This document provides an introduction to human nutrition and public health nutrition. It defines key terms like nutrition, nutrients, diet, and dietetics. It outlines the objectives of understanding how to assess dietary intake and malnutrition in Ethiopia. It explains the different types of nutrients including macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. It also discusses the importance of nutrition for health, growth and development across the lifespan.

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2. OBJECTIVES
At the end of the unit, the students will be able to:
 Define nutrition and other related terms
 Identify how to assess dietary intake and nutritional status
 Understand epidemiology and consequences of malnutrition
in Ethiopia
 Explain Macro and Micro nutrient deficiencies of public
health importance in Ethiopia
 Identify public health interventions to address malnutrition
 understand food and nutrition policies and programs in
Ethiopia
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3. INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN NUTRITION
Nutrition:
 The science of food, the nutrients and other
substances there in, their action, interaction and
balance in relation to health and disease, and the
process of digestion and absorption food in the
body, it is also concerned with social, cultural and
physiological implications of food and eating. .
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4. INTRODUCTION …
 Human nutrition
It deals with area of knowledge regarding the role of food in the
maintenance of good health.
Nutrition is a fundamental pillar of human life, health and
development across the life-span(Fetal development-Birth-
Infancy-Childhood-Adolescence-Adulthood-Old age).
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5. INTRODUCTION …
 Public health nutrition
Is promotion & maintenance of nutrition related health &
wellbeing through organized efforts & informed choices of
society.
Studies the relationship between dietary intake and disease;
Uses tools of nutritional epidemiology,
Knowledge applied for nutrition intervention to prevent
disease
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6. INTRODUCTION …
 Why nutrition matter??
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7. INTRODUCTION …
What is food?
Food: anything solid or liquid that is edible as defined based on
specific culture, religion, etc.
Food is product derived from plants or animals that can be taken into
the body to yield energy and nutrients for the maintenance of life and
the growth and repair of tissues in order to:
 Provide energy to carry out several activities.
 Allow growth, repair or reproduction to proceed.
Supply substances, which normally regulate energy production.
process of growth/repair or reproduction.
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8. INTRODUCTION …
Staple food: Food which form the largest part of nation’s
diet
Are plant origin & classified into three main groups:
 Grain & cereals
 Roots & tubers
 Starchy fruits
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9. INTRODUCTION …
What are Nutrients?
Nutrient:
Foods are composed of many chemical substances critical
to human growth & function.
These critical chemicals are referred to as nutrients.
 Nutrients are chemical substances obtained from food and used
in the body to provide energy, structural materials, and regulating
agents to support growth, maintenance, and repair of the body's
tissues
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10. INTRODUCTION …
Types of nutrients:
Essential nutrients:
• Absolutely necessary for growth, development &
maintenance
• Are not made in the body either at all or sufficiently to
meet physiological needs
Nonessential nutrients:
• Not necessarily essential for growth, development
• Are either synthesized in the body adequately 10

11. INTRODUCTION …
Nutrients can also be classified as:
Macronutrients
 Since “macro” means large, they are nutrients needed in
large amounts.
 Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories/energy.
• Carbohydrate
• Protein
• Lipid
Micronutrients
• Vitamin
• Mineral
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12. INTRODUCTION …
Diet:
 Pattern/style of food consumption followed by
population or an individual.
Is the sequence of meals in a day.
Some people may eat 1/2/3/4 times in a day,
Others may remain eating all the day round, etc.
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13. INTRODUCTION …
Dietetics:
 Science/ art of applying the principles of nutrition in
feeding
 Use of diet in treatment and management of disease,
 Mainly based in hospitals,
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14. THANK YOU !!
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