Weight Loss Glossary

Low Calorie, High Volume Foods - food items that are low in calories, but have high volume (like lettuce, broccoli, carrots, and vegetable soups) making them very filling.


Nematodes - Tiny, roundworms that live in the soil and feed on plant roots.


Insulin - a hormone secreted by the pancreas, which helps carry glucose (sugar) from the blood to muscles and other tissues. Insulin balances blood sugar levels.


Lactose Intolerance - a hereditary biological incapacity to adequately assimilate dairy products, on account of a deficiency in the amount of the enzyme lactase in the small intestine. Lactase is necessary to break down lactose (a disaccharide) into its constituent simple sugars, glucose and galactose. Symptoms of lactose intolerance, which include abdominal cramps, flatulence, and frothy diarrhea, could get worse with ageing. This relatively harmless disorder is extremely prevalent in non-European adults.


Palatable - food that is pleasing to the taste.


Arteriosclerosis - leading to the gradual narrowing, hardening, and thickening of those vessels and to restricted blood flow.


Amino Acid Score - a computation of the precise quantities of separate amino acids present in a food, or found in the diet in proportion to the bodily requirement for the amino acid. This score does not measure whether the amino acid can be absorbed and assimilated by the body.


Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL) - a form of cholesterol. LDL is derived from VLDL (Very Low-Density Lipoprotein) particles, which are present in the bloodstream. More often referred to as `bad cholesterol`, LDL conveys cholesterol to the tissues and cells of the body. Elevated levels of LDL are most plainly associated with arteriosclerosis (hardening and thickening of the arterial walls) and increase the risk of heart complications. An LDL level of under 100 milligrams per deciliter of blood is considered ideal, 100 to 129 mg/dL is deemed to be borderline or above normal, 130-159 mg/dl is deemed verging on high, 160 - 189 milligrams per deciliter of blood is said to be high, and 190 mg/dl or more is deemed dangerously high.


Dumbbell - a short bar is weighted on each end, which can be clasped in one hand.


Bariatric Surgeon - also referred to as an obesity surgery specialist. A doctor who performs bariatric surgery.


RNA - also referred to as ribonucleic acid. RNA is a chemical akin to DNA that functions primarily to translate the instructions carried by genes for the breakdown and absorption of protein.


Antibody - a substance (protein) manufactured by the body`s immune system (in humans and primates) as a reaction to an antigen (foreign substance). Helps the body to drive off infections.


Sucrose - popularly known as `table sugar`, sucrose is a disaccharide (having two molecules) containing fructose and glucose and supplying 4 calories per gram consumed or approximately 16 calories for each teaspoonful. Sucrose is a type of sugar which has to be synthesized by the body into a simpler form before the blood is able to assimilate it and transport it to the cells. Sucrose is derived from sugarcane or sugar beets. The procedure to refine this sugar eliminates contaminants from the sugar cane or sugar beet, supplying the white crystals commonly served in the sugar basin. Molasses is simply a less refined table sugar. (Also refer to `carbohydrates`.)


Crunch - strength-training exercise designed to target only the abdominal muscles while, concurrently, eliminating unnecessary action from the iliopsoas (the group of muscles that flex the hips) and reducing the risk of stress on the lower back. This exercise is the chosen method of strengthening the abs over sit-ups.


Hypertension - persistently elevated arterial blood pressure. It is the most wide-spread public health complication in westernized countries. Emphasis on health-benefiting changes to living patterns has given diet a very substantial function for both initial prevention and subsequent treatment of this disease.


Carcinogens (synthetic and natural) - cancer-causing agents. The essential methodology concerning carcinogenesis (the process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells) - starting with exposure to the organism up to the appearance of malignant tumors - are comparatively alike, if not identical, for the organic and inorganic carcinogens. Therefore, both biological and manufactured chemicals can be investigated by deploying identical epidemiologic or newer methods and processes.


Whole Grains - the complete kernel of grain, which includes the bran (outer coating or `shell`), embryo (core that is packed with nutrients) and endosperm (nutritive tissue). The health benefit the body derives from whole grains includes the reduced risk of cardiovascular or coronary heart disease, which is due to the synergistic blend of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals present in whole grains.


Anaerobic Threshold (or lactate threshold) - the level of effort where lactic acid levels begin to rise. This is the point at which an individual starts moving the muscles without oxygen.


Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - a US government agency, comprising 11 centers, agencies and departments, that has the objective of promoting health and improve standards of living by taking measures to prevent and control disease, injury and physical disability.


Type 2 Diabetes - earlier called `NIDDM (noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus)` or called `adult-onset diabetes`. Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent form of diabetes. About 90 to 95 percent of people who have diabetes have Type II diabetes. People with Type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but they either do not make insulin in adequate enough amounts or their bodies are unable to react to the insulin they secrete. Most of the individuals with this type of diabetes have excess weight. Insulin is present, but does not function as it should. As a result, individuals with type II diabetes might have the means to manage their medical condition by shedding excess weight through an exercise-and-diet program. Such individuals may also need to inject insulin or take medicine in conjunction with adhering to a healthful program of diet and exercise. Even though type 2 diabetes generally develops in adults who have crossed 30 years of age, an ever-increasing number of children and adolescents who are overweight are also developing Type 2 diabetes.


Serving Size - a measured unit of a food, for instance one cupful or an ounce, used in providing dietary recommendations or in making comparisons among similar foods.


NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) - a set of surveys which incorporate data from medical history to monitor trends in health status and health care delivery, vital statistics, biochemical reviews, physical examination and population group-wise data on dietary patterns in the U.S. The NHANES is carried out by the U.S. DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) approximately once in 5 years.


Crop Residues - vegetative matter left behind from the former harvest that are allowed to remain on the surface soil. Crop residues dramatically lower soil erosion, air and surface water pollution, retain soil moisture, and improve the soil by adding organic matter.


Simple Carbohydrates - single molecule sugars like fructose, galactose, and glucose. They are known as `simple` sugars because their chemical structure consists of only 1 sugar molecule (called `monosaccharide`) or 2 sugar molecules (called `disaccharides`), as against complex carbohydrates, which contain many.


Weight-Loss Surgery - any surgery to treat obesity. Gastrointestinal surgery is the most suitable choice for people who are dangerously overweight and are unable to shed excess pounds by traditional practices or who suffer from serious medical problems that are connected to their obesity. The surgical procedure promotes loss of weight by restricting the quantity of food that can be ingested and, in some surgeries, interrupting the processing and absorption of consumed food. However, the most satisfactory results are attained with eating behaviors that promote health and wellness, and a daily exercise routine. (Also refer to `Vertical Banded Gastroplasty or VBG` and `Bariatric Surgery`.)