Dietary Self-Assessment Assignment

Due Date: December 12th 2018 at noon

Late assignments will be deducted per FNM policy.

Please submit the following:

1. Completed 3 day diet history from the Dietitians of Canada site
http://www.eatracker.ca/ (using screen captures is the easiest method for this).

2. Completed forms 1 - 4

3. 5 - 6 page paper analyzing your results.

The paper will be submitted in the following format:

 1” margins, 12 font size, Times New Roman, double line spacing
 Must use APA formatting for references and citations.

Use the following headings for the paper when analyzing your results:
 Introduction
 Fat
 Carbohydrate (include fiber)
 Protein
 Energy
 Vitamins And Minerals: discuss each one individually
 Comparison Of Diet Evaluation Methods
 Conclusion

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT – MARKING GUIDELINES

1. Determining nutrient intake /3

- Record of eating done correctly (2)
- Accuracy in using the Dietitians of Canada site (1)
2. Comparison to DRI or Standard /4
- form 1-4 completed correctly
3. Paper /14
- introduction (1)
- comparison to standard and significance for each nutrient (2)
- food sources of each nutrient (from your diet) (5)
- consequences of high and low intakes of each nutrient (2)
- balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat in diet (do in Energy section) (1)
- comparison of using eatraker vs Canadian Food Guide (1)
- correct use of citations/references in body of paper (1)
- mechanics (format, spelling, punctuation, etc) (1)

4. Conclusion /4
- what did you learn about diet (2)
- what improvements can you make (2)

TOTAL /25

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FORM 1 Average Intake
Energy Protein Fat (g) CHO (g) Calcium Iron Folate Vit C Vit A Vit D Sodium Fiber (g)
(kcal) (g) (mg) (mg) (g) (mg) (g) (g) (mg)
Day
1 weekday 1226 114.8 28.3 133.3 558.2 11.1 272.8 97.6 41.8 0.5 493.1 11.2

2 weekday 712 55.8 29.3 64.1 252.7 7.9 49.2 7.4 74.3 1.0 1849.4 5.2

3 weekend 1033 47.1 11.9 195.0 331.8 9.0 290.4 94.7 44.1 0.0 1729.5 19.8

Total

2971 72.56 69.5 392.4 1142.7 28 612.4 199.7 160.2 1.5 4072 36.2
Average daily
intake (divide total
by 3) 990.33 72.5 23.16 130.8 380.9 9.33 204.13 66.65 53.4 0.5 1357.33 12.06

FORM 2 – Comparison with Recommended Intake

Energy (kcal) Protein Calcium Iron (mg) Folate (g) Vit C (mg) Vit A (g) Vit D Sodium Fiber (g)
(grams) (mg) (g)
Day RDA (mg)

Average daily intake (from form 1)

990.33 72.56 380.9 9.33 204.13 66.56 53.4 0.5 12.06

1357.33

DRI (for your gender and age)

(Inside cover of textbook) 3067 56 1000 8 400 90 900 15 1500 38

Intake as a percentage of standard

%
*may be > 100%
32.29 129.57 38.09 116.63 51.03 73.96 5.93 3.33 90.49 31.74
51.03 73.96 5.93 3.33 31.74
32.29 38.09 116.63 90.52
129.57
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FORM 3 – Percentage of Calories from Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrate

Protein: 72.56______________ g/day X 4 cal/g = (P) 290.24 cal/day.

Fat: 23.16 g/day x 9 cal/g = (F) 208.44 cal/day.
Carbohydrate: 130.8 g/day x 4 cal/g = (C) 523.2 cal/day.

If you consumed an alcoholic beverage you must include its calories, (see note a ):
Alcohol: (A) N/A cal/day.
Total cal/day = (T) 1021.88 cal/day.

Percentage of calories from protein: Percentage of calories from carbohydrate:

(P) x 100 = 28.40 % of total calories. (C) x 100 = 51.2 % of total calories.
(T) (T)

Percentage of calories from fat: Percentage of calories from alcohol, if any:

(F) x 100 = 20.39 % of total calories. (A) x 100 = N/A % of total calories.
(T) (T)

Note: The four percentages can total 99, 100, or 101, depending on the way in which figures were rounded off earlier.
To find out how many calories in a beverage are from alcohol, look up the beverage in Nutrient Value of some common foods Figure out how many calories are from
carbohydrate (multiply carbohydrate grams times 4), fat (fat grams times 9), and protein (protein grams times 4). The remaining calories are from alcohol.

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Form 4: Canada's Food Guide Analysis - 3 Day Average

Grain Vegetables & Milk Products Meat &

Products # of Fruits # of # of servings Alternatives # of
servings servings servings

DAY 1 3 2.5 1 5

DAY 2 1 1 0.5 2

DAY 3 3.5 2 0.5 1.5

TOTAL/3 =
3 DAY AVERAGE
2.5 1.83 0.66 2.83

FOOD GUIDE
SUGGESTED 8 8 2 3
SERVINGS

Some Important Nutrients in the Food Groups

(you can use this for your discussion)

Key Vegetables and Grain Milk and Meat and

Nutrient Fruit Products Alternatives Alternatives
Protein
Fat
Carbohydrate
Fibre
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Niacin
Folate
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Calcium
Iron
Zinc
Magnesium

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Potassium

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Page 6 of 17
Page 7 of 17
Page 8 of 17
The Dietary Self-Assessment Assignment
Nutrition and Healthy Living
John Barnaba

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Introduction

To have a healthy living style I need to eat a healthy food balance, but it is not only

eating a healthy food, but I need to eat the food that gives me more energy for my body to

perform my normal activity.

