A dietician asks a patient about the food that the patient eats and makes the table below to summarize the results.
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|l|}
\hline \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{ Macromolecule } & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{ Suggested percentage of diet } & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{ Actual percentage of diet } \\
\hline Carbohydrates & $45-65 \%$ & $70 \%$ \\
\hline Lipids & $20-35 \%$ & $5 \%$ \\
\hline Proteins & $10-35 \%$ & $25 \%$ \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
Based on the table, what advice do you think that the dietician will give the patient?
A. The patient should increase the amount of lean meats (proteins) and decrease the amount of oils in his or her diet.
B. The patient should decrease the amount of lean meats (proteins) and increase the amount of oils in his or her diet.
C. The patient should decrease the amount of rice and pasta and increase the amount of oils in his or her diet.
D. The patient should decrease the amount of rice and pasta and increase the amount of lean meats (proteins) in his or her diet.
Answer (2)
The dietician will likely advise the patient to decrease their carbohydrate intake, particularly from rice and pasta, and to increase their lipid intake by adding more oils to their diet. This recommendation is based on the comparison of actual percentages to suggested dietary ranges. The chosen option is: D.
;
The patient consumes too many carbohydrates (70% vs. 45-65% suggested).
The patient consumes too few lipids (5% vs. 20-35% suggested).
The patient's protein intake (25%) is within the suggested range (10-35%).
Therefore, the dietician will advise the patient to decrease rice and pasta and increase oils in their diet. The answer is: The patient should decrease the amount of rice and pasta and increase the amount of oils in his or her diet.
Explanation
Analyzing the Problem We need to analyze the patient's diet based on the provided table and determine what advice the dietician would likely give. The table compares the suggested percentages of macromolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins) with the patient's actual intake percentages.
Comparing Percentages Let's compare the suggested and actual percentages for each macromolecule:
Carbohydrates: The suggested intake is 45-65%, while the actual intake is 70%. This indicates that the patient is consuming too many carbohydrates.
Lipids: The suggested intake is 20-35%, while the actual intake is 5%. This indicates that the patient is not consuming enough lipids.
Proteins: The suggested intake is 10-35%, while the actual intake is 25%. This falls within the suggested range, so the protein intake is adequate.
Dietician's Advice Based on the analysis, the dietician would likely advise the patient to:
Decrease carbohydrate intake: Since the patient is consuming more carbohydrates than recommended, the dietician would suggest reducing the consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods like rice and pasta.
Increase lipid intake: Since the patient is consuming fewer lipids than recommended, the dietician would suggest increasing the consumption of lipid-rich foods like oils.
Conclusion Therefore, the dietician will likely advise the patient to decrease the amount of rice and pasta and increase the amount of oils in his or her diet.
Examples
Understanding the balance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins) is crucial for maintaining a healthy diet. For example, if an athlete needs to optimize their diet for performance, they might adjust their macronutrient ratios based on their training regimen. A marathon runner might increase their carbohydrate intake for sustained energy, while a weightlifter might increase their protein intake to support muscle growth. By tracking their macronutrient intake and comparing it to recommended ranges, athletes can fine-tune their diet to achieve their specific goals. This is similar to the dietician's advice, where the patient needs to adjust their diet to align with healthy recommendations.
