92507 Nutrition and Healthy Eating
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Description
This subject aims to develop students' understanding of the association between nutrition, health, and disease. It examines the role of nutrition in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing diseases, with a particular focus on exploring: (1) nutrition requirements across the various stages of the lifecycle, including early childhood, pregnancy, lactation and the elderly; (2) eating patterns of vulnerable groups at risk of food insecurity; (3) nutrient requirements, deficiency and excess intake on the aetiology of diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer; (4) methods of dietary assessment, including an appraisal of effectiveness; and (5) current nutrition policies, systems and guidelines aimed at preventing and managing disease in the Australia population.
As students take this subject from a wide range of disciplines, it is flexible to allow students to tailor certain work in order to follow their own area of professional interest. It is assumed that students have a sound knowledge of science and mathematics.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Describe the nutrient intake requirements, food sources and significance of macronutrients and micronutrients at different stages of the life cycle |
|---|---|
| B. | Explain the role of food in the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and the prevention of diet-related diseases |
| C. | Examine the role of the current Australian nutrition guidelines and synthesise the evidence into practical and easy-to-understand information |
| D. | Describe and appraise the evidence for eating patterns of vulnerable groups at risk of food insecurity in Australia |
| E. | Compare and contrast key elements and effectiveness for different dietary assessment methods |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Respect and respond to the needs of diverse groups to improve health outcomes (1.2)
- Promote and enhance the health of diverse groups through evidence-based advocacy strategies and techniques (1.3)
- Develop creative and innovative responses to health issues (2.2)
- Reflects on the ethical implications for public health research and practice (4.1)
- Translate research and evaluation into social and professional practice through critical thinking and knowledge integration (5.0)
- Demonstrates critical thinking in the development and practice of public health (5.1)
- Assess and evaluate the relevance and quality of research in the context of specific health issues and populations (5.3)
Teaching and learning strategies
A range of face-to-face and online learning strategies are used to support collaborative learning and development of nutrition concepts and knowledge. Critical thinking approaches are drawn on as students develop evidence-based problem-solving skills.
Weekly sessions include:
1. Allocated pre-class preparation, which includes reading, listening to podcasts or watching online material, is expanded in the weekly face-to-face lectures and tutorials.
2. In-class sessions. These include varied delivery formats to introduce concepts, support learning and apply/review content. Lectures introduce topics, which are then expanded through discussion and tutorial exercises. UTSOnline provides a venue to discuss course content and assessments at any time.
Students will receive feedback from the tutor on responses to discussion and participation in learning activities in class. Students will also receive feedback on assessment items prior to submission of the next assessment task.
Content (topics)
- Food source and role of macronutrients and micronutrients in the aetiology of chronic disease, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer
- Methods of dietary assessment, including an appraisal of effectiveness;
- Current nutrition policies, systems and guidelines aimed at preventing and managing disease in the Australia population, including the dietary guidelines, nutrient reference values, food legislations and food fortification;
- Nutrition requirements across the various stages of the lifecycle, including early childhood, pregnancy, lactation and the elderly;
- Eating patterns of vulnerable groups at risk of food insecurity, including those from a low socioeconomic status, Indigenous Australians, refugees and migrants;
- Principles in community and public health nutrition;
- Interpretation of food labels, nutrition information panels and nutrition claims.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Analysis of individual dietary intake
| Intent: | This assessment is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the analysis of individual dietary intake. By undertaking a thorough appraisal of dietary intake, students will be able to make recommendations for food modification that would improve the nutritional quality of their diet and health. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): C, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): .5, 2.2 and 5.0 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 2000 words (Figures, tables and reference list are not included in the word count) |
Assessment task 2: Group-led presentation based on a current nutrition issue under debate
| Intent: | This assessment is designed to examine student’s ability to research, present academically and synthesis evidence based literature into easy to understand information relevant to the chosen topic. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C and D This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.3, 5.1 and 5.3 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, group and individually assessed |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 15-minute talk and A4 sized poster |
Assessment task 3: Final examination
| Intent: | This exam is designed to assess the student's ability to apply their understanding of the role of nutrition in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing diseases. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C and D This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.2, 1.3, 4.1 and 5.0 |
| Type: | Examination |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 2-hour exam |
Minimum requirements
It is necessary to achieve a cumulative pass mark across all assignments tasks to pass the subject (ie, a 50% mark or above).
Required texts
There is no essential text for this subejct. All necessary readings and material will be posted on UTS Online.
References
Coulston, A., Boushey, C., Ferruzzi, M, & Delahanty, L. (2017). Nutrition in the prevention and treatment of disease (4th ed.), Academic Press.
Boeing, H., Bechthold, A., Bub, A., Ellinger, S., Haller, D., Kroke, A., & Watzl, B. (2012). Critical review: vegetables and fruit in the prevention of chronic diseases. European Journal of Nutrition, 51(6), 637-63.
Lalor, E., Boyden, A., Cadilhac, D., Colagiur, S., Doust, J., Fraser, D., Harris, M., Huang, N., Johnson, D., Johnson, G., & Lusis, N. 2012, Guidelines for the management of absolute cardiovascular disease risk, The National Vascular Disease Prevention Alliance, Australia.
National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013. Australian dietary guidelines, NHMRC, Canberra, Australia.
National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013. Clinical practice guidelines for the management of overweight obesity in adults, adolescents and children in Australia. NHMRC, Canberra, Australia.
National Health and Medical Research Council, 2000. Nutrition in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: An information paper. NHMRC, Canberra, Australia.
National Health and Medical Research Council, 2005. Reference values for Australia and New Zealand. NHMRC, Canberra, Australia.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, 2016. General practice management of type 2 diabetes 2016-18. RACGP, Victoria, Australia.
World Health Organisation, 2003. Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Disease. Report of a joint WHO/FAO expert consultation. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.
Other resources
UTS Student Centre
Building 10
Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm
Tel: 1300 ASK UTS (1300 275 887)
Details for student centres: www.uts.edu.au/current-students/contacts/general-contacts
For other resources/ information refer to the Faculty of Health website (www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-health), the Health Student Guide (www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/uts-health-student-guide.pdf) and UTSOnline at: https://online.uts.edu.au/webapps/login/
UTS Library
The Library has a wide range of resources, facilities and services to support you including textbooks, subject readings, health literature databases, workshops and bookable study rooms. There is also a team of librarians to help you with your questions available via online chat, phone and in person. W: lib.uts.edu.au, Facebook: utslibrary, Twitter: @utslibrary Tel: (02) 9514 3666.
Improve your academic and English language skills
Marks for all assessment tasks such as assignments and examinations are given not only for what you write but also for how you write. If you would like the opportunity to improve your academic and English language skills, make an appointment with the HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support) Service in Student Services.
HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support)
HELPS provides assistance with English language proficiency and academic language. Students who need to develop their written and/or spoken English should make use of the free services offered by HELPS, including academic language workshops, vacation intensive courses, drop-in consultations, individual appointments and Conversations@UTS (www.ssu.uts.edu.au/helps). HELPS staff are also available for drop-in consultations at the UTS Library. Phone (02) 9514 9733.
Please see www.uts.edu.au for additional information on other resources provided to students by UTS.