On my three days’ food intake assessment, I ate the food that I always liked from my

culture preference. I’m glad I can find most of the food from my country here in Canada.

However on my three days’ assessment, I ate Canadian food, as well as food from my culture. I

hope the eatracker and Canada’s Food Guide are an effective reference for my diet, as I’am from

an African body background.

I have to accommodate my culture food intake, but I do really like the eatracker because

now I have a way to monitor my food intake, which I haven’t done before. To be honest I love

this nutrition class because it is helping me with my high cholesterol and how to monitor it.

Based on those three days of assessment, I found out that I did not have all nutrients food

balance. This will be explained as follows.

Fat

Fat is always categorized as bad for our body because of its contribution in developing

chronic disease, but some fats are also essential to our good health as “fats can be found in

almost all food”, but we need to choose what type of fats is healthy for consumption. My daily

average intake of fat was 23.16%, and my calories from fat were 20.39%, on my three days

assessment, RDI recommended intake of fat is 20-35%” (Rolfes, Pinna, and Whitney 2016, p

133, p.152).

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 Overall, my fat intake is not that bad as I fall in the middle, but if I over exceeded 35%

of fat go to an unhealthy level’ and may result in chronic disease such as cardiovascular, heart

diasease, cancer, and high cholesterol (Rolfes et al., 2016, p. 152).

For example, I found out that I used to consume more meats, and poultry but less

alternatives like beans in the past until my doctor found out that my cholesterol was too high.

The doctor recommended me to reduce meats, and poultry consumption to lean meats in small

portions and increase alternatives like beans and vegetables for a period of one month. When I

went for another checkup a month later, my cholesterol dropped to the normal level.

If I have less intake of fat, it can cause problems. For example, fat in our body is used

for energy especially for those of us who live in Saskatchewan as in our cold winter time, fat is

essential to help warm up our body.

Carbohydrate (included Fiber)

Carbohydrate is one of the main sources of energy from the food diet as “The DRI

suggest that carbohydrates provided about half (45 to 65 percent )” (Rolfes et al., 2016, p. 123).

When I took my three-days’ assessment, my daily average intake of carbohydrate was 130.8 g

compared to DRI 130g per day, because I always don’t have the same intake of carbohydrates

per day as some days I have more or less.

My family and I came from Sudan to Canada 18 years ago, and most of our food is full of

carbohydrates such as whole wheat grain flour and rice to mention a few. Carbohydrates are

essential in diet as when digested, it converts into glucose, a source of energy for brain and

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muscles to function in proper order (Rolfes et al., 2016). That is why it is important not to have

less intake of carbohydrates as it means less glucose will cause the condition of anxiety, hunger,

dizziness, and hypoglycemia. “Despite fiber benefit to health, a diet excessively high in fiber

also has a drawbacks, as a person who mostly eats high fiber foods may not be able to eat enough

foods to meet the energy nutrient needs”( Rolfes et al., p. 122). It will cause the condition of

malnutrition, and that typically affects elderly and children. My fiber average intake is low of

12.08g per day compare to DRI 25g per day. I need to increase my fiber source food with high

fiber such as high fiber vegetables and whole grains.

Protein

Protein is one of the three major nutrients in the diet and plays a major role in the body to

maintain good health. Usually its DRI requires 10% to 35% per daily energy. We need the

“high-quality protein to provide enough essential amino acid to support the body work, low

quality protein don’t” ( Rolfes et al., p. 185).

On my three days’ assessment my intake was 72.5% which is twice as high than the

daily requirement. I need to watch the source of food that gives high-quality protein from amimal

products, such as meats, poultry, seafood, milk, and milk products. “Because it be implicated in

several chronic desease such as heart desease, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity, and kidney stone, on

the other hand low intake of protein will impair brain and kidney functions, poor immunity, and

inadequate nutrient absorption”( Rolfes et al., 2016 p. 186). I will eat lean meat, poultry, fish,

eggs without the yoke, and more vegetables on my diet intake with a balance to maintain a good

healthy body.

Energy

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 Energy is very important in the body as it enables us do everything, do our daily

activities. Even to breathe, laying down to sleep, and doing nothing needs energy. The daily

estimated energy required for my age group is 3067 Kcalories. Compared to my three days

evaluation, I only consume an average of 990.33 Kcalories per day which is very low and not

even half of daily requirement.

As I mentioned earlier, I needed to reduce my food diet because of my high cholesterol.

