MSc Level 7 Fundamentals of Nutrition and Sustainable Diets HEP-L016-0 Case Study Sample Roehampton

HEP-L016-0 Fundamentals of Nutrition and Sustainable Diets Introduction

Nutrition is an essential part of human health and wellbeing. A balanced diet contains the necessary macronutrients, proteins and fats, and micronutrients i.e. vitamins and minerals, which are required to sustain the physiological processes. Proper nutrition assists in growth, energy, immune system and preventive diseases. On the other hand, unhealthy diet habits may lead to the occurrence of many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes and nutrient deficiencies.

To assess the fact that the diet taken by a person is sufficient to support the nutritional needs, the intake of nutrients is usually checked in relation to the known levels of nutritional standards. In the United Kingdom, such recommendations are given in the form of Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) which are the recommended amounts of energy and nutrients that should be taken to stay healthy. DRVs are commonly utilized by nutritionists to determine the sufficiency of diet intake among various groups of people.

The 24-hour dietary recall is one of the most common methods of measuring dietary intake as it entails the recording of all the foods and beverages that a person consumes in a period of a day. Even though it is but a one-day record of typical eating, the technique gives a good idea of the nutrition one is getting, and possible dieting imbalances.

The group of the population that could be highly susceptible to unhealthy eating habits is represented by university students. Academic pressure, budgetary constraints, time constraints and increased independence can be some of the factors that can affect food choices. It has been reported that a large number of students eat intense carbohydrates, saturated fats and processed foods, and they do not take enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains in their diets.

The objective of the case study is to assess the 24-hour food intake of a college student and compose the nutrition intake with reference to the UK Dietary reference values. The research will determine the possible nutrient deficiencies and surplus nutrient intake. It is on this basis that a better dietary plan will be suggested which will enhance improved eating habits taking into account the lifestyle limitation of the participant.

Participant Profile

The subject to be used in this case study is a 21-year-old girl who is a student at a university. She is 165 cm in height and 60kg in body weight. Judging by these measurements, her body mass index (BMI) is about 22.0 kg/m 2 which is inside the normal BMI range according to World Health Organization standards.

The participant reports a fairly active living. She normally walks to university and in rare cases engages in light exercises like jogging or sports. Most of her time, however, is spent at lecture sessions or studying; which entails long sedentary periods.

The participant reports her day to day activity as hectic and she has school assignments and social engagements which she usually attends early in the mornings. Because of these reasons, she often uses the convenient and low-cost food sources like ready-made meals, snacks and takeaway foods. Lack of time to cook and a budget constraint affect the type of food she eats.

Lifestyle is also a consideration in assessing the amount of food consumed by the participant since these can lead to nutritional imbalances. Foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients are consumed by the students, which can lead to adverse health consequences in the long-term. Thus, a dietary consumption of the analyzed participant can be used to determine ways in which the diet can be improved to facilitate a more balanced and sustainable diet.

24-Hour Dietary Intake

The food and beverage intake of the participant was measured using a 24-hour dietary recall. The approach implies recording all foods and beverages that are taken in one day, meals, snacks, and drinks included. The data obtained will give an idea about the daily diet of the participant and estimate the consumption of the nutrients. The interviewee noted down the foods and beverages taken on a normal day of the week. The estimation of the portion sizes was made on the standard household measurements and regular portion guidelines. The table below is a summary of the food and beverage intake of the participant in a 24-hour interval.

This eating pattern is a typical student eating behaviour, where it is characterised by a dependency on refined carbohydrates, processed foods, and sugary drinks. 

Nutritional Analysis

To assess the adequacy of the macronutrient intake of the 24-hour dietary intake of the participant with comparison to the United Kingdom Dietary Reference Values (DRVs), the nutritional analysis of the 24-hour dietary intake of the participant was performed. Macronutrients carbohydrates, proteins and fats are important elements of the human diet since they provide energy and aid other physiological activities. 

Evaluating the intake of macronutrient can enable the researcher to know whether the dietary pattern is balanced to sustain nutritional requirement of that person. The found total daily energy intake of the participant was approximated to about 2140 kilocalories, which is a little over the suggested daily energy intake of an adult female, 2000 kilocalories per day.

Even though the difference is quite small, the consistent intake of energy in excess of the needs and daily functions can lead to weight gain over time provided that energy use is not enhanced respectively. The energy intake of the participant seems to be significantly affected by intake of energy dense food like chocolate, crisps and ice cream that are mostly taken as snack food by the university students. 

