Page 233 - MHF-FeedingMinds-final.indd

224 Glossary
Hypoglycaemia – Blood sugar levels are lower than
the normal range for blood sugar.
Hypothyroidism – Insufficient production of thyroid
hormone by the thyroid gland.
Hyperglycaemia – Blood sugar levels are higher than
the normal range for blood sugar.
Hypersensitivity – Objectively reproducible
symptoms or signs initiated by exposure to a
defined stimulus at a dose tolerated by normal
persons.
Hypertension – Raised blood pressure.
Infant – A child under 12 months of age.
Kangaroo care – The practice of securing a very
young or preterm infant against the mother’s
skin, usually on her chest between her breasts to
maximize body contact. The benefits include
reduced morbidity and mortality.
Kosher – This means that animals and birds have
been slaughtered by the Jewish method, carried
out by a trained and authorized person.
Leptin – A hormone secreted by adipose tissue that
plays a key role in regulating energy intake and
energy expenditure, including the regulation of
appetite and metabolism.
Non-milk extrinsic sugars – Sugars in food that are
the most harmful to teeth – sucrose, glucose and
fructose not within the intact cells of fruit (e.g.
fructose from processed fruit such as fruit
juices).
Oesophagus – The part of the digestive canal that
food and drinks pass through between the throat
down to the stomach.
Personal Child Health Record (PCHR) – A record of
a child’s growth, development and uptake of
preventive health services (e.g. immunizations),
designed to enhance communication between
parents and health professionals.
Pesticide – Chemicals including herbicides,
insecticides and fungicides used to kill pests.
Phytochemicals – Compounds that occur naturally
in plants (phyto means ‘plant’ in Greek), which
may have biological significance but are not
established as essential nutrients. They are
responsible for some colour and smell, such as
the deep purple of blueberries and smell of garlic.
In the diet they play a role in the immune system
and provide long-term protection against cancer
and heart disease. They include the brightly
coloured pigments in fruits and vegetables and
are also called flavanoids, flavanols or
isof lavones.
Phyto-oestrogens – Plant chemicals that behave the
same way in the body as the hormone oestrogen.
Prader–Willi syndrome – A condition caused by a
chromosomal abnormality. Babies are floppy at
birth and go on to develop obesity due to an
excessive appetite and overeating. Other
characteristics are small hands and feet, mental
retardation, poor emotional and social
development and immature development of
sexual organs and other sexual characteristics.
Prebiotics – Fibre that encourages the growth of good
bacteria in the intestine.
Preterm babies – Babies born before 37 weeks
gestation.
Probiotics – Bacteria present in fermented food that
colonize the intestinal tract and improve the
intestinal microbial balance. Examples are
bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.
Protein – A complex molecule consisting of a
particular sequence of chains of amino acids.
Proteins are essential constituents of all living
things.
Pulses – A group of foods that includes lentils, peas
and starchy beans but excludes green beans.
Examples of starchy beans are chick peas, black
eye beans, baked beans, white and red kidney
beans, flageolet beans.
Reflux – See gastro-oesophageal reflux.
Retch – Make an involuntary effort to vomit.
Stool – Evacuated faecal matter passed through the
anus.
Supine – Lying on the back.
Teratogenesis – The development of physical defects
in the embryo.
Term babies – Babies born after 37 weeks gestation.