But based on the knowledge I’ve been learning from this class, I will adjust my food diet balance

to maintain good health. By using the estimated energy requirements equation, my estimate

energy requirement is 2734.13 Kcalories per day (Rolfes et al., 2016). To achive this I need to

increase my physical activity and meet dietary guidlines to consume enough carbohydrate of

45% to 65% per day ( Rolfes et al., 2016).

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are other very important nutrients in diet which help to convert

energy from food to some energy that the body can use, but they can not supply energy by

themselves. On the other hand, major minerals and minor minerals are all important nutrients in

our body, regardless of the difference of being called major or minor ( Rolfes et al., 2016).

As vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients, based on my three days evaluation, my

daily average intake for vitamin C was 66.65g, vitamin A was 53.4g, and vitamin D was 0.5g,

compared to DRI for vitamin C 90g, vitamin A 900g, and vitamin D 15. I’m way below the

requirement, as the DRI for calcium is 1000g, iron 8g, folate 400g, and sodium 1500g (Rolfes et

al., 2016). My intake for calcium was 380.9g, iron 9.33g, folate 204.13g and sodium 1357.33g.

To meet the DRI guidelines, I need to take a major change in my food diet of vitamin C, A, D,

folate, and mineral calcium, iron, and sodium.

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 I will begin with vitamin D, which is very important in our body for increasing the blood

level of minerals, and calcium and Phosphorus. I already resumed taking my vitamin D

supplements daily. The source of food for vitamin D are eggs, liver, fish, and sunlight. Less

intake of vitamin D will result in rickets, osteomalacia, and bow legs, and excessive will cause

calcium imbalance (Dietitians of Canada ( Rolfes et al., 2016).

Vitamin C plays an important role in the body, such as an antioxidant, maintenance of

the connective tissue, protein collagen, wound healing, and helps in iron absorption. Food

sources are citrus fruits, cabbage-family vegetables, dark green vegetable, cantaloupe,

strawberries, peppets, tomatoes, and potatoes. Eating less, the deficiency results in loss of

appetite, weakness, bleeding gums, and loose teeth. Excessive will lead to nausea and diarrhea,

aggravates gout, and iron overload (Rolfes et al., 2016).

Vitamin A is very importnat for the vision, and its food sources are dark green

vegetables, orange fruits, liver, meats, whole milk, carrots, and eggs. Eating less of these will

result in night blindness, changes in the eye, upper respiratory infections, and skin changes.

Excessive will lead to hypervitaminosis A, increased activity of osteoclasts, causing reduced

bone density, liver abnormalities and birth defects ( Rolfes et al., 2016).

Calcium is the most of abundant mineral in the body, and on its role for bone structure, as
they work together with vitamin D. My calcium intake was low compared to DRI. Foods

sources, such as dairy food provide the best sources of calcium in the North American diet (

Rolfes et al., 2016 ).To meet the Canadian food Guidelines, I need to consume milk and milk

products as less calcium in the long run results in osteoporosis toxicity as the tolerable upper

limit for adult is 2,5g per day ( Rolfes et al., 2016).

Iron is important in transporting oxygen in the body. The sources of it are red meats, and

fish. My daily average was 9.33g compared to DRI 8g which is a bit high than daily

requirement. I will reduce the foods sources for iron such as meats. Less intake of food with

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iron affects 10% of toddlers, adolescent girls, and women of childbearing in Canada and United

State of America ( Rolfes et al., 2016).

Sodium is one of the minor minerals, but it has an important role in controlling water

balance in the body, such as fluid balance, and electrolyte balance. The sources are soups,

pickles, garlic, and salts. My daily average sodium intake was low at 1357.33g. I need to

increase the sources of sodium, but an excessive or too much sodium may cause vomiting,

diarrhea, and heavy sweating, more fluids must be required ( Rolfes et al., 2016).

Folate plays an important role in the body. A part of coenzymes used in a new cell

making them work closely with Vitamin B12 in the production of red blood. Food sources are

leafy green vegetables, legumes, seeds, and liver. Less consumption results in megoblastic

anemia as with vitamin B12, and excessive causes delays and neurological damage ( Rolfes et
al., 2016).

My daily average intake was 204.13g compared to DRI os 400g per day. Now that I

know about the effects of deficiency and overconsumption, I will increase my intake of food

sources of folate, such as lean meats, legumes, and leafy green vegetables.

Comparison of Diet Evaluation Methods

According to the methods used of eatracker Vs Canada’s Food Guide, I found eatracker

provides more clearer details. For example, when you type in what you eat at the time it

automatically calculates how much food nutrients you have consumed in grams and percentage,

and is very easy to be use compared to Canada’s Food Guide which only give us dietary

required intake. I did not know eatracker before, and I’m thankful for being introduced to it. I’m

going to continue using it personally.

Conclusion

To be healthy, we should have an adequate food intake daily as nurtient balance

is very important. I personally benefited from this nutrient class, particularly this assignment

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taught me how to used eatracker, and understand how much food sources I need from all vitamin

and minerals, and their effects, if less under or overconsumption. I also know how to use the

estimated energy requirements equation.

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References

Sharon Rody Rolfes, K. P. (2016). Understanding Normal & Clinical Nutrition 11th
Edition. Boston: Cengage Learning.

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