Course Title: Nutrition, Health and Disease

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Nutrition, Health and Disease

Credit Points: 12.00

Important Information:

 

 


Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

OHTH2068

City Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014

OHTH2068

City Campus

Undergraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2023

OHTH2080

City Campus

Postgraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014

OHTH2080

City Campus

Postgraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2023

OHTH2172

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Summer2017

OHTH2174

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Summer2017

Course Coordinator: Dr Jessica Danaher

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 6117

Course Coordinator Email: jessica.danaher@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 201.6.12

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment, by email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

This course has no enforced prerequisite courses.

Nutrition, Health and Disease is an intermediate level undergraduate food technology and nutrition course. It assumes knowledge of food and nutrition developed in courses such as Nutrition Principles. 


Course Description

This course is designed to provide you with a knowledge of practical aspects of nutrition. The focus of this course is on the inter-relationship of nutritional imbalance, deficiency or excess, and Western lifestyle-associated diseases (including obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease and some cancers). This course will also provide you with an understanding of nutrition-gene interactions, the gut microbiome and mental health, and the nutritional aspects of vegetarian diets. You will also learn to assess nutrition websites, review the literature on a variety of nutritional issues, gain experience in public speaking and working in teams, and learn how to write precise evidence-based summaries on nutrition topics.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the development of the following program learning outcomes (PLOs) for BP199P7 Bachelor of Science (Food Technology and Nutrition)

1.0 Demonstrate a coherent understanding of science by:

  • 1.1 You will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method and an ability to apply the scientific method in practice.
  • 1.2 You will demonstrate a coherent understanding of the role and relevance of Food Science in society.
  • 1.3 You will demonstrate an understanding of the role and importance of evidence in the continuous evolution of scientific knowledge.
  • 1.4 You will demonstrate an understanding of the significance of food science and nutrition to society

2.0 Exhibit depth and breadth of scientific knowledge by:

  • 2.2 You will demonstrate an ability to implement the principles and practices that underpins product development, food processing and preservation, ingredients interaction, and quality assurance.
  • 2.3 You will develop an appreciation of the significance of research to the development of innovative, safe and healthy foods.

4.0 Demonstrate effective communication of science by:

  • 4.1 You will be able to effectively communicate about food and nutrition issues using oral written and presentation skills.
  • 4.2 You will demonstrate an ability to write technical and scientific reports.
  • 4.3 You will be able to communicate the solution to a problem or result of a scientific investigation using appropriate terminology for the intended audience.

5.0 Demonstrate accountability for your own learning and scientific work by:

  • 5.2 You will demonstrate initiative and independence.
  • 5.4 You will develop an ability to work collaboratively.

 

This course contributes to the development of the following program learning outcomes (PLOs) for MC237 Master of Food Science and Technology

1.0 Understand food science and technology by:

  • 1.2 You will display a thorough understanding of recent developments in a specialised area of food science and technology.
  • 1.3 You will apply research principles and methods applicable to food science and technology.

2.0 Critically analyse and solve problems in food science and technology by:

  • 2.1 You will demonstrate cognitive skills and mastery of advanced theoretical knowledge in food science and technology and apply this knowledge to solve complex problems in existing and emerging areas of this discipline.
  • 2.2 You will generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level.

4.0 Communicate technical knowledge by:

  • 4.1 You will effectively communicate concepts of food science and technology to specialist and non-specialist audiences, using a variety of presentation modes.

5.0 Display personal and professional responsibility by:

  • 5.1 You will be accountable for individual learning and professional rigour via the development of independent and self-directed learning strategies.
  • 5.2 You will work effectively, responsibly, ethically and safely in an individual or team context


Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to: 

  1. Describe the connection between diet and health, and the mechanism of different nutrients which increase or decrease the risk of ‘diseases of Western Lifestyle’ (i.e. obesity, diabetes, type II diabetes, heart disease and some cancers).
  2. Describe the interaction between nutrients (in food and at the level of the gut) and human physiology.
  3. Demonstrate the ability to critically review nutrition research. 
  4. Differentiate between scientific data and advertising on a website on nutrition. 
  5. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively aspects of nutrition in written and verbal format.
  6. Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively in a team to produce an innovative report on a topic related to nutrition, health and disease.


Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities included in this course are:

  • Private study, working through the course syllabus materials (online learning modules); 
  • Workshops where syllabus material will be discussed; 
  • Workshop activities designed to give further practise in the application of theory and procedures, gaining practise at solving conceptual and numerical problems; 
  • Online multiple choice tests providing opportunities for feedback on student progress and understanding; 
  • Student presentations about diseases of Western lifestyle and nutrition; 
  • Written assignments and case studies requiring an integrated understanding of the subject matter. 


Overview of Learning Resources

You will be provided with lists of relevant texts, library resources (including appropriate journals) and freely accessible Internet resources. Other material will be provided in class.  

There is no recommended text for this unit, however the following book is a useful reference: 

Whitney, Rolfes, Crowe, Cameron-Smith & Walsh (2019) “Understanding Nutrition” (Aust & NZ 4th ed, Cengage Learning) 

This book is available online through the RMIT Library and can be downloaded for free. 


Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements. 

 

Assessment tasks 

Assessment Task 1: Online Knowledge Checks

Weighting 20% 

This assessment supports CLOs: 1 and 2 

 

Assessment 2: Individual Assignment

Weighting 25% 

This assessment task supports CLOs: 1, 2, 3 and 5 

 

Assessment 3: Team-Based Investigation 

Weighting 35%  

This assessment task supports CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

 

Assessment Task 4: Nutrition Specialist Workday

Weighting: 20% 

This assessment task supports CLOs: 1 and 2