Name: Youssef Latash

1. Calculate your mean daily intake for energy (kJ), fat (g), carbohydrate (CHO) (g),
protein (g) and alcohol (g).

Energy Protein Alcohol

Day (kJ) Fat (g) CHO (g) (g) (g)
1 7827.4 110.7 60.9 147.6 0
2 10550 166.9 52.7 190 0
3 12071.4 181.6 62.7 227.2 0
Average 10149.6 153.0667 58.76667 188.2667 0
Energy 10149.6 5663.467 940.2667 3200.533 0
% 100 55.7999 9.264076 31.53359 0
2. Calculate your mean daily % consumed from fat, CHO, protein and alcohol.
a. Fat: 56%
b. CHO: 9%
c. Protein: 32%
d. Alcohol: 0%

3. Define basal metabolic rate (BMR) and how does your mean energy intake (kJ)
compare to your BMR?

Basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy per unit time that a person needs to
keep the body functioning at rest. According to the FoodWorks calculator, my BMR
is 7684 kJ/day. My mean energy intake exceeds this by 2465 kJ.

4. Briefly discuss your intake of saturated fat versus unsaturated fat and the significance
of this.

The average ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat was approximately 1:1. Saturated fats
have been referred to as “bad fats” because of the relationship between this, increased
levels of LDL and risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the research is
controversial due to the different types of saturated fats and indeed their effects. Thus,
despite my diet being relatively high in saturated fat, the significance of this on my
Name: Youssef Latash

overall health is inconclusive. Until then, it may not be a bad idea to reduce this and
increase my proportion of unsaturated fats.

5. Dietary fibre intake promotes a number of beneficial physiological effects. Discuss

two of these.

Dietary fibre refers to the indigestible portion of food derived from plans. It can be
classified into two main categories: soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre
dissolves in water and is fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically active
by-products. These can be prebiotic and viscous. This delays gastric emptying in
humans and can result in an extended feeling of fullness. Thus, this allows us to
increase our food volume without increasing caloric content, providing satiety.
Insoluble fibre is metabolically inert. These absorb water as they through the digestive
system, easing defecation.

6. Plasma LDL-cholesterol is raised by the intake of which type of dietary fat? Discuss
briefly.

Plasma LDL-cholesterol is raised by eating foods containing saturated fat and trans
fats. Elevated levels of LDL-C in the blood are associated with increased risk of
atherosclerosis and heart disease.

7. Is your diet deficient in any micronutrient? If so, choose one and discuss briefly.

No.

8. Explain what is meant by Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) and who in Australia
sets RDIs?

RDI is defined as the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the
nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98 %) healthy individuals in a particular life
stage and gender group. In Australia, this is set by the National Health and Medical
Research Council (NHMRC).

9. Briefly discuss one method that can be used to measure energy expenditure.

Indirect calorimetry is one method that can be used to measure energy expenditure. It
based on the principle that all energy used by the body in carrying work needed to
function is ultimately degraded into heat. Thus, a measurement of the heat output by
the body is also a measure of its energy expenditure. Since the energy liberated from
food is the result of oxidations that ultimately depend on a supply of oxygen from the
air, a measurement of the oxygen uptake by the body is also a measure of energy
expenditure. This is known as “indirect calorimetry”.

In what is known as Weir’s technique, we can calculate energy expenditure as

Name: Youssef Latash

follows:

𝑂𝑖𝑛 − 𝑂𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 (𝑘𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑖𝑛−1 ) = 𝑉𝑠𝑡𝑝 × ( )
20
where Vstp is the volume of air expired in litres per minutes and Oin and Oout is the
percentages of oxygen in inspired and expired air, respectively.

10. What are the drawbacks of a 3 day food diary? Comment on what might be a better
method and why.

The obvious drawback of a 3 day food diary is that it will rarely be a true reflection of
what someone’s dietary habits are. As one’s schedule fluctuates, so too will one’s
diet. Instead, recording a diet over a period of at least 2 weeks would give a better
representation of what their actual eating habits are like, taking into account the
fluctuations of life. This may be difficult to record, so perhaps having a mobile app
could make this easier.