AAFCS CFCS-HNFS flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Atwater factors

Energy conversion values: carbohydrate and protein supply 4 kcal/g, fat supplies 9 kcal/g, and alcohol supplies 7 kcal/g.

Beta-oxidation

Mitochondrial pathway that removes two carbons per cycle from fatty acids, yielding FADH2, NADH, and acetyl-CoA for the TCA cycle.

Nitrogen balance

Difference between nitrogen intake and nitrogen losses; positive in growth and pregnancy, negative in catabolic illness or inadequate protein intake.

PDCAAS

Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score; rates protein quality using limiting amino acid content adjusted for digestibility.

Danger zone

Temperature range of roughly 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit (4-60 degrees Celsius) where bacteria multiply rapidly; limit time in this range.

Water activity

Measure of unbound water available for microbial growth; values below 0.85 generally prevent bacterial growth in foods.

Critical control point

A HACCP step where a significant hazard can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to an acceptable level through a measurable control.

Maillard browning

Non-enzymatic reaction between reducing sugars and amino groups that produces brown color and flavor during high-heat cooking.

Blanching

Brief heat treatment that inactivates enzymes causing off-flavors and color loss before freezing; it does not sterilize food.

Clostridium botulinum

Anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium whose heat-resistant spores require pressure canning in low-acid canned foods to prevent botulism.

Exclusive breastfeeding

Feeding only breast milk for about the first six months, after which iron-rich complementary foods are introduced as iron stores deplete.

Folic acid

Synthetic form of folate; supplementation before and early in pregnancy reduces risk of neural tube defects in the developing fetus.

BMI-for-age

Growth chart metric used for children and teens; crossing two major percentiles warrants evaluation of growth and nutritional status.

Sarcopenia

Age-related loss of muscle mass and strength that increases protein needs and risk of functional decline in older adults.

HbA1c

Glycated hemoglobin test reflecting average blood glucose over roughly two to three months; used to monitor diabetes management.

DASH eating pattern

Dietary approach emphasizing potassium, calcium, magnesium, and fiber while limiting sodium to lower blood pressure.

Celiac disease

Immune-mediated disorder requiring strict lifelong avoidance of gluten from wheat, barley, and rye to prevent intestinal damage.

Phenylketonuria

Inherited metabolic disorder requiring a phenylalanine-restricted diet with tyrosine supplementation to prevent neurological damage.

Food security pillars

Four dimensions of food security: availability of food, access to food, utilization of food, and stability over time.

Food loss versus waste

Food loss occurs before retail in production, storage, and transport; food waste occurs at retail and consumer levels.

Life cycle assessment

Method quantifying environmental impacts across production, processing, distribution, use, and disposal stages of a food product.

Sustainable diets

Dietary patterns balancing nutritional adequacy, environmental impact, affordability, and cultural acceptability across populations.

Logic model

Planning framework linking program inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact to guide design and evaluation.

SMART objectives

Program objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, enabling clear evaluation of progress.

Formative evaluation

Assessment conducted during program implementation to monitor delivery and allow mid-course adjustments.

Social marketing

Application of commercial marketing principles to promote voluntary adoption of healthy behaviors in target populations.

Informed consent

Ethical requirement involving disclosure, comprehension, voluntariness, and capacity before a client agrees to services.

Scope of practice

Legal and professional boundaries defining services a practitioner may provide, varying by credential and jurisdiction.

Teach-back method

Communication technique where clients explain information in their own words to confirm understanding and improve health literacy.

Evidence-based practice

Integration of best available research evidence, professional expertise, and client values and preferences in decision-making.

Internal versus external validity

Internal validity concerns causal inference within a study; external validity concerns generalizability to other populations and settings.

Confounding

A third variable associated with both exposure and outcome that distorts the observed relationship; reduced by randomization or adjustment.