Importance of Nutrition

MPU3332 Health & Wellness (Sem 3)

Ms Lee Ching Li
chingli_lee@imu.edu.my
 What is NUTRITION?
Nutrition is the sum total of the processes involved in the
consumption and the utilization of food substances
by which growth, repair and maintenance
of the body are accomplished.
It involves ingestion, digestion, absorption and
assimilation.
Lesson Outcomes
Describe global food production trends in the face of
an ever increasing world population
Describe food consumption in Malaysia
Describe the prevalence and trends of both
undernutrition and overnutrition in developing and
developed nations, including Malaysia
Describe the emergence/ trends of diet-related
chronic diseases as serious public health problems
Lesson Outcomes
Describe global food production trends in the face of
an ever increasing world population
Describe food consumption in Malaysia
Describe the prevalence and trends of both
undernutrition and overnutrition in developing and
developed nations, including Malaysia
Describe the emergence/ trends of diet-related
chronic diseases as serious public health problems
In your lifetime, you will eat about 55,000 kg of food.

Globally, cereals
provide the
majority of caloric
intake

The big three:

Rice, Wheat and
Maize >50%
Feeding the world

Increased
productivity yields
per hectare
Expanded food
Sedentary
production area
agriculture

Ref: McCalla AF. Presentenation at ABIC 2 13, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Sept 15, 2013.
 How to feed the world in 2050?
Increase food production by 70% (2009 FAO estimates)
Grain production by 43%
Meat production by 75%
Increase must come from improved yield (limited land
resources)
Food must be produced with less water (increasing water
scarcity)
4 possibilities:
New land
New water developments
Improved biological and agronomic productivity
Policy reform
Ref: McCalla AF. Presentenation at ABIC 2 13, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Sept 15, 2013.
Lesson Outcomes
Describe global food production trends in the face of
an ever increasing world population
Describe food consumption in Malaysia
Describe the prevalence and trends of both
undernutrition and overnutrition in developing and
developed nations, including Malaysia
Describe the emergence/ trends of diet-related
chronic diseases as serious public health problems
Food availability in Malaysia

2,923kcal/capita/day
2,447kcal/capita/day

Ref: Khor GL. Food availability and the rising prevalence of obesity in Malaysia. IeJSME. 2012;6(S1):S61-S68.
Food availability in Malaysia

Ref: Khor GL. Food availability and the rising prevalence of obesity in Malaysia. IeJSME. 2012;6(S1):S61-S68.
What type of food are Malaysians eating?
Most frequently consumed food/day for a typical Malaysian
adult:
White rice, 2 plates
Fish, 1 medium fish
Green leafy vegetables, 1 cup per day
Sweetened condensed milk, 3 tsp per day
43% of men vs 28% of women consume daily

Ref: Norimah AK. Food Consumption Patterns: Findings from the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey(MANS). Mal J Nutr 14 (1): 25 - 39, 2008
What type of food are Malaysians eating?
Rural living adults consumed rice, leafy vegetables, marine fish,
local kuih, ikan bilis and biscuits more frequently than their
urban counterparts.
Urban living adults consumed chicken and eggs more
frequently than their rural counterparts.

Ref: Norimah AK. Food Consumption Patterns: Findings from the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey(MANS). Mal J Nutr 14 (1): 25 - 39, 2008
What type of beverage are Malaysians
drinking?
99% drink at least six glasses of plain water daily
Other beverages consumed daily:
Tea
Coffee Increasing
Chocolate-based drinks popularity

Cordial syrup

Ref: Norimah AK. Food Consumption Patterns: Findings from the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey(MANS). Mal J Nutr 14 (1): 25 - 39, 2008
Lesson Outcomes
Describe global food production trends in the face of
an ever increasing world population
Describe food consumption in Malaysia
Describe the prevalence and trends of both
undernutrition and overnutrition in developing and
developed nations, including Malaysia
Describe the emergence/ trends of diet-related
chronic diseases as serious public health problems
Malnutrition

Malnutrition is when a persons diet has an imbalance* of the

essential nutrients that the body needs to remain healthy.

This imbalance can weaken the persons immune system and

body, and make them more susceptible to illnesses.

*Too little (deficiency) or too much (overabundance)

 The two faces of malnutrition
Insufficient food Excess calories
Imbalanced intake of required
nutrients

Overweight
Underweight
Obesity
Stunting

under over
Wasting, stunting, and overweight co-exist
 Inter-generational effects of malnutrition

Ref: Adapted from the ACC/SCN-appointed Commission on the Nutrition Challenges of the 21st Century
Lesson Outcomes
Describe global food production trends in the face of
an ever increasing world population
Describe food consumption in Malaysia
Describe the prevalence and trends of both
undernutrition and overnutrition in developing and
developed nations, including Malaysia
Describe the emergence/ trends of diet-related
chronic diseases as serious public health problems
 Paleolithic Neolithic Today
10,000BC 8,000BC 2015AD

Declining physical activity from Paleolithic era to today1

Shift in diet (reduction in protein, increase in carbohydrates)

from the Paleolithic era to today2
1) Kirchengast S. Physical Inactivity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary Medicine. Sports. 2014;2:34-50.
2) Leonard WR et al. Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Diet and Nutrition. Evolutionary Anthropology. 2010;19:8586.
Obesity increases risk chronic diseases
 Overweight populations in SEA

% prevalence of overweight based on BMI >25

Asians have higher risk of diabetes
Relationship between BMI and diabetes prevalence in different
ethnicities from the DECODA study compared to a European
population

Ref: Ma RCW, Chan JCN. Ann. N.Y Acad Sci. 2013;(1281):64-91.

Fighting chronic diseases with diet/lifestyle
High death rates from heart disease due to heavy tobacco
use, high-fat diet, and low vegetable intake (1970s)

Community-based
interventions:
Legislation banning
tobacco advertising
Introduction of low-fat
dairy products
Introduction of
vegetable oil products
Farmers payment
Ref: WHO (2005) scheme linked to protein
content of milk
Lesson Outcomes
Describe global food production trends in the face of
an ever increasing world population
Describe food consumption in Malaysia
Describe the prevalence and trends of both
undernutrition and overnutrition in developing and
developed nations, including Malaysia
Describe the emergence/ trends of diet-related
chronic diseases as serious public health problems