Learning Context/ Introduction
The purpose of this learning experience is for students to analyze their diets. After recording the amount of food eaten in a two consecutive day period, students will enter their data into a computer program, NAS2, (Nutrient Analysis 2). The computer will print out their data in both list and graphic forms. It will provide an average of the two-day data as well. Students will then analyze their computer-generated data in composition form. This project is completed during the nutrition unit in the high school health course.
Students need to know:
- How to record food data
- How to use a computer
- How to use the NAS2 software program
- How to average math data
- How to apply data from charts into a composition form
- Basic nutrition information on the six nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water
- The ratio of fat/protein/carbohydrates in the diet
In addition, the students should remember that the American Cancer Society recommends less than 30% fat in the diet.
Duration
Planning will require some familiarity with the computer program. Familiarity with the program will depend on the teacher's, and the students', level of computer literacy. I have included a step-by-step procedure for this project.
Implementation: You will need one period (40 mins) to demonstrate the computer program to the students. Students will need one period to input their data. The composition part of the project requires 1/2 - 1 hour to complete.
Assessment will be completed using the rating scale included. Approximately 10 minutes per student will be needed to grade the projects.
Instructional/Environment Modifications
Student computer skills may require direct instruction while the students input their data. Students have limited concepts of serving sizes for food portions. The instructor will need to go over this before the students input their data. The instructor will need to discuss serving sizes before the students input their data. Checking their printouts before they do the analysis section is important in case they inputted a loaf of bread instead of a slice of bread. Such mistakes may invalidate their results. Students with limited abilities may only be able to do the computer-input part of this project instead of the composition part.
Procedure
Students receive a packet for this project that contains the following handouts:
- food diary
- food categories
- NAS2 directions
- composition directions
- grading sheet
Students will record two consecutive days of food intake. I usually introduce this project on a Monday or a Friday to ensure that one weekend day will be included in the sample. I do not announce this project ahead of time so that students will eat normally.
Then, I demonstrate the computer program, NAS2, and explain how to input their data. Using three students' data (breakfast, lunch, dinner), we input one day and print out the results in both list and pie chart forms. Nutrients are analyzed and saved to average the results of each together.
Using the printouts as examples, I explain how to complete the analysis section of this project. I expect the analysis to be presented in composition form.
Students are required to:
- Identify, in their diets, which nutrients are below 70%. The students must explain why the body requires that nutrient and what foods supply that nutrient.
- Compare diet composition percentages between protein, fats, and carbohydrates. What are their actual percentages; and, what should they be?
- Evaluate fat in the diet to be below the American Cancer Society recommendation of less than 30%. What changes are need in their diets to achieve this recommended percentage?
- Evaluate what they learned; and, how they felt about this diet project.
Students sign up to use the computers in my room. They can input the data for the two days within one class period (40 mins.)
The last step is to complete the analysis part of the project, once they have their computer printouts. The analysis may take thirty minutes to one hour depending on the amount of missing nutrients.
Student Work
Student AStudent BStudent CStudent D
Resources
Software program Nutrient Analysis 2 version 5.0 by DDA Software.
P.O. Box 477
Long Valley, NJ 07853
(Note: Other computer programs can be used with modifications made to accommodate the differing software capabilities.)
U.S.D.A. Nutritive Value of Foods U.S. Government Printing Office: 1986 490*943/52001 (helpful, but not required.)
Assessment Plan
Students are given the rating sheet at the same time the project is being introduced and assigned.
Students must hand in their food diaries, all computer printouts, composition and rating scale.
Project Score Sheet
Student Work
Samples of student work are included below to show different levels of student performance along with the rating scale used in the evaluation.
Student AStudent BStudent CStudent D
Author
Leueen Smithling, Beaver River Central Schools
Reflection
I have used this lesson with my students in my 23 years of teaching both Health and Home Economics. During this time period, I have changed this process to incorporate new technology. Originally, my students had to look up all of these nutrient values and calculate the math with a calculator, which made for a large amount of human error. My first computer program had very few food choices and lacked fast food or foreign food selections. This newest program has a great variety of foods and does a thorough job with the analysis of data. This project allows students to evaluate how they are doing on a personal basis. They can find out what they are eating well and what changes they need to make. This analysis allows the kids to monitor how well they are doing.
This project is still relevant today. People will always need to eat. With fewer meals being eaten or prepared at home, the nutritious quality of food is at risk. The graphs used in this project provide a visual reference for the students. This project reinforces all of the nutrition concepts covered in class from nutrients, diet & cancer, the heart disease connection, etc.
I have learned that even though the technology is much improved, human error can still occur. Kids can lack knowledge concerning food-serving sizes, which can impact the data they get for their results. Also, computer programs will never be comprehensive enough to have all food selections. The teacher needs to work with the software before implementing it in the classroom.
A variety of educators and other students have reviewed this program. The resource room teachers tried this project before we used it with my students, as both learning disabled and mainstreamed students take health. Our school librarian has used this program for her own personal interest. Seniors who attend the New Visions program at our local hospital have asked to use the software for their required project.
Miss Elizabeth Wallace, Home & Careers teacher at Beaver River Central School reviewed this application. The following is her response to reading this document:
"This program has helped students involved in our wrestling program evaluate their dietary needs. We had a problem with starvation weight loss. Several students in the FHA/HERO Student Body project have used the information from this project in their nutrition activities."
