Tools and Techniques in Nutrition Research

The main objective of the course is to provide a solid understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of using a variety of methodologies that are available for assessing dietary intake, body composition, energy metabolism, appetite regulation, and biomarkers.

Knowledge:

• Describe different methods that can be used to assess dietary intake (in relation to nutrients or foods); body composition (in relation to fat, muscle, water, and bone); physical activity patterns; energy metabolism, substrate oxidation (resting, postprandial and total); appetite regulation; biomarkers.
• Outline the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
• Recognize the existence (or the absence) of national and international nutrient and dietary reference values and standards that can be used to evaluate the results.

Skills:

• Utilize a food recall or record to assess dietary intake by means of digital tools and evaluate the results.
• Measure resting metabolic rate by indirect calorimetry and estimate total energy expenditure, fat and carbohydrate oxidation.
• Measure body composition by different methods and compare the results.
• Measure subjective appetite sensations and evaluate the outcome.
• Measure the levels of various biomarkers in blood by using wet lab techniques.

Competences:

• Choose the most appropriate methodology to answer a given research question in a given experimental situation.
• Evaluate the results in relation to national and international nutrient and dietary reference values and standards.
• Reflect on the results after taking into consideration the limitations of the methods used to obtain them.