Nutrition, Health, Diseases and Evidence
Course content
The focus is on under and malnutrition and non-communicable diseases in children and adults and the effects of diet/nutrient intake on these, both in relation to prevention and treatment. In addition, the course focuses on assessment of available evidence for a causal relationship between diet/nutrient intake and disease.
Main topics are: under and malnutrition; inflammation; immunology; osteoporosis; cancer; obesity; metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases.
MSc Programme in Human Nutrition
The main objective of the course is to give the student an understanding of the relation between diet, nutrition and non-communicable diseases and to assess available evidence in nutritional research
Knowledge:
- Describe the pathogenesis of the most common non-communicable diseases (i.e the metabolic syndrome, gestational diabetes, cardio vascular diseases, osteoporosis and cancer).
- Describe the effects of diet/nutrients on prevention and treatment of these non-communicable diseases (including risk factors for these diseases).
- Describe the effects of dietary strategies for treatment of under and malnutrition.
- Define epidemiology and causality
- Define and explain the concepts bias, confounding, effect modification, chance, power, validity and generalizability
- Classify epidemiological study designs, and describe their advantages and limitations in nutritional research
Skills:
- Discuss and reflect on the effect of diet/nutrients on the prevention and treatment of the most common non-communicable diseases (e.g. obesity, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation).
- Explain and discuss the mechanisms behind the influence of diet/nutrients on non-communicable diseases on a systemic as well as, organ, tissue and cellular level.
- Explain and discuss the mechanisms behind the influence of diet/nutrients on under and malnutrition on a systemic as well as, organ, tissue and cellular level.
- Critically assess the validity of studies on diet-health relationships
Competences:
- Evaluate different risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
- Critically assess the effect of lifestyle on risk factors and development of non-communicable diseases.
- Recommend relevant lifestyle changes for prevention and treatment based on the evolution of the risk factors.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of diet and physical activity in the prevention and treatment of related non-communicable diseases in relation to the pathogenesis of these on a scientific level.
- Communicate effectiveness of diet and physical activity in the prevention and treatment of related non-communicable diseases in relation to the pathogenesis of these on a non-scientific level.
- Evaluate lifestyle strategies in the prevention and treatment of under and malnutrition.
Lectures, theoretic exercises and discussions in plenum.
Will be announced at Absalon.
Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Oral feedback will be given collectively when reviewing exercises performed during lectures.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
On-site written exam, 3 hours under invigilation
- Type of assessment details
- Written examination consisting of an essay, 50 % and a multiple
choice test, 50 %
The on-site written exam is an ITX exam.
See important information about ITX-exams at Study Information, menu point: Exams -> Exam types and rules -> Written on-site exams (ITX) - Aid
- Only certain aids allowed (see description below)
Only dictionaries supported/offered by University of Copenhagen are allowed.
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Internal grading.
Three assessors including an internal censor not directly involved in the course. - Re-exam
-
Same as ordinary exam.
If ten or fewer students have registered for re-examination, the examination will be changed to a 20 minutes oral examination without preparation.
Criteria for exam assessment
Please see "Learning Outcome".
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 40
- Class Instruction
- 40
- Preparation
- 123
- Exam
- 3
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- NNEK25002U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 3
- Schedulegroup
-
A
- Capacity
- No limitation.
Unless you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student. - Studyboard
- Study Board of Food, Human Nutrition and Sports
Contracting department
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinator
- Christian Mølgaard (2-687245736a7d7833707a336970)
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