When Mitchell reveals that he is going on a low-carb diet, Janine tries to talk him out of it, telling him that he’s too thin as it is and doesn’t need to loose any weight. Designed to accompany a nonmajors unit on human anatomy and physiology, this interrupted case study has students applying what they learn about human body systems to Mitchell’s fad diet claims and Janine’s sharp criticisms. Supplementary links help students explore new discoveries about appetite-controlling hormones, how body image may influence people’s dietary decisions, and some of the most common diet myths.
Objectives:
To properly define “energy” in a physiological sense.
To understand the relationship between calories consumed, calories expended, and weight management.
To critically analyze health claims using support from scientific sources.
To understand how different body systems contribute to homeostasis, particularly endocrine control of homeostasis of appetite, body weight, and blood sugar.
To develop empathy for people with weight management difficulties.Two friends of yours, Janine and Mitchell, join you at lunch. During your conversation, Janine comments on Mitchell’s choice of food: a small bowl of cottage cheese, a chicken salad with vinegar and oil dressing, and a glass of ice water.
“What, are you on some kind of a health kick?” Janine asks, as she plows her way through a cheeseburger and a basket of fries. “First jogging every morning, now rabbit food?”
“It’s this new diet I’m trying,” Mitchell says. “Someone told me it’s really good. And I thought I could lose some weight.”
“From where?” Janine asks, looking Mitchell up and down. As you look at your friend, you have to agree with Janine: tall, lanky Mitchell doesn’t look like he has an ounce of spare fat on him.
“Wait a minute,” Janine says, “You’re not on that Fadkins diet, are you? Th at diet where you eat all protein and no carbs?”
“Yeah, I am,” Mitchell says, defensively. “I hear it’s really good. Someone my brother knows lost ten pounds in like a month.”
“Don’t you know those high-protein diets are bad for you?” Janine says, taking another sip of her milkshake.
“If you eat way too much protein and not enough carbs you can ruin your kidneys forever because of all the nitrogen you have to process breaking down the protein,” Janine says. “Haven’t you heard that in the old days, the mountain men used to get really sick and sometimes die if