M

Select a term to view the definition:
  • Major histocompatibility complex

    Professional Description:

    Genes located on chromosome 6 and encoded for the human leukocyte antigens (HLAs), present on all body cells, that distinguish self from non-self. Their products are primarily responsible for the rapid rejection of grafts between individuals. The function of the products of the MHC is signaling between lymphocytes and cells expressing antigens.

  • Malnutrition

    Professional Description:

    Malnutrition includes deficiency, excess or imbalance of energy, protein and/or other nutrients. In clinical practice, undernutrition is the typical focus resulting from reduced food intake/assimilation or disease burden/inflammation leading to altered body composition and diminished function.

  • Maltodextrin

    Professional Description:

    A glucose polymer that contains six to 12 glucose molecules and exerts lesser osmotic effects compared with glucose. It is used in a variety of sports drinks as the main source of carbohydrate.

  • Marginalization

    Professional Description:

    Marginalization is the social exclusion or stigmatizing groups or individuals.

  • Mass Media

    Professional Description:

    Includes the traditional forms of media such as television, radio, newspapers and magazines as well as, but not limited to, the contemporary music videos, music lyrics, video games, movies, web pages and text messaging.

  • Mast cell

    Professional Description:

    Mast cells play an important role in the body's allergic response. Mast cells are present in most body tissues, but are particularly numerous in connective tissue, such as the dermis (innermost layer) of skin. In an allergic response, an allergen stimulates the release of antibodies, which attach themselves to mast cells. Following subsequent allergen exposure, the mast cells release substances such as histamine (a chemical responsible for allergic symptoms) into the tissue.

  • Mattis Dementia Rating Scale

    Professional Description:

    designed to measure and track mental status in adults (56-105) with cognitive impairment. The DRS-2 is very useful in the assessment and progression of dementia of Alzheimer's type, vascular dementia, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and age-related dementia in mental retardation and Down's syndrome. The (DRS-2) is individually administered and is comprised of a 36- task and 32-stimulus card. The DRS-2 assesses cognitive functioning on five subscales: Attention (ATT, 8 items); Initiation-Perseveration (I-P, 11 items); Construction (CONST, 6 items); Conceptualization (CONCEPT, 6 items); and Memory (MEM, 5 items). The reliability and validity properties of the DRS-2 are excellent. The DRS-2 uses the previously established reliability and validity scores. A test-retest reliability correlation coefficient was .97 with subscale correlation coefficients ranging from .61 to .94. The DRS was administered twice with a 1-week interval between administrations to a group of 30 patients

  • MCV

    Professional Description:

    mean cell volume

  • Mean intake

    Professional Description:

    Average intake of a particular nutrient or food for a group or population of individuals. Also average intake of a nutrient or food over two or more days for an individual.

  • Mean Requirement

    Professional Description:

    Average requirement of a particular nutrient for a group or population of individuals.

  • meat analogues

    Professional Description:

    A classification of foods made from vegetable proteins, nuts, or processed poultry or fish designed to imitate or be used in place of beef, pork, poultry, and dairy products.

  • Media Advisory

    Professional Description:

    A brief summary of a recent news event, followed by the background credentials of an expert willing to comment on it. Also known as an Interview Alert; often precedes a News Conference.

  • Media contact list

    Professional Description:

    A list of reporters and/or editors strategically chosen to reach a specific audience to the person or story being pitched.

  • Media Literacy

    Professional Description:

    Media literacy is the ability to apply critical thinking skills to analyze media messages in order to understand and assess their meaning.

    Source: Truman E, Bischoff M, Elliott C. Which literacy for health promotion: health, food, nutrition or media? Health Promot Int. 2020 Apr 1;35(2):432-444. Doi: 10.1093/heapro/daz007. PMID: 30793740.

  • Median

    Professional Description:

    The median, is defined as "the middle value of the relevant set of data". The median is the value that divides the set of data in half, 50 percent of the measurement being above it and 50 percent being below it.

  • mediated approach

    Professional Description:

    intervention strategies implemented indirectly using media such as print mailings and telecommunication

  • Medicalization

    Professional Description:

    Medicalization is the phenomenon whereby common human variations come to be defined as a medical problem, needing medical treatment.

  • Medication Resistant Epilepsy

    Professional Description:

    A “failure of adequate trials of two tolerated, appropriately chosen and used antiepileptic drug schedules (whether as monotherapies or in combination) to achieve sustained seizure freedom”.

    Source: Kwan P, Arzimanoglou A, Berg AT, Brodie MJ, Hauser WA, Mathern G, et al. Definition of drug resistant epilepsy: consensus proposal by the ad hoc task force of the ILAE commission on therapeutic strategies. Epilepsia 2010 Jun:51(6):1069-77.