The amount of carbohydrates consumed was approximated to be 265 grams, which is near the recommended amount of carbohydrates to be taken by adults. Major source of body energy is made up of carbohydrates which are very important in sustaining the work of the brain and body. Nevertheless, there is also the quality of source of carbohydrates. In the case, most carbohydrates that were taken by the participant were of refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, white rice and sweet drinks. These foods have generally less dietary fibre and micronutrients, than whole-grain substitutes have.

The estimated protein intake was about 72 grams a day which is very high when compared to the recommended 50grams a day of protein to be taken by an adult female. Protein supplementation is required in sufficient amounts to support tissue development, muscle sustenance and enzyme and hormone synthesis. The amount of protein that the participant takes seems adequate and is mainly obtained through the foods including chicken, eggs and dairy products. 

This means that protein consumption is not likely to be a nutritional issue to the participant. The amount of fat that was taken was calculated to be close to 92 grams, which is more than the suggested amount of fat that is no more than 70 grams per day. The key issue of concern is the amount of saturated fat that the participant consumed which was about 32 grams which is much more than the recommended maximum amount of 20 grams per day. 

Saturated fats have been linked to high content of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increased risk of cardiovascular disease because of high consumption. Examples of foods that were the significant contributors to high saturated fat in the diet of the participant include butter, fried eggs, processed snacks, and ice creams. Besides having high intake of fat, the intake of dietary fibres in the diet of the participant was estimated at about 16 grams/day, which is very low compared to the recommended adult intake of 30 grams/day in the United Kingdom.

Dietary fibre is also significant in digestive health and has been associated with low risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. The fact that the fibre intake was low in this case study is probably because the participant did not consume a lot of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. On the whole, the macronutrient analysis indicates that although the participant has appropriate proportions of carbohydrates and protein, the type of diet is characterised by a high level of fat intake and a low level of dietary fibre, which requires some dietary changes to improve the overall long-term health results. 

A standard food composition data was used to estimate a nutritional analysis of the dietary intake of the participant. The summary of the results is provided below. 

The analysis shows that although the participant is healthy with regard to the nutrient requirements, some important imbalances are observed in the diet.

Discussion of Dietary Intake

Energy and Macronutrients

The daily energy in the participant was about 2140 kcal which is a bit more than the recommended 2000 kcal of an adult female. Although the difference is relatively minor, the excessive energy intake over the long term can be one of the factors of slow weight gain unless it is compensated with appropriate body movements.

The intake of protein was 72 grams, which is much higher than the recommended intake of about 50 grams a day. Proteins are vital to the body when it comes to mending the body tissues, the immune system and production of enzymes. The amount of the protein consumed by the participant seems adequate and mostly obtained as a result of chicken, eggs and dairy products.

Nevertheless, the fat consumption of the participant was 92g, which is way more than the maximum of 70g per day. Specifically, the amount of saturated fat had 32 g which significantly exceeds the suggested amount of 20 g. The consumption of high amounts of saturated fats has been closely linked to the high amounts of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Fibre Intake

Among the greatest problems that have been revealed during the dietary analysis, the low fibre consumption of the participant is mentioned, as it was estimated to be 16 g per day. Recent dietary advice on the UK suggests that adults should take about 30g of fibre a day. This is because the low fibre intake is highly attributed to the consumption of refined carbohydrates like white bread and white rice besides low consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Dietary fibre is vital in the preservation of healthy digestive systems and has been linked to lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes type 2 and some types of cancer. 

Iron Intake

The ingested iron level was estimated to be 10 mg, and this falls short of the recommended 14.8 mg of iron per 1950 year old woman. Iron is a critical micronutrient that is needed in the synthesis of haemoglobin and to transport oxygen in the body. The risk of the iron deficiency in young women is especially high because of the loss of menstrual blood. Poor iron may result in iron deficiency anaemia and this may result in fatigue, poor performance of the cognitive function and poor immune response. Some of the sources of iron that the participant takes include chicken and eggs but they might not be enough to cover the daily needs. 

Vitamin D Intake

The amount of Vitamin D that was estimated was 2.5 µg/day, which is far lower than the required amount that is 10 µg/day. Vitamin D is very essential in the absorption of calcium and body development and also immune system. The food sources of vitamin D are not that abundant and consist of fatty fish, fortified dairy products and eggs. The low intake indicates that the participant has a risk of having vitamin D deficiency especially in case the sunlight exposure is minimal.

Proposed Improved Diet Plan

The review of the 24-hour food diary of the participant demonstrated that there were various issues related to nutrition, such as unbalanced intake of saturated fats and low intake of dietary fibre, iron and vitamin D. Such nutritional imbalances are typical of university students and can have both short and longer term effects on their health. 

