Nutritional Epidemiology and Health Promotion
COURSE SPECIFICATION
| Course Title: | Nutritional Epidemiology & Health Promotion | Code: | NUTR1018 |
| Co-ordinator: | Dr Lucie Pollard | Level: | 5 |
| School: | School of Science | Credits: | 15 |
| Department: | Life and Sports Science | ||
Aims
The aims of this course are to:
- Introduce students to the principles of epidemiology and the field of nutritional epidemiology;
- To provide students with appropriate tools to plan and carry out community based surveys and research in an appropriate manner.
- Enable students to appreciate the interdisciplinary nature of community nutrition and health and integrate knowledge and understanding from a variety of sources to identify or propose solutions for nutrition education and health promotion.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
Use an epidemiological approach to investigating nutrition-related health and disease in the context of food and nutrition policy; Critically appraise food consumption patterns and assess dietary intake methods at population level; Identify links between diet, lifestyle and chronic disease; Evaluate the different approaches to nutrition education and health promotion. Discuss the economic, social & behavioural factors that affect food supply, choice and access; Process and present statistical/ epidemiological analyses relevant to nutrition and chronic disease; Develop a research protocol and discuss methods for acquiring and information about diet and nutritional status in population subgroups; Critically examine and interpret interactions between diet, health and disease
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
Design survey instruments and undertake community based nutrition and health surveys recognising relavent moral and ethical issues; Integrate knowledge to plan and undertake nutrition education and health promotion activities in the community; Plan, conduct, analyse, interpret and report nutrition-related data using appropriate statistical methods. Formulate dietary strategies appropriate for a stated situation for purposes of promoting health; Communicate appropriate messages about food, nutrients and nutrition appropriately to a non specialist audience through oral and poster communication sessions
Indicative Content
Definitions, principles and concepts of epidemiology; Elements of nutritional epidemiology; Chronic disease patterns, rates and risk factors; Nutritional Assessment at the Community level; Measurement of food consumption at population level; Concepts and measurement of food consumption in infants and young children; Infant Feeding Practices and methods, challenges and solutions; Adolescent Food consumption: Food choices and eating behaviour; Older adults and the elderly - Meeting their nutritional needs; Diet, Lifestyle, Fitness and health; Community surveys: instrumental (questionnaire) design and conduct of nutrition and health screening and surveys. Understanding and use of statistics and food consumption data in nutritional epidemiology.
Teaching & Learning Activity
The course will be taught largely through lectures, tutorials and associated laboratory work. The principles will be explained in lectures, while tutorials laboratory work will establish the understanding of these principles by a problem solving approach.
Assessment Coursework
25% Nutrition strategies to a specification appropriate for a stated situation for purposes of promoting health. Practical - 25% Community survey. Study protocol and report of pilot study. Exam - 50% 2 hours. Minimum pass mark - 40%
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