  • Mediterranean Diet

    Professional Description:

    The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high intake of vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, non-refined cereals and olive oil, a moderate intake of alcohol, a low to moderate intake of dairy products, fish, poultry and a low intake of red meat and refined sugar.

    Source: Papadaki A, Nolen-Doerr E, Mantzoros CS. The Effect of the Mediterranean Diet on Metabolic Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials in Adults. Nutrients. 2020 Oct 30;12(11):3342. doi: 10.3390/nu12113342. PMID: 33143083; PMCID: PMC7692768.

  • megaloblastic anemia

    Professional Description:

    Low red blood cell count, characterized by the presence in the blood of large, immature, nucleated cells (megaloblasts) that are forerunners of red blood cells. Red blood cells, when mature, have no nucleus.

  • Mentor

    Professional Description:

    A trusted counsellor, guide or advisor. Mentors are not typically involved in evaluation of learners unless in a formal facilitated mentoring program.

  • Mentoring

    Professional Description:

    The process of a mentor/mentee partnership with the more experienced person serving as a guide or advisor to the less experienced person.

  • Menu labelling

    Professional Description:

    The provision of information on calories, fat, sodium and other selected nutrients in menu items at point of purchase.

  • Meta-Analysis

    Professional Description:

    "A statistical technique for quantitatively combining the results of multiple studies that measure the same outcome into a single pooled or summary estimate".

    Source: JAMAevidence. JAMAevidence glossary. American Medical Association; 2021.

  • Metabolic Body Weight

    Professional Description:

    Metabolic body weight is weight (kg)0.75. Many physiological variables (such as metabolic rate) do not appear to vary in direct proportion to body weight. Instead, they vary in proportion to what is known as metabolic body weight.

  • Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis

    Professional Description:

    The term metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a replacement term for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

    Source: Rinella ME, Lazarus JV, Ratziu V, Francque SM, Sanyal AJ, Kanwal F, Romero D, Abdelmalek MF, Anstee QM, Arab JP, Arrese M, Bataller R, Beuers U, Boursier J, Bugianesi E, Byrne C, Castro Narro GE, Chowdhury A, Cortez-Pinto H, Cryer D, Cusi K, El-Kassas M, Klein S, Eskridge W, Fan J, Gawrieh S, Guy CD, Harrison SA, Kim SU, Koot B, Korenjak M, Kowdley K, Lacaille F, Loomba R, Mitchell-Thain R, Morgan TR, Powell E, Roden M, Romero-Gómez M, Silva M, Singh SP, Sookoian SC, Spearman CW, Tiniakos D, Valenti L, Vos MB, Wai-Sun Wong V, Xanthakos S, Yilmaz Y, Younossi Z, Hobbs A, Villota-Rivas M, Newsome PN; NAFLD Nomenclature consensus group. A multi-society Delphi consensus statement on new fatty liver disease nomenclature. J Hepatol. 2023 Jun 20:S0168-8278(23)00418-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.06.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37364790. Abstract available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37364790/

  • Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

    Professional Description:

    Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the presence of hepatic steatosis in conjunction with at least one cardiometabolic risk factor (e.g. elevated waist circumference, blood glucose, blood pressure or dyslipidemia). The term MetALD is used to describe individuals with MASLD who consume greater amounts of alcohol (>140 g/week for women and >210 g/week for men). MASLD was previously referred to as nonalcoholic fatty liver or nonalcohol-related fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).

  • metabolic syndrome

    Professional Description:

    Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors (at least three of the following: large waist circumference, high blood pressure, high fasting blood glucose, high serum triglycerides, low serum HDL cholesterol) that is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease beyond what is expected from individual risk factors.

    Source: Cardiometabolic Risk Working Group: Executive Committee, Leiter LA, Fitchett DH, Gilbert RE, Gupta M, Mancini GB, McFarlane PA, et al. Cardiometabolic risk in Canada: a detailed analysis and position paper by the cardiometabolic risk working group. Can J Cardiol. 2011 Mar-Apr;27(2):e1-e33. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2010.12.054. PMID: 21459257.

  • Metastasis

    Professional Description:

    Metastasis is the spread or a change of position or form of a disease-producing cells from the initial or primary site of disease to another part of the body.

  • Methacholine challenge

    Professional Description:

    Methacholine is a pharmacologic agent used to assess airway hyperresponsiveness. Methacholine challenge is the most common method for quantifying airway responsiveness. Responsiveness is determined from the changes in lung function resulting from inhaling increasing concentrations of methacholine. Heightened airway responsiveness to a number of stimuli is characteristic of asthma.

  • Métis

    Professional Description:

    "The term "Métis" is used broadly to describe people with mixed First Nation and European ancestry who identify themselves as Métis, distinct from Indian, Inuit or non-Indigenous people."

    Source: Government of Canada. Métis Genealogy. 2020 Sept 9. Available from: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/aboriginal-heritage/metis/Pages/metis-genealogy.aspx

  • Microcytic

    Professional Description:

    Pertaining to abnormally small red blood cell present especially as in microcytic anemias

  • Migraine

    Professional Description:

    A symptom complex occurring periodically that s characterized by pain in the head, nausea and vomiting, vertigo, photophobia, and scintillating appearances of light. Migraine subtypes include classic migraine, common migraine, cluster headache, hemiplegic migraine, ophthalmoplegic migraine, and ophthalmic migraine.

  • Migraineur

    Professional Description:

    An individual who experiences migraines.

  • Migraineurs

    Professional Description:

    An individual who experiences migraines.

  • Mild or Moderate Hypoglycemia

    Professional Description:

    Associated with the presence of autonomic symptoms and the ability to self-treat.

  • Mild-intensity exercise

    Professional Description:

    Generally do not cause heavy breathing, only mildly elevate the heart rate, and do not affect blood glucose levels unless performed for more than 10 minutes.

  • Mildly/Moderately dehydrated

    Professional Description:

    Mild dehydration is when some deficits or abnormalities in laboratory values exist but they do not seriously impair an individual''s circulation, organ function or level of functioning. Moderate dehydration is when some deficits or laboratory abnormalities exist that impair or are likely to impair circulation or organ function but are not immediately life threatening.

  • Moderate alcohol intake

    Professional Description:

    no more than 1 drink a day and no more than 7 drinks a week where one standard drink is considered 1 bottle (350 mL/12 oz.) of 5% beer, 150 mL/5 oz. of 10-14% wine or 50 mL/1 1/2 oz. 40 % alcohol spirits

  • Moderate Hypoglycemia

    Professional Description:

    Associated with the presence of autonomic and neuroglycopenic symptoms and the ability to self-treat.

  • Moderate intensity aerobic exercise

    Professional Description:

    Includes jogging, walking, cycling or swimming

  • Moderate intensity counselling

    Professional Description:

    Face to face sessions which consist of 2-3 group or individual sessions ≥ 30 minutes delivered by a dietitian or other health professional

  • Moderate to high intensity counselling

    Professional Description:

    High is more than 6 contacts lasting more than 30 minutes, low is 1 contact lasting less than 30 minutes, medium is between low and high

  • Moderate-intensity exercise

    Professional Description:

    Described as 40-60% VO2max (50-70% of maximum heart rate, glucose uptake increased by 2-3mg per kg per minute above usual requirements). Examples include brisk walking, biking, continuous swimming, dancing, water aerobics, raking leaves.

  • modifiable risk factors

    Professional Description:

    factors which increase risk of a certain disease or disorder that can be adjusted by the individual. They include smoking, inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption, stress, excessive weight

  • MONICA Project

    Professional Description:

    Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease Project

  • Monoclonal

    Professional Description:

    Referring to a single clone. Example: Monoclonal antibodies are produced by a single clone of cell and therefore are a single type of antibody.

  • Monogenic

    Professional Description:

    A descriptive term of or relating to an inheritable characteristic that is influenced by a single gene.

  • morbidly obese

    Professional Description:

    BMI of 40 or greater, or BMI of 35 or greater in the presence of significant co-morbidities

  • Moro reaction

    Professional Description:

    a scoring system for neonatal narcotic withdrawal.

  • Mucins

    Professional Description:

    Any of a group of glycoproteins found especially in the secretions of mucous membranes.

  • Multicultural nutrition counselling

    Professional Description:

    Nutrition counselling which involves a nutrition professional and a client who are from different cultures.

  • Multiple Daily Injections

    Professional Description:

    a form of intensive therapy using an intermediate- or long-acting insulin, or extended long-acting insulin analogue once or twice daily as the basal insulin, and a fast-acting or rapid-acting insulin analogue as the bolus insulin for food intake at each meal. This type of insulin regime permits adjustment of insulin doses for variable carbohydrate intake.

  • Multivitamin/mineral supplement

    Professional Description:

    Any supplement containing three or more vitamins or minerals, but no herbs, hormones or drugs, with each component at a level less than the tolerable upper intake level (UL).

  • murine

    Professional Description:

    Relating to the subfamily Murinae, which includes mice and rats.

  • Mycoprotein

    Professional Description:

    Mycoprotein is the main constituent of Quorn™ a high protein, high fibre food made from fungi.

  • myelodysplastic syndrome

    Professional Description:

    Any of a group of bone marrow disorders that are marked especially by an abnormal reduction in one or more types of circulating blood cells due to defective growth and maturation of blood-forming cells in the bone marrow and that sometimes progress to acute myelogenous leukemia -- called also myelodysplasia

  • myoglobin

    Professional Description:

    A red iron-containing protein pigment in muscles that is similar to hemoglobin but differs in the globin portion of its molecule

  • Myosin

    Professional Description:

    A major contractile protein in muscle found in thick filaments.