The large consumption of saturated fat is one of the greatest problems detected in the diet of the participant. The approximate amount of saturated fat must have been around 32 grams a day that is far much more than the recommended maximum amount of 20 grams a day as per the UK dietary guidelines. 

Saturated fats are mostly contained in foods like butter, fried foods, processed snacks and dairy based desserts. Overconsumption of saturated fat has been linked to high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that pose the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Butter, fried eggs, crisps and ice cream were the main contributors of this high intake in the diet of the participant. The decrease in the amount of these foods, substituting them with the healthier sources of unsaturated fats (nuts and oily fish) may help to improve the state of cardiovascular health.

A second significant issue which comes out in the dietary analysis is the poor consumption of dietary fibre. The respondent took a very low level of fibre of about 16 grams as compared to the 30 grams of fibre that is recommended to be taken daily by adults in the United Kingdom. Dietary fibre is essential in keeping the digestive system healthy and has been associated with low risk of heart diseases, diabetes type 2 and obesity. The reason why the fibre intake is low in this case study is mostly because of the dependency of the participant on refined carbohydrate sources, e.g. white bread and white rice, and very little intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A nutritional quality of the diet could be greatly enhanced by increasing the consumption of the fibre containing foods oats, whole-grain bread, legumes and fresh vegetables.

Lack of adequate iron diet was also identified in the analysis and this is of special concern to women who are in their reproductive age. As mentioned earlier, the estimated level of iron in the participant was 10 mg/day, which is less than the recommended amount of 14.8 mg. Iron deficiency is one of the most widespread evidence of nutritional deficiency throughout the world and it may cause such symptoms like fatigue, weakness and impaired concentration. Such symptoms can have adverse effects in academic performance and the general wellbeing of students.

Also, the vitamin D intake of the participant was very low compared to the recommended levels. Vitamin D is crucial in keeping the bones healthy and in promoting the immune system. Poor consumption in the long run can predispose one to the risks of bone related disorders like osteoporosis. The respondent has minimal sources of vitamin D in his diet, implying that the respondent may need to make changes in his diet or consume more foods with sources of vitamin D.

In general, the results of this nutritional investigation reveal some of the nutritional issues that are usually encountered by university students. Probably, hectic schedules, low income, and convenient eating habits can lead to low quality of diet. Dietary education and better meal planning might address these problems and encourage more healthy eating habits and lead to health outcomes in the long run.

To overcome the nutritional imbalances revealed during the analysis, a better dietary plan was created which encompasses greater intake of fibre and micronutrients and less saturated fat.

Justification of the Improved Diet

The reform diet substantially raises the content of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, which raises fibre consumption to almost 30g daily. Whole grains like oats and brown rice can supply the complex carbohydrates and dietary fibre, which enhance a healthy digestion system and normal blood glucose levels.

Salmon and dairy products are added increasing the amount of vitamin D in diets whereas leafy vegetables, nuts and whole grains are added to enhance iron in the diet. Additionally, the saturated fats consumed are minimized by replacing the processed snacks and fried foods with the healthier options like the nuts and the yogurt which also contain the healthy unsaturated fats.

The new diet is also practical even to a student in university since it has cheap foods and foodstuffs that can be prepared easily and fits well in a tight schedule.

Conclusion

In the case study, the 24-hour dietary intake of a university student was analyzed and the nutrient intake compared to the UK Dietary Reference Values. The nutritional analysis showed that the diet of the participant had a number of nutritional imbalances such as overconsumption of saturated fat, lack of enough fibre, iron and vitamin D.

These results indicate typical dietary difficulties in university students especially those with tight schedules and low incomes. The refined carbohydrates and processed foods are prone to creating nutrient deficiencies and higher risks of long term health complications.

To correct the situation, a better dietary plan was created to encompass more whole grains, fruits, vegetables and high-dense food and less saturated fat. Nutritional balance would also be improved as the revised diet complies with the national nutritional guidelines to a greater extent.

Altogether, the results of the case study prove the significance of dietary examination and individual nutrition planning to the improvement of healthier eating patterns and the possible avoidance of nutrient deficiencies.

Example References (Harvard Style)

You are supposed to have about 15-20 source information and these are some of the main ones that you can begin with:

• Public Health England (2016) The Eatwell Guide. London: PHE.
• NHS (2023) Healthy eating guidelines.
• Gibson, R. (2005). Principles of Nutritional Assessment. Oxford University Press.
• Truswell, S. and Mann, J. (2017) Essentials of Human Nutrition. Oxford University Press.
• Healthy Diet Fact Sheet World Health Organization (2020).

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