Nutrition and Wellness and the Iowa Environment

LaRhee Henderson - Associate Professor of Chemistry Director, Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology

Charisse Buising - Associate Professor of Biology, Assistant Director, Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Director, Environmental Science and Policy

Dan Alexander - Associate Professor of Math and Computer Science, Director of Web Assisted Learning Technology

David Courard-Hauri - Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Policy

All of Drake University

Abstract

Nutrition and Wellness and The Iowa Environment are integrated laboratory science and math courses that aim to create exciting and relevant relationships between science and mathematics within the Drake University curriculum. Nutrition was selected as the first topic area because it is of general interest and "local," in the sense that its scientific focus is molecular and organismal. The second topic area, The Iowa Environment, was selected because the science it addresses is "global," in that it addresses large eco-systems. Both courses integrate mathematics. They were designed to incorporate national standards and learning objectives in science andmathematics.

The Nutrition course covers topics in biology and chemistry including physiology, homeostasis, metabolism, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, and alcohol. The policy questions addressed include food labeling, diet trends and recommendations, the definition of "healthy body weight," and the social and economic cost of the American diet. The Iowa Environment explores issues of specific relevance to this agricultural economy, including water quality, soil nutrients and contaminants, genetic engineering and diversity, and energy use. The policy questions raised include the handling of human and animal waste, the hazards of fertilizers, pesticides, and monocropping, and the impact of industrial farming methods on greenhouse gasses and air quality. Mathematical and statistical concepts are invoked in both courses, such as the metric system, linear equations, logarithms, and probability and risk.

Students in both courses apply the scientific method, develop data acquisition, hone their presentation and interpretive skills through research projects, and think critically about how science and social issues are interwoven in complex systems.

Goals

Goal: To study the concepts and rationale of nutrition in the context of personal, cultural and world aspects of human nutrition.

Learning Objectives:

- Increase science and mathematics knowledge base as applied to nutrition.
- Apply the Scientific Method (the process of discovery)
- Develop Data acquisition, presentation and interpretive skills
- Think Critically
- Explore how science and society are interwoven
- Improve Communication Skills (listen, speak, write)

Sample Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives Exam 2
Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins
The Energy Yielding Nutrients

You should be able to

1. Define general chemical principles relating structure to solubility, energy content, and physiological function including

- why simple sugars and amino acids are more soluble than complex carbohydrates and proteins, - than fats

- why sugars and proteins have less energy per gram than fats

- the key chemical differences between molecules with structural roles as compared to those with metabolic roles

2. Differentiate between monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides

3. Give common names for

- glucose

- lactose (what is the problem that some people have with lactose?)

- fructose

- sucrose

4. Describe structures and roles for

-starch

- glycogen

- cellulose

5. Describe dietary recommendations for

- Carbohydrates

a. Simple and Complex (How much is required to maintain glycogen stores)

b. Fiber - soluble and insoluble

- Fats

- Proteins

- Minimizing Cancer Risk

- Minimizing Heart Disease Risk

6. Describe at least three categories of sweeteners, including examples of their food uses, advantages and disadvantages

7. Describe at least three categories of artificial or replacement fats, including examples of their food uses, advantages and disadvantages

8. Trace the digestion of nutrients through the GI tract, including

- Carbohydrates: digestion, absorption, energy yield

- Fats digestion, absorption, energy yield

- Proteins digestion, absorption, energy yield

9. Describe the physiological roles for each of the nutrient groups, including

- Carbohydrates

- Fats

- Protein

10. Describe normal blood glucose levels over time (glucose tolerance test)

a. Describe the hormonal regulation of blood glucose concentrations

b. Define and apply the concept of glycemic index

11. Describe problems associated with inappropriate (too much and too little) intake of

- Simple sugars

- Fiber

- Fats (especially unsaturated fats, and trans fats)

- Protein

12. Identify structures for and describe roles for

- triglycerides, fatty acids, phospholipids and cholesterol

Which one is most common in the diet?

13. Differentiate between saturated, unsaturated (poly and mono) and trans fatty acids.

- Describe each of their relationships to health.

- Describe examples of where you can find each of them.

- What are the major classes of lipoproteins?

- Describe the roles and healthy guidelines for blood profiles of LDL's, HDL's, and triglycerides.

14. Identify amino acids and protein structures from other nutrient structures

- Describe what is meant by "denatured protein"

15. Define the terms Essential and Nonessential for fatty acids and for amino acids..

- Give examples of essential fatty acids and where you can find them..

- Give examples of essential amino acids and where you can find them..

- Give examples of complete and incomplete proteins

- Discuss how vegetarians can get their full complement of amino acids

- Be able to identify the top 4 essential amino acids

16. Compare other diet plans to USDA current recommendations

17. Analyze Risk when given appropriate data, including the following

- Describe relative risk - an example would be the chart giving the relative risks associated with the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL.

- Interpret what it means to be have a P% risk of developing a condition in a specified time period (this is absolute risk)

- Use the handout to assess the risk of developing CHD over the next 10 years given age, total cholesterol level, HDL, Smoking/Non-Smoking, and Systolic Blood Pressure.

- Interpret a negative risk factor; be able to cite an example of a negative risk factor for CHD.

- Interpret a positive risk factor; be able to cite several examples of a positive risk factors for CHD.

- Describe differences between a low risk and a high risk.

- Describe various behavioral and dietary risks that are involved in the development of CHD.

- Interpret graphs such as those in the handouts involving risk- assessment.

18. Recognize the effect of scale on a graph (recall the graph discussed on Wednesday, 2/26 where the scale on the vertical axis was 10, 100, 1000, etc).