterol combines with a protein that allows it to become more soluble in the blood. This complex is called a lipoprotein.

  

OBESITY:

 

Why are people getting so fat? (4)

 

- One reason people are getting fatter is because of changes in portions in most fast food joints and restaurants.  For instance, "In 1970, McDonald's offered one size of French fries; today that size is called "small." Eventually, it introduced a new size and called it "large"; today that size is called "medium." There's a new larger large size, but you don't have to settle for that—you can always "supersize it" and go a step beyond large" (www.slate.com).

 

- McDonalds is also using the fact that people are obese against them.  They are offering larger sizes to make more money off the obese population.

 

- Quitting smoking is another reason why people are getting fatter.  While in withdrawal, most smokers have cravings for things to fill the void which was once filled by smoking.  They turn to food to solve their oral fixation problem.

 

- Along with larger portions, food in thge 21st century is more nutritionally deficient, as most of the healthy and important nutrients are removed through packaging and transport.

 

- The fact that people are leading more sedentary lifestyles is also contributing to obesity.  We sit in front of computers, send messages via email, travel by car, train, and plane, watch TV, and use elevators instead of stairs.

 

- Stress and sleep deprivation are also factors in obesity.  The lifestyles of today's people lead to stress filled days and sleepless nights, giving the body no time to digest food and repair the body.

 

Is the food getting fatter?

 

The food is not necessarily getting fatter, but it is more nutritionally deficient. 

 

"While a century ago all farming was 'organic', today on average each of us consumes 10kg of chemicals and 75kg of sugar each year, all added as we grow, package, transport, and cook our food.  The modern western diet consists of largely over processed foods manufactured by the food industry with convenience as opposed to our health in mind. These are known as “skeleton foods” – they are just calories with most of their nutrients (fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes etc) removed by processing. They are little more than fat, carbohydrate and protein skeletons of their original form.

 

Research: Woods, Seeley (3)

 

Dr. Woods and Dr. Seeley have both contributed greatly to the study of obesity.  They study the causes of obesity and what can be done to stop obesity from getting out of hand, and become seriously life threatening.

 

Dr. Woods has served on the Obesity Advisory Committee of Children's Hospital Medical Center and is on the University of Cincinnati Long-Range Research Planning Committee. He is a frequent reviewer for several study sections at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Woods received a B.S. in Zoology in 1965 and a B.S. in Psychology in 1966 from the University of Washington. He received a Ph.D. in Psychology and in Physiology and Biophysics from the University of Washington in 1970. He was a Fellow in Endocrinology at the Seattle Veterans Administration Hospital in 1970 and 1972.

 

Dr. Seeley has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles including articles in Science, Nature, Nature Medicine, Nature Neuroscience Reviews, The Journal of Clincial Investigation and the New England Journal of Medicine. He is also the author of 12 book chapters and co-edited a volume on macronutrient selection. He also is the recipient of the 2003 Lilly Scientific Achievement award from the North American Association for the Study of Obesity given to the individual with the highest level of scientific achievement in obesity research in North America less than 15 years after their terminal degree.  

  

OTHER:

 

How do you read a nutrition label?

 

Nutrition labels are found on most food products and can be used to find out different information about the food.  The information in the main or top section can vary with each food product.  It contains product-specific information including serving size, calories, and nutrient information. The serving size tells the reader what portion of the food the nutrition label refers to.  For instance in the example below, the serving size is denoted as 1 cup.  However, the total number of cups in the entire serving of mac and cheese is 2, which means that if the consumer plans on eating the entire mac and cheese and wants to know how many calories he will be eating, he must double all values in the nutrition label.  The bottom part contains a footnote with Daily Values (DVs) for 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diets. This footnote provides recommended dietary information for important nutrients, including fats, sodium and fiber. The footnote is found only on larger packages and does not change from product to product. (2)

 

NOTE:  All numbers correspond to the picture below.

 

(1): The first place to start when you look at the Nutrition Facts label is the serving size and the number of servings. Serving sizes are provided in familiar units, such as cups followed by the metric amount.

 

(2): Calories provide a measure of how much energy you get from a serving of this food. The calorie section of the label can help you manage your weight (i.e., gain, lose, or maintain.) The number of servings you consume determines the number of calories you actually eat (your portion amount).

 

(3), (4): Look at the top of the nutrient section in the sample label. It shows you some key nutrients that impact on your health and separates them into two main groups:

     -The nutrients listed first are the ones Americans generally eat in adequate amounts, or even too much. They are identified in yellow as Limit these      Nutrients.

     - Most Americans don't get enough dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron in their diets. They are identified in blue as Get Enough of these      Nutrients.

 

(5): "Note the * used after the heading "%Daily Value" on the Nutrition Facts label. It refers to the Footnote in the lower part of the nutrition label, which tells you "%DVs are based on a 2,000 calorie diet". This statement must be on all food labels. But the remaining information in the full footnote may not be on the package if the size of the label is too small. When the full footnote does appear, it will always be the same. It doesn't change from product to product, because it shows recommended dietary advice for all Americans--it is not about a specific food product".

 

  Sample Label for Macaroni & Cheese  
#1. Start Here with the serving size. Title and Serving Size Information section of label, with number of servings.  
#2. Calories from Fat. Calorie section of label, showing number of calories per serving and calories from fat.  
#3. Limit These Nutrients: Total Fat, Saturated Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium. Total Fat, Saturated Fat Cholesterol, Sodium with Total Carbohydrate section of label, with quantities and % daily values. #6. Quick Guide to %DV.
#4. Get Enough of These Nutrients: Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron. Remaining Carbohydrates, including Dietary Fiber and Sugars, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron section of label with % daily values, and quantities for fiber, sugar and protein. #6. Quick Guide to %DV: 5% or less is Low / 20% or more is High.
#5. The Footnote, or Lower part of the Nutrition Facts Label. Footnote section of label, indicating quantities of total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, and dietary fiber for 2000 and 2500 calorie diets.

 

 

Bibliography

 

1. www.americanheart.com

2. www.cfsan.fda.gov

3. www.psychiatry.uc.edu

4. www.slate.com

5. www.alun.dk/eng/fatloss.asp?ID=125

6. cholesterol.about.com 